Probably almost everyone has heard about the outstanding woman Indira Gandhi, but few can talk about her. Very often people make one mistake, considering Indira to be the daughter or granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi. But this is not true, Indira Priyardashini Nehru married Feroz Gandhi, who was just the namesake of the Mahatma.

Biography of the great politician

The future great politician was born into a Brahmin family on November 19, 1917 in Allahabad. Priyardashini's father was Jawaharlal, the first leader of the Indian state.

Indira from the very youth was known by Mohandas Gandhi, who, being a friend of the Nehru family, often visited their house and, according to eyewitnesses, was surprised by the high intelligence of the little girl. In the mid-thirties, the girl entered the Sriniketan Rabindranath Tagore University. However, Indira could not complete her studies at this institution. In 1937, Priyardashini went to Great Britain, where three academic year studied at Oxford College.

After returning to India, Indira marries Iranian Parsi Feroz Gandhi. Feroz professed Zoroastrianism, and the marriage of a Brahmin Hindu woman with a Zoroastrian man was negatively perceived in conservative Indian society. Feroz died in 1960; with her husband, Indira had two children, Rajiv and Sanjay.

Actively advocating for the freedom of the Indian people, Indira incurred the wrath of the colonial administration; together with her husband, Indira was arrested and spent about a year in prison. After gaining independence, Indira became the prime minister's personal secretary, visited many countries and was actively engaged in self-education.

After the death of her father, Indira becomes Minister of Information. And two years later, he takes the post of prime minister and becomes the head of the INC party. For the conservative patriarchal Indian society, for which a woman, and especially a widow, is assigned a secondary role in relation to a man. Indian woman getting supreme political power can be considered as a certain social revolution.

Gandhi's political reforms

After gaining power, Indira begins large-scale internal reforms in India. Under it, the administrative-territorial division of India is streamlined, and the ancient feudal elite is finally removed from power. Indira begins reforms aimed at creating a complex of heavy industry in India, nuclear energy and state banking.

Late 60s Fourteen of India's largest banks were nationalized. The revolution begins in agriculture , through large investments in the creation of an irrigation system and the introduction of new high-yielding grain crops, India is achieving food self-sufficiency. In order to reduce the birth rate, Gandhi begins a program of partial sterilization of the population. The latter program resulted in strong criticism of Gandhi in the middle of India .

In foreign policy Indira Gandhi continues her father's course towards the non-aligned movement. Indira opposes military-political blocs and weapons of mass destruction. India also has difficult relations with Pakistan. India supported the national struggle of East Pakistan, which became Bangladesh, which resulted in the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971.

Indira lost power in 1977 and was even arrested, but in 1980 she again became head of government and continued her political course.

Fatal death of Indira

Since the late 70s of the twentieth century, the Sikhs of Punjab began to demand the creation of their own state. The Sikhs made the Golden Temple in Amritsar their citadel. In 1984, Gandhi ordered a military operation against the rebels, as a result of which the Great Temple was partially destroyed and many civilians were injured.

On October 31, 1984, the Sikhs committed an act of revenge; Indira's personal bodyguards shot the prime minister as he left his house. Many days of mourning were declared throughout India.

The significance of Indira Gandhi in world history

Indira Gandhi had a great influence on the formation of modern India. How could Gandhi fight the manifestations of the Varna-caste system and ancient archaisms, which contributed to the formation modern society. India, at the end of the Gandhian era, transformed from an agrarian former colony into a developed modern state.

The world knows several female political leaders who managed to change their worldview large quantity people and really change the course of history. One of the few who left an indelible mark on the life of India is the amazingly strong-willed, strong-willed Indira Gandhi.

The biography of this woman, and also an influential political figure, is amazing. Her life and career path cannot leave either her supporters or her opponents indifferent. political views.

Let's figure out why she became famous throughout the world, what results her government managed to achieve, why she is compared to the “Iron Lady” Margaret Thatcher and what merits she was able to win among her people the unspoken status of “mother of all India”. We will find out all this in short biography Indira Gandhi.

Indira Gandhi. Photo source: NewIndianExpress

Indira Gandhi's childhood

The years of Indira Gandhi's life are 1917-1984. First of all, she is known as the Prime Minister of India from 1966-1977 and 1980-1984.

Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi was born on November 19, 1917 in the city of Allahabad, which is located in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The family into which she was born consisted of famous politicians, so she was destined by fate to follow the same path as her influential relatives. Her grandfather was Gandhi Motilal Nehru, who is known as the veteran leader of the Indian National Congress. And Indira Gandhi's father himself Jawaharlal Nehru , which was first Prime Minister of India and previously engaged in legal practice. At the time when his daughter Indira was born, he had just set out on the ornate path of a political career.

Note that even Indira Swarip's grandmother Rani Nehru and mother Kamala are also known for being political figures. At one time they had to endure severe repressions.

Childhood little Indira was unusual for a child. From birth she was surrounded by a large number of people who were famous in one way or another in India. For example, at the age of 2, without even realizing it then, she met an amazing man who could either be extolled by his comrades or vehemently hated by his enemies - the “father of the nation” himself. By the way, to the question of whether Indira Gandhi and Mahatma Gandhi are relatives, the answer is short and simple - no. His surname was subsequently glorified by the Indian " The Iron Lady"received from a man who was also not a relative of the Mahatma. The Mahatma himself was called Mohandas Karamchanda in the world. He became the ideological leader for huge amount followers thanks to his philosophy and propagation of the policy of “non-violence” throughout the world. But you can learn about this great man in another article dedicated to his life and work.

Just on the advice of the “father of the nation”, eight-year-old ambitious Indira organizes a labor union, which managed to unite many colleagues as young as her. In their grandfather’s house (his mansion was called the “Abode of Joy”) they were engaged in weaving. At one time, the headquarters of Indian nationalists was located in this same place.

Well, even then it became clear to Indira’s family and those around her that this girl would not go unnoticed by the general public. And the future “Iron Lady” of the Indian people herself tried as best she could to imitate her famous grandfather and father. From a very young age, she practiced public speaking, delivering inspiring speeches to children and then to young people.

The parents tried to give the girl everything they considered necessary, since she was their only daughter. They never forbade her to listen to the political conversations of adults, and her father, having left long time in prison, he sent letters to his daughter in which he described his emotional experiences, ideological views and sincere hopes for a bright future for the country. All this influenced Indira so much that she simply could not choose the path of a woman exclusively engaged in housekeeping and raising children.

Getting an education and difficult life trials

This one has unusual woman, like Indira, and the education was amazing. Entering the People's University in 1934, she studied a wide range of subjects. But the most important thing that she was able to learn for herself as a developing personality during this period of her life was long informal conversations with the Mentor himself, a famous Indian. On the right are photographs of Indira Gandhi in her youth, taken during that and later periods.

Unfortunately, after a short time, the girl was forced to leave school due to her mother’s worsening tuberculosis. They went to Switzerland together, but nothing helped: in 1935, Kamala dies.

Indira did not immediately return home, as circumstances related to the death of her grandparents, as well as her father’s imprisonment, forced her to remain in Europe. But at that moment not only sad events took place. During such a difficult period of her life, she became close to Feroz Gandhi.

Personal life of Indira Gandhi

Feroz Gandhi, who was a politician and journalist, was friends with Indira's father and helped care for her sick mother. By the way, he was not related to the great “father of the nation.” Feroz supported the girl so much during this very difficult period for her that she was filled with gratitude and romantic feelings to him.

The father did not approve of their relationship and desire to get married, since Feroz belonged to the Parsi caste - religious fire worshipers, and Indira Gandhi's family, belonging to the Indian elite, disdainfully treated the Parsis. But, since Jawaharlal Nehru in his own way political beliefs and democratic views could not openly express his negative opinion about their union, he could not do anything. In turn, Kamala strongly supported the union of young people and even before her death managed to bless them for a sacred marriage.

Feroz managed to enroll in Somerwell College, Oxford. Indira also arrived there a little later.

Despite the fact that Indira’s father was known as a politician who became the “engine of progress” in society, the Indian people still could not accept the unequal marriage of Indira and Feroz, throwing away thousands of years of tradition. And only thanks to Mahatma Gandhi and his all-encompassing authority, the wedding of young people took place in 1942. However, they were arrested that same year. After spending about eight months in prison, the great woman was released.

Political career and achievements of the Indian “iron lady”

Although Indira and Feroz had two sons in their marriage, when Jawaharlal Nehru became the first Prime Minister of India, his daughter began to integrally accompany him at all meetings, completely forgetting about her family. She even became her father's personal secretary.

In those difficult years, there were bloody feuds between representatives of different castes . It was not easy for Jawaharlal and Indira to overcome these proceedings, which led to thousands of victims. They say that Nehru's daughter could inexplicably stop a knife raised over a man thanks to her ability to persuade. For a long time he worked in zones of national conflicts. You can learn more about the caste system from the article ““.

In 1960, Feroz Gandhi died, causing Indira to withdraw from politics for some time. Two years after the death of her father, in 1966, this strong and strong-willed woman became the Prime Minister of India. She held this high position only twice. She held this position for the second time before her death.

Indira Gandhi was able to do a lot for her state. The most significant achievements of her reign:

• Introduction of programs aimed at overcoming poverty.
• Active development industrial sectors.
• Implementation of nationalization of banks.
• Reorganization of the health care system.
• Development of agriculture.
• Valuable contribution to the development of science and technology.

She managed to fix diplomatic relations With different countries, including with the powerful state - the USSR. But there were also people dissatisfied with her rule.

Introduction of a nationwide family planning program in India

Since the birth rate in India was already too high, which led to an increase in poverty in the country, Indira Gandhi introduced forced sterilization of the population. It all started with the fact that spouses were asked to prevent pregnancy through the use of contraceptives, and volunteers were found among men who wanted to undergo sterilization, for which a bonus was paid or a transistor radio was given.

Further, the government decided that men who already have three children are subject to forced sterilization, and women who are pregnant with a fourth child are sent to have their pregnancies terminated. Because of such government actions, the number of people dissatisfied with Indira Gandhi's policies grew. Later, she somewhat softened her categorical views regarding birth control methods.

The tragic end of life and political journey

The life of the “Iron Lady” of India ended extremely tragically. The assassination of Indira Gandhi was carried out by the Sith, with whom the politician was in serious conflict. Moreover, she died at the hands of her own guards.

In what year was Indira Gandhi assassinated and where did it happen?? This terrible event happened in 1984, on October 31, in front of her house in Delhi. Her death was terrible. The Great Indira died from 31 bullets lodged in her body as a result of being shot at.

Today the path where was made last step this woman is covered with a layer of crystal. This posthumous sign of respect was shown to her by the former Czechoslovakia, which admired the outstanding Indira Gandhi.

Indira Gandhi's legacy

And today the Indian “Iron Lady” has followers. There's even Indira Gandhi Square in Moscow . There are two monuments on it - one dedicated directly to Indira Gandhi, and the second to Mahatma Gandhi.

Indira Gandhi (1917 - 1984) - Indian woman politician, prime minister and leading figure in the Indian national congress" She earned the title of “Woman of the Millennium” according to the BBC. She remains the only woman to hold the post of Indian Prime Minister.

Gandhi's early years

Indira Gandhi is a representative of the famous Indian Nehru dynasty, which gave the country fighters for independence and modernization. It is not only her father Jawaharlal Nehru, but also his father Motilal, and Indira's maternal grandmother and great-grandmother, who were often arrested by the Indian authorities.

Nehru's family belonged to the varna of Kashmiri Brahmins and thus to the highest social group of Indian society. However, from the very birth of his daughter, Jawaharlal Nehru began to move away from ancient traditions: Indira was born not in her mother’s house, as was customary, but in the large and respectable house of her grandfather.

The girl grew up smart and lively. At just two years old, she met Mahatma Gandhi, who has since become her true friend and mentor. When she was eight years old, at his suggestion, she founded children's home weaving courses. During her school years, she tried to participate in politics and helped fighters for independence in every possible way. Of course, her father instructed her in this.

In 1934, Indira entered the Rabindranath Tagore People's University, but two years later, after the death of her mother, she was forced to leave for Europe. She studied in England for some time, but during World War II she decided to return to her homeland. The way home lay through South Africa, which was home to many Hindus at the time, and it was there that she made her first real political speech.

In 1942, she married social activist Feroz Gandhi and took his surname. This politician belonged to the Parsis, a people of Iranian origin who professed Zoroastrianism. Feroz was the namesake of Mahatma Gandhi, but not a relative. This marriage grossly violated religious and caste traditions: Feroz did not belong to the highest varna. However, he also participated in the struggle for independence, and soon after their marriage the couple was arrested. The girl remained in prison until May 1943.

In independent India

Attempts by the British to maintain power in the country were not successful, and in 1947 India gained independence. The Indian National Congress party, led by Jawaharlal Nehru, took power. Indira became his assistant and secretary. Due to her duty, she traveled with her father to all events.

A high-profile event was a trip to the USSR in 1955. Indira was impressed by the power of Soviet industry. There is a famous episode when she climbed right into the bucket of a huge walking excavator. This event strengthened friendly relations between both countries, however, the USSR was not invited to the Bandung Conference, which became the beginning of the Non-Aligned Movement.

Feroz Gandhi died in 1960. At that moment, Indira joined the working committee of the party and began to travel to the “hot spots” of the country.

Indira Gandhi - Prime Minister

Jawaharlal Nehru died in 1964. Two years later, Indira took over as prime minister. She became the second woman in the world to hold this position; the first was also a representative of the Indo-Aryan group - Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Sirimavo Bandaranaike. The main milestones of her reign were as follows:

• Building a socially oriented state, fighting poverty;
• Rapid development of industry;
• The “Green Revolution” in agriculture, thanks to which India was able to fully provide itself with food;
• Nationalization of a number of major banks.

Indira Gandhi sought to strengthen and develop friendly relations with the USSR. It is known that the KGB allocated tens of millions of dollars in support of the INC, including for the purpose of supporting anti-American propaganda.

The Soviet secret services also gave Indira gifts - for example, back in 1955, she received a fur coat as a gift; at that time, while her father was still alive, the KGB hoped that the daughter would be able to exert the necessary influence on Nehru. However, nationalization, a bias towards a “welfare state” and friendship with socialist countries led to a split in the INC; the right sector of the party, represented by aristocrats, defiantly left it.

The deterioration of the political and economic situation in the country was facilitated by the war unleashed by Indira Gandhi with Pakistan. Popular unrest and calls to dismiss her began. In response, she declared a state of emergency, during which she was able to stabilize the situation. However, she was too confident in her popularity, which by that time had greatly weakened.

In 1977, she called free elections, which she lost. Subsequently, she was arrested several times and accused of corruption. A few years later, however, Indira returned to politics and again headed the government.

Forced sterilization

Indira Gandhi understood that one of the reasons for the appalling poverty of most of the country's inhabitants was uncontrolled reproduction and overpopulation. To combat this problem, she introduced forced sterilization of citizens. This measure, however, turned out to be unpopular - not particularly literate people did not appreciate it. This further turned the masses of ordinary Indians against their “iron lady”.

Murder

The negative side of the second period of Indira’s reign was the conflict with the Sikhs (a religious group), which escalated into a violent clash. The military dared to desecrate main temple Sikhs, in which extremist fanatics took refuge. The Sikhs swore revenge on the prime minister, which was soon fulfilled. Indira Gandhi was shot dead by her own bodyguards, who were Sikhs, in 1984.

Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi (November 19, 1917 – October 31, 1984) was an Indian statesman and a central figure in the Indian National Congress. She was the first and, to date, the only female prime minister India.

Indira Gandhi biography, who they are to each other with Mahatma Gandhi, photo: the beginning of a political career

Indira Gandhi belonged to the Nehru-Gandhi family and was the daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India. Despite her surname Gandhi, she is not related to the family of Mahatma Gandhi. She served as Prime Minister from January 1966 to March 1977 and again from January 1980 until her assassination in October 1984, making her the second longest serving Prime Minister of India after her father.

Gandhi served as her father's personal assistant during his tenure as prime minister between 1947 and 1964. In 1959, she was elected president of the Congress. After her father's death in 1964, she was appointed a member of the Rajya Sabha (upper house) and became a member of Lal Bahadur Shastri's cabinet as Minister of Information and Broadcasting.

In the parliamentary leadership elections of the Congress party held in early 1966 (after Shastri's death), she defeated her rival Morarji Desai to become leader and thus succeeded as Prime Minister of India.

Indira Gandhi biography, who they are to each other with Mahatma Gandhi, photo: response to the revolution

As prime minister, Gandhi was known for her political ruthlessness and unprecedented centralization of power. In order to express her support for the independence movement, Indira went to war with Pakistan. As a result, India gained increased influence on the world stage, and it also became a regional hegemon in South Asia.

Citing overwhelming trends and in response to a call for revolution, Gandhi imposed a state of emergency from 1975 to 1977, during which basic civil liberties were suspended and the press censored.

During emergency large-scale atrocities were carried out. In 1980, she returned to power after free and fair elections. She was killed by her own bodyguards and Sikh nationalists in 1984. The killers, Bint Singh and Satwant Singh, were killed by other guards. Sattant Singh recovered from his wounds and was executed after being convicted of murder.

In 1999, Indira Gandhi was named "Woman of the Millennium" in an online poll organized by the BBC.

Indira Gandhi biography, who they are to each other with Mahatma Gandhi, photo: family, personal life and worldview

A member of the Nehru-Gandhi family, she married Feroze Gandhi at the age of 25 in 1942. Their marriage lasted 18 years until Feroze died of a heart attack in 1960. They had two sons - Rajiv (1944) and Sanjay (born 1946). Her youngest son Sanjay was initially her chosen heir, but after his death in a plane crash in June 1980, Gandhi persuaded her eldest son Rajiv to quit his job as a pilot and enter politics in February 1981.

Rajiv took over as prime minister after his mother's assassination in 1984 and served until December 1989. Rajiv Gandhi himself was killed by a suicide bomber on May 21, 1991.

Dhirendra Brahmachari helped her take certain decisions and also work out certain political tasks for herself high level on her behalf, especially from 1975 to 1977, when Gandhi declared a state of emergency and suspended civil liberties.

In January 2017, a woman named Priya Singh Paul claimed that she is Indira's granddaughter and the biological daughter of Sanjay Gandhi. She claimed that she was given up for adoption and Indira Gandhi's daughter was hidden for political reasons.

Indira Gandhi biography, who they are to each other with Mahatma Gandhi, photo: awards

In 2011, the Bangladesh Freedom (Bangladesh Swadhinata Sammanona), Bangladesh's highest civilian award, was posthumously awarded to Indira Gandhi for her "outstanding contribution" to the Bangladesh Liberation War.

Indira Gandhi's main legacy was in the face of US pressure on Pakistan and East Pakistan becoming an independent Bangladesh. She was also responsible for India's entry into the club of nuclear weapons countries.

As the center of Indian politics for decades, Gandhi left a powerful but controversial legacy in Indian politics. The main legacy of her rule was the destruction of internal party democracy in the Congress party. Her detractors accuse her of weakening state heads of government and thus weakening federal structure, weakening the independence of the judiciary and weakening her cabinet, hoping for power in her secretariat and her sons.

Gandhi is also associated with the strengthening of the culture of nepotism in Indian politics and Indian institutions. She also had an impact on the period of Emergency and the dark period in Indian democracy. She remains the only woman to ever serve as Prime Minister of India.

Indian statesman, Prime Minister of India in 1966-1977 and 1980-1984 Indira Gandhi was born on November 19, 1917 in Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh state in northern India) into a family that actively participated in the struggle for Indian independence.

Her father Jawaharlal Nehru, who later became India's first prime minister after the country's independence in 1947, was at that time taking his first steps in the political arena with the Indian National Congress (INC) party. Gandhi's grandfather Motilal Nehru, one of the veterans and leaders of the "old guard" of the INC, enjoyed great fame. The women of the Nehru family were also active participants in the political struggle: Indira's grandmother Swarup Rani Nehru and her mother Kamala were repeatedly subjected to repression by the authorities.

At the age of two, Indira Gandhi met the “father of the nation” - Mahatma Gandhi, and at the age of eight, on his advice, she organized a children's union in her hometown for the development of home weaving. From her teenage years, she took part in demonstrations and more than once served as a courier for independence fighters.

In 1934, Indira entered the People's University, which was created by the famous Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore. However, after the death of her mother in 1936, she had to interrupt her studies and go to Europe.

In 1937, she attended Somerwell College, Oxford, England, where she studied government, history and anthropology. After the outbreak of World War II, Indira decided to return to her homeland to be with her people during these difficult times. I had to return home through South Africa, where many Indians settled. And there, in Cape Town, she gave her first real political speech.

In 1941 she returned to India, and in 1942 she married Feroz Gandhi (namesake of Mahatma Gandhi), a journalist from Allahabad and a childhood friend. In September 1942, the couple were arrested, Indira Gandhi remained in prison until May 1943.

In 1944, her son Rajiv was born, and in 1946, her son Sanjay.

On August 15, 1947, India achieved independence. The first national government was formed. Indira Gandhi became the personal secretary of her father, the prime minister, and accompanied Nehru on all his foreign trips.

Since 1955, Indira Gandhi has been a member of the Working Committee and a member of the Central Election Commission of the INC, the chairman of the women's organization of this party and a member of the Central Parliamentary Council of the All India Committee of the INC. That same year, Gandhi attended the Bandung Conference with her father, which launched the Non-Aligned Movement. In 1959-1960, Gandhi was the chairman of the INC.

In 1960, Indira Gandhi's husband died.

At the beginning of 1961, Gandhi became a member of the working committee of the INC and began to travel to hotbeds of national conflicts.

In 1964, Indira Gandhi's father Jawaharlal Nehru died.

That same year, Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri invited Gandhi to join the cabinet, and she took up the post of Minister of Information and Broadcasting.

In 1966, after the death of Shastri, Indira Gandhi became prime minister. In this position she faced strong opposition. In 1969, after her government nationalized 14 of India's largest banks, conservative INC leaders tried to expel her from the party. They failed to do this and the right-wing faction left the INC, which led to a split in the party.

In 1971, the war with Pakistan began, under these conditions Gandhi signed the Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation with the USSR.

The consequences of the war caused a deterioration in the economic situation and increased internal tension, resulting in unrest in the country. In response, Gandhi declared a state of emergency in India in June 1975.

In 1978, having announced the creation of her party INC (I), Gandhi was again elected to parliament, and in the 1980 elections she returned to the post of prime minister.

Soon after returning to power, Gandhi suffered a severe personal loss - her youngest son and chief political adviser Sanjay died in a plane crash. IN last years Gandhi's life paid great attention to activities on the world stage; in 1983, she was elected chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement.

Indira Gandhi's second term was marked by conflict with Sikh separatists in the state of Punjab. The military operation "Blue Star" to neutralize Sikh extremists, carried out on the orders of the Indian government, led to the death of Indira Gandhi. On October 31, 1984, she was killed by her Sikh guards.

After the death of Indira Gandhi, the INC and the government were headed by her eldest son Rajiv. In 1991, he was killed by a terrorist from the Sri Lankan Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in retaliation for the dispatch of Indian troops to Sri Lanka in the mid-1980s.

The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources