The world knows several female political leaders who managed to change their worldview large quantities 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 supporters or opponents of her political views indifferent.

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 occurred. During such a difficult period of her life, she became close to Feroz Gandhi.

Personal life of Indira Gandhi

Feroz Gandhi, 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 this woman took her last step 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.

GANDHI, INDIRA(Gandhi, Indira) (1917–1984), Prime Minister of India. She was born on November 19, 1917 in Allahabad. Daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India. She was educated in India and Switzerland and studied at Oxford University. Returning to India in 1941, she married Parsi lawyer Feruz Gandhi. After the declaration of independence, she became her father’s official employee, responsible for receiving foreign delegations. In 1959 she was elected chairman of the ruling Indian National Congress (INC) party. After the death of her husband in 1960, she left this post. In the years leading up to his death, she became an intermediary between the ailing prime minister and his cabinet and party functionaries. In 1964 she was appointed Minister of Information, and in 1966, after the death of Lal Bahadur Shastri, she became the leader of the INC and Prime Minister.

In 1969, after the government nationalized 14 of India's largest banks, conservative Congress leaders tried to expel Gandhi from the party. The party split into the ruling Congress (P) and the opposition Congress (U). Having lost her majority in parliament, Gandhi called elections for a year ahead of schedule, and in March 1971 Gandhi's supporters won, receiving more than two-thirds of the vote.

As the economic situation worsened and internal tensions grew, Gandhi's popularity also declined. In 1975, she was indicted by the court for violating the 1971 election law. In response, Gandhi declared a state of emergency and made changes to the constitution that allowed her to concentrate power in her hands. Widespread popular dissatisfaction with the Emergency and the government's insistence on implementing family planning programs (including forced sterilization) led to Gandhi's defeat in the 1977 elections. In January 1978, Gandhi initiated another split in the Congress. The Congress-I (for Indira) achieved success in state elections to local legislative bodies, and in November Gandhi was elected to parliament. In January 1980, after the Janata Party government collapsed, Gandhi again took over as 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. After Sanjay's death, Indira Gandhi convinced her eldest son Rajiv to enter politics.

In the early 1980s, Indira faced a series of religious and ethnic conflicts. The leaders of the terrorist group, together with their supporters, occupied part of the main shrine of the Sikh religion - the Golden Temple in Amritsar. In June 1984, Indira Gandhi ordered army troops to enter the Golden Temple. About a thousand people were killed in the shootout, including terrorist leaders. Less than five months later, on October 31, 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two Sikh members of her personal guard. Rajiv Gandhi took over as Prime Minister and Congress leader.

Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi (1917-1984) - Indian politician, was a key figure in the Indian National Congress party, the only woman, who was elected Prime Minister of India. In 1999, the British broadcaster BBC conducted a survey, according to the results of which Indira Gandhi was recognized as “Woman of the Millennium”.

Birth

Indira was born in the city of Allahabad on November 19, 1917. This ancient Indian city was considered sacred by Hindus and Muslims. In the place where she was born, all the moments significant for Hinduism were observed, although, contrary to tradition, this did not happen in her mother’s house, but in her grandfather’s house. Firstly, it was built on level ground, and most importantly, on sacred ground. According to legend, it was here that the ancient Indian epic hero Rama met with his half-brother Bharat. Mom gave birth to Indira in a room on the north side, which is also considered sacred by Hindus. The great, good and happy future of the newborn girl was also predetermined by the name of the house itself in which she was born - “Anand Bhavan”, which means “Abode of Joy”.

The baby let out her first cry, many people gathered in the room, and the voice of Motilal Nehru, the newborn’s grandfather, thundered above their heads: "This girl will be better than a thousand men". And then everything was according to Indian customs - drumming, lighting incense, lighting a fire, into which all the guests threw grains of rice for the happiness of a new life.

The girl was given a name in honor of her great-grandmother - Indira (“Country of the Moon”). This woman had amazing resilience; life tested her more than once. She was left without a husband early and thereby lost her means of livelihood, but managed to maintain the ancient status of the Nehru family.

In India, it is customary to give two names to a child; the second one chosen for a girl was Priyadarshini, which meant “Dear to the eye.”

Family

The family into which Indira Gandhi was born was very famous throughout India.
Her grandfather, Motilal Nehru, was a famous lawyer and a famous politician, the leader of the national movement in India. He founded the Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty. His wife Swaruprani, Indira Gandhi's grandmother, came from the Kashmiri Brahmin caste and was also an active participant in the political struggle.

Indira's father, Jawaharlal Nehru, continued the family legal career, working in his father's law office. From his youth he was interested in politics, leader of the national Indian liberation movement, chairman of the Indian National Congress party. After the country gained independence, he was elected as the first Prime Minister of India.

Indira Gandhi's mother, Kamale Kaul, belonged to the middle class of Kashmiri Brahmins and was also a prominent representative of the national liberation movement. When the leaders of the Indian National Congress party were arrested in 1930, it raised all the women of Allahabad (high society and beggars, workers and peasant women) to fight the British government. All the women unanimously agreed with her decisions and listened to her advice. And when Kamale was arrested and imprisoned, she proudly declared: “I am very happy because I am following my husband. I'm proud of it! "

And how proud Motilal Nehru was of his daughter-in-law: “What a woman! My son Jawaharlal needed this wife.”

With such parents, Indira Gandhi could not have had any other path in life other than to enter politics and fight for independence and justice.

Childhood

The first bright and memorable event in the life of little Indira was 1919.
The two-year-old girl did not yet understand that Indian city In Amritsar, British soldiers opened fire on unarmed demonstrators. Demonstrators took to the square to protest against the Rowlett Laws, under which authorities could imprison Hindus without trial or charge. This is how the British wanted to suppress the Indian independence movement.

The Indian National Congress then decided at its congress to completely boycott the British and their power. According to the program, India completely abandoned not only the titles and titles received from the British, but also English educational institutions, courts, furniture, clothing, dishes, and products.

Grandfather Motilal Nehru led the entire household that day, who pulled out expensive chiffon clothes, corduroy outfits, tuxedos and shoes, figurines and other foreign luxuries from their closets. All this was carried and thrown into a huge fire built in the courtyard of the house.

Indira remembered that night so well that a couple of years later, when a relative brought her a gorgeous gift from England, the girl refused the wonderful dress and burned the beautiful doll. Indeed, until the end of her life, she was never able to forget those childhood feelings when her hands did not obey and did not want to light a match and add brushwood, she felt so sorry for the doll. After this, the baby even got sick, falling from high temperature. Throughout her life, the iron lady Indira Gandhi did not like to light matches.

This is how the life of little Indira and her family began. new life, without foreign frills. Together with all of India, they protested against the arbitrariness of the British and dressed in homespun khadi.

The girl was only eight years old when, following the advice of public and political figure Mahatma Gandhi, she created a children's union. In their hometown they began to develop home weaving. The children gathered at Indira's house and spent a long time weaving topi headdresses.

Soon Indira had a brother, but the boy was born premature and died a day later. After this, my mother’s health began to deteriorate; doctors diagnosed tuberculosis and recommended that she go to Europe for treatment. Indira also went with her mother; for the next few years, her childhood passed between her native Allahabad and Geneva.

Studies

Indira did not want to study in European schools, and her father understood her perfectly, but he was an ardent supporter of the fact that a woman should receive an education. Jawaharlal looked for teachers for his daughter, and she was home-schooled. And the father himself invested a lot in Indira’s education; he taught her the history of India and the world. Often the girl was able to listen to what her father, grandfather and Mahatma Gandhi were talking about. Therefore, it is not surprising that already in adolescence, Indira more than once took part in demonstrations and even helped the fighters for independence as a courier.

At the age of twelve, the girl led the Allahabad Monkey Brigade. This group included children who dreamed of seeing India independent. Little fighters ran around the city and conveyed warnings about arrests to adults. Even then, Indira could lead a crowd of children with her incendiary speeches.

One day her oratory skills came in very handy. She was riding in a car that was carrying secret papers - the program of the disobedience movement. The car was stopped by a police officer. The girl convincingly asked him to let him through quickly and not to inspect the car, otherwise she might be late for school. So the important documents passed on in one piece and intact.

In 1934, Indira was enrolled as a student at the People's University, founded by the famous Indian public figure, poet and writer Rabindranath Tagore. But in 1936, the girl interrupted her studies, as her mother died and Indira was supposed to become right hand father. She went to England to get an education.

In 1937, Indira became a student at Somerwell College, Oxford, focusing on history, government and anthropology.

Political activity

With the outbreak of World War II, Indira returned to India. Her path was long and passed through South Africa, where by that time many Hindus lived. Her first public political speech took place before them in Cape Town.

In 1947, independent India was proclaimed, and when the new government was formed, Indira's father took over as prime minister. The daughter received the position of his secretary and now accompanied Jawaharlal Nehru everywhere. They traveled abroad together, and in 1955 they visited the USSR for the first time. Their trip began from the city of Sverdlovsk (now it is Yekaterinburg), where Indira was deeply struck by the power of the Ural Machine-Building Plant.

In 1964, Jawaharlal Nehru died. Lal Bahadur Shastri was elected in his place, and Indira became a member of the lower house of parliament. But soon she received an offer from Shastri to head the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

In 1966, Shastri died and Indira was chosen as Prime Minister. This was the second time in the world that a woman held such a position (the first was Bandaranaike Sirimavo in Sri Lanka).

Indira had to face strong opposition. In 1969, under her leadership, the nationalization of 14 Indian banks was carried out, after which conservative leaders even tried to deprive her of party membership. Colleagues also did not take the woman as prime minister seriously at first. But it was impossible to control Indira; she used all her rights and defeated her enemies one by one.

The main blow of Indira's policy was aimed at fighting poverty. At the beginning of her reign, 60% of the Indian population lived below the poverty line. Indira Gandhi managed to reduce this figure to 40%. The average life expectancy has also increased from 32 to 55 years.

Unresolved issues remained in her politics: religious and communal strife, inequality of lower castes, corruption and nepotism in appointments to responsible positions.

In 1971, Gandhi initiated the Indian military's invasion of East Pakistan; as a result of another Indo-Pakistani war, the Republic of Bangladesh was proclaimed. In these matters, she was fully supported by the Soviet Union. Relations between the USSR and India improved so much that the “Treaty of Friendship, Peace and Cooperation” was concluded.

Gandhi served as Prime Minister from 1966 to 1977.

In 1977, she overestimated herself a little, which led to defeat in the parliamentary elections. Her family was arrested twice, accused of corruption.

In 1978, Indira created a new party and re-entered parliament. The first attempt on her life soon followed; the terrorist threw a knife at Gandhi, but hit one of the guards. The criminal was arrested, and Indira was re-elected as Prime Minister in 1980.

At the end of her reign, Indira paid a lot of attention to world politics, as a result of which India was chosen as the chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement. This is an international organization that united 120 states; their main principle was non-participation in military blocs.

The Sikhs living in the state of Punjab did not agree with this. Their leader created an independent self-governing community. Sikhs attacked Hindus, and in Amritsar they occupied main shrine India - Golden Temple. The government carried out the military operation “Blue Star”, and the temple was liberated. But the Sikhs took brutal revenge for this.

On October 31, 1984, Indira was killed by Sikh bodyguards. Eight bullets fired at the woman hit all the most important organs, and it was not possible to save her.

Personal life

Indira's husband was politician Feroze Gandhi, a descendant of Parsis (a small group of Indians of Iranian origin). They belonged to different castes and, according to laws and customs, could not marry. But Feroz and Indira ignored traditions and became husband and wife in 1942.

In 1944, Indira gave birth to a son, Rajiv, and in 1946, Sajay.

In 1958, Feroz suffered a heart attack and retired from politics. In 1960, Indira's husband died.

Rajiv Gandhi was his mother's successor; on the day of her assassination, he was elected Prime Minister of India in the evening. He worked in this position for five years. In 1991, another election campaign took place, during which Rajiv went to Tamil Nadu. On May 21, a suicide bomber from a terrorist organization carried out a terrorist attack, as a result of which Rajiv Gandhi was killed.

One day a friend came to her mother and brought Indira a dress brought from Paris as a gift. The mother then said: “You can, of course, wear this dress, but can you wear it when we walk around in homespun clothes?”

THE DAY October 31, 1984 was greeted by the Prime Minister of India, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, in high spirits. She had a meeting planned, which she was looking forward to with particular pleasure - a television interview with the famous English writer, playwright and actor Peter Ustinov. For a long time she could not choose an outfit and finally, after hesitating, she put on the golden-saffron sari recommended by her daughter-in-law Sonya. Recently, relations with his son’s wife seemed to have improved, they began to visit Indira’s house more often, and Rajiv, the eldest son, finally followed her advice and entered politics. But just recently she herself dissuaded him from this matter. But life changes...

LOOKING back at the past, Indira Gandhi never ceased to be amazed at how human life unsteady and changeable. Take her own fate, for example. Their family belonged to the highest Indian caste - Brahmins. Her father, Jawaharlal Nehru, was a fighter for national independence and a man revered in the country no less than Mahatma Gandhi himself, the spiritual leader and symbol of India.

...Now, looking at myself in the mirror, although no longer young, but still beautiful woman in an elegant dress, Indira remembered that when she was four years old, clashes with the British began in the country and the whole family refused to use imported goods: expensive fabrics, dishes, cars. I clearly remembered a big fire in the courtyard, where beautiful clothes and toys were burning... One day a friend came to her mother and brought Indira a dress brought from Paris as a gift. The mother then said: “You can, of course, wear this dress, but can you wear it when we walk around in homespun clothes?” But there was also a doll. Not even a doll - Indira treated her like a child, but the toy was French, and the girl understood that she needed to be strong to the end. She didn’t walk around like herself for several days, but then she threw the doll into the fire and, as it seemed to everyone at home, she finally calmed down...

Feroz made an offer to become his wife to Indira in the best traditions of Hollywood - in Paris... Habitually smoothing out her sari, Indira smiled sadly: her childhood fears now seemed petty and frivolous, but her character has not changed since then - she always stoically endured the hardships that befell her : death of loved ones, imprisonment, and betrayal. But she never admitted her fears to anyone. As a child, she had to go to bed immediately after dinner, which meant walking across a dark terrace and then standing on a chair to reach the light switch. But she didn’t admit to anyone that she was afraid of the dark...

...No, she probably won’t wear a bulletproof vest - it makes her look fat, and she still wants to look young and fit. For some time now, security has been strongly advising her not to leave the house without a vest, all after the ill-fated events in the Golden Temple. The situation in the country, which had previously been difficult to govern - a huge continent with poverty, disease, corruption - was complicated by separatist sentiments among the Sikhs living in the state of Punjab. The Prime Minister has been repeatedly informed that Sikh extremists, demanding the separation of this state from the country, are stockpiling weapons and ammunition in the Golden Temple in the city of Amritsar... Militarily, Operation Blue Star to disarm the criminals was successful, but in the eyes of the public it was a failure due to the large number of human casualties. Sikh terrorists vowed revenge. Not a day passed without death threats being made against the Prime Minister, her son and her grandchildren.

...Indira Gandhi raised her eyes and looked carefully into the distance. Many were afraid of this look. Well, no, she won’t be intimidated that easily. She wasn't scared when instead honeymoon she ended up in a prison cell with her young husband... Her face softened - she remembered how at a demonstration in Allahabad she met Feroz Gandhi, her future husband. He was simply a namesake of the great Mahatma Gandhi, and he himself was the son of an engineer and a representative of another faith. That’s why she didn’t agree to marry him for a long time. And when, in the best traditions of Hollywood, he proposed to her, sitting on the steps of Montmartre, young Indira’s heart trembled. And nothing could make her change her decision.

...And how many wrinkles there are on her face. They appeared as if in place of those people who left her - first mother, then father, husband, son...

After her father Jawaharlal Nehru became the Prime Minister, Indira took on the duties of his personal secretary. When Jawaharlal Nehru became the first Prime Minister of India, her daughter tried her best to help him. At first it was hard - Spartan life did not teach her to be a grand dame and give receptions. But she learned to remember the little things and take care of everyone. Now it is impossible to remember without laughing: a reception was held with the participation of the Dalai Lama, all culinary preferences were taken into account, but suddenly Indira remembered with horror that distinguished guests did not eat after noon. We had to arrange a reception for seventy-five people at half past twelve, and for another one hundred and fifty - at half past two...

...After the death of her father in 1964, a struggle for power began, and Indira could not stay away, no matter how much her husband restrained her. Having proven herself to be a far-sighted politician, at forty-eight years old, attractive, with a charming smile, Indira Gandhi achieved the highest position in the state, and the twelve years of her reign, although not cloudless, brought India a lot... And in 1977 - the complete defeat of the seemingly permanent Indira Gandhi in the elections. But she managed to fill the void by finally remembering her family. Her husband Feroz, quiet and inconspicuous in the shadow of his famous wife, had already passed away by that time, but two sons remained - Rajiv and Sanjay...

Sanjay... Her youngest boy. He always wanted to be like his elder, and when the latter announced that he would become a pilot, he was not slow in making the same decision. It was so unexpected that Indira did not even object... She, who had plunged headlong into politics, had no time for her sons then. And in 1980, six months after her resounding election victory and return to big politics, Sanjay died in a plane crash...

The Gandhi family's happiness was short-lived. In 1980, the youngest son Sanjay died, in 1984 - Indira herself, and in 1991, the eldest son Rajiv was killed... Indira looked at the photographs of her sons standing on the table. She's been in a bit of a sad mood lately. And what, exactly, is there to be happy about? The situation in the country has escalated to the limit over the past five months - mass beatings of Sikhs are everywhere. She was advised to fire all the Sikhs from her security, but would she show that she was afraid? No. This is not in her character! Besides, Sikhs are eighteen million people, and you cannot escape from them all. Rajiv is now actively helping her in her work, and if anything happens... However, I didn’t want to think about it. Taking a last look in the mirror, Indira Gandhi left the house and headed to the outbuilding, where journalists were already waiting for her. As she approached the gate, two of the three guards greeted her in the traditional manner, folding their arms at their chests. She paused and returned the greeting. At that moment, the third guard shot her with a revolver. It was Delhi Police Sub-Inspector Beant Singh. When Indira Gandhi fell, two guards also opened fire. Other bodyguards came running to hear the shots. Beant Singh was killed on the spot and two others were injured. The Prime Minister was taken to the All India Institute of Medicine, where they fought for her life for 4 hours. But she never regained consciousness and died at four hours and thirty minutes local time...

One of the members of the film crew waiting for Indira Gandhi recalls: “I heard three single shots, and then machine gun fire. Apparently, the killers wanted to complete their task one hundred percent. They didn’t leave the victim a single chance..."

20 bullets for the prime minister

Indira adored her grandchildren, because she herself had practically no childhood. Even her favorite doll had to be burned 20 years after the bullets of terrorist fanatics overtook Gandhi on the threshold of her home in Delhi, Indians still treat her as a mother who protected her children and taught them to live freely and with dignity in the world.

To see this, just visit the Gandhi House Museum in Delhi, where there are especially many visitors on this day. True, walk along the path to the house along which she made her last steps in life, now you can’t. It is forever closed with crystal glass - a gift from the former Czechoslovakia in memory of an outstanding person.

Gandhi herself, apparently anticipating her fate, said shortly before her death that “all the days allotted to me in this life will be spent serving the people. And even when I die, I am sure that every drop of my blood will nourish the life of India, make it stronger.”

Indira was born on November 19, 1917 in Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh) in the family of the famous lawyer Jawaharlal Nehru. Contrary to traditions, the girl was born not in her mother’s house, but in her grandfather’s rich house, built on a sacred place, and received the name “Country of the Moon” - Indira - in honor of her homeland.

At the age of two, she 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.

Having lost her husband at 43, Gandhi suffered a severe nervous shock and retired from work for several months. But she still found the strength to return to politics. Indira received an excellent education. In 1934, she 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. Indira entered Oxford, but the Second World War began World War, and Gandhi decided to be with her people in 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 India, Gandhi was not received so cordially, since Jawaharlal Nehru had already become the symbol of the nation. Indira plunged into family concerns. She married Feroz Gandhi in 1942 and gave birth to her first son, Rajiv, in 1944, and her second son, Sanjay, two years later.

While Indira was arranging her personal destiny, serious changes took place in the country - on August 15, 1947, India achieved independence. The first national government was formed. Indira Gandhi became her father's personal secretary and accompanied Nehru on all his foreign trips.

Having lost her husband in 1960, Indira experienced a severe nervous shock and retired from work for several months. political life. But already at the beginning of 1961, she became a member of the Working Committee of the Congress and began to travel to hotbeds of national conflicts.

In 1964, Indira suffered another great loss - her father Jawaharlal Nehru died. For Gandhi, a difficult struggle for power begins.

At 48 years old, slender, with a charming smile, Indira achieved the highest position in the state. Indira Gandhi's reign was far from cloudless for the country. During the 12 years of Indira's power, a powerful opposition was formed, which successfully transferred the discontent of the people to the prime minister.

The best year in Indira Gandhi's career is considered to be 1971, when she won a landslide victory in parliamentary elections and was victorious in the Bangladesh war. She has even been compared to Durga, the goddess of power in Hinduism.

The next elections in 1977 brought defeat to the permanent Gandhi. But, despite her advanced age, she is still at the center of political events. First of all, she announces the creation of a new party, the Indian National Congress. Then Gandhi, as politicians now say, takes another “strong step” - he opens his home to everyone. In a country where collectivist traditions are so strong, this was a step towards victory. Three years later, Indira Gandhi returned to power, which she retained for the rest of her life.

The last period of Indira Gandhi's reign was tragic for her. The failed Operation Blue Star to neutralize Sikh extremists led to her death. On October 31, 1984, two Sikhs, Beant Singh and Satwant Singh, fired 20 bullets at her.

“The strength of a people consists of what they themselves are capable of,
and not from what he can borrow from others.”
Indira Gandhi

Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi was born in the ancient Indian city of Allahabad on November 19, 1917 into a family of Indian aristocrats. Her grandfather Motilal Nehru was an educated, energetic and extraordinary man, enjoyed well-deserved authority among his colleagues and took an active part in the political life of the country. The house he built in Allahabad, called the “Abode of Joy,” was a symbol of enlightenment and prosperity for those around him. The best representatives of Indian society - lawyers, politicians, artists, poets, teachers - gathered under its roof. The owner, who had broad views, did not discriminate between representatives of different nationalities and religions.

Motilal Nehru had three children: daughters Krishna and Vijaya and son Jawaharlal (translated as “precious ruby”) - the father of Indira Gandhi. Enjoying the privileges of belonging to the high society of India, the younger Nehru graduated from the prestigious school at Harrow and then from law school at Cambridge. In 1916, Jawaharlal married Kamala Kaul. The girl was sixteen years old at that time, and she was ten years younger than her husband.
Little Indira was born in the Abode of Joy. The Hindu gods (through the efforts of Jawaharlal's mother, who zealously observed all rituals) and the latest advances in medicine in the person of a European doctor invited by Motilal Nehru were called upon to help Kamala. The disappointment, explained by the traditional expectation of the first male child, very soon passed - the baby won all the affection and love of the household. Motilal often said that Jawaharlal Nehru's daughter would cost him thousands of sons. By the way, the young couple had no more children - Indira became her father’s sole heir and keeper of the family spirit. Name, given to the girl, Grandfather chose. His mother was called Indira; in addition, the diminutive “Indu” was consonant with the name of the country, which was considered a good sign in the family. The girl’s middle name, Priyadarshini, means “Dear to the eye.”
The time of quiet childhood ended very quickly for Indira. After studying at the English Bar Association, Jawaharlal worked with his father.

The younger Nehru became more and more captivated by politics, especially by the idea of ​​Indian national independence. Great Britain, wanting to extract maximum benefits from its stay on this land, did everything possible to control the local population. Any means were used - privileges for the Indian nobility, forceful methods, manipulation of political events to increase the disunity of the people. It is quite logical that a movement for national liberation arose in India. It was led by the Indian National Congress (or INC) - Political Party, formed, ironically, with the blessing of the colony's ruler, Lord Ripon, who considered the creation of a controlled opposition an excellent attempt to soften the brewing contradictions. The founding congress held in Bombay in 1885 proclaimed the main tasks of this association, which were to coordinate the actions of local patriots. The most civilized methods were put forward to achieve goals, and the first period of the INC fully justified the intentions of its creators - its members defended the interests of India and its representatives, adhering to entirely loyal demands. But over time, and especially after the First World War, such a liberal style of political relations between England and its colony began to seem ineffective to Indian patriots. A new generation has joined the party - energetic, young, demanding decisive changes.

Mahatma Gandhi and Indira Nehru, 1924

Jawaharlal Nehru, having become a member of the INC on the recommendation of his father, did not hide his disappointment with the lack of unity within the organization and the indecision of its members to impose compromise solutions beneficial to the British administration on them. Political Views Jawaharlal Nehru himself developed under the influence of European experience and theories developed by Mahatma Gandhi, one of the most ardent fighters for the rights of Indians. Being deep religious person, Gandhi, revered as a saint in India, professed humanism and asceticism in the broadest sense and adhered to the principles of non-violence in politics. At his call, the country's inhabitants refrained from purchasing goods from Europe, primarily luxury goods, salt and textiles, and also refused to follow the laws adopted by the colonial authorities.

Civil disobedience, although peaceful, spread like an epidemic throughout India. Motilala Nehru's family supported Mahatma Gandhi friendly relations, the residents of the “Abode of Joy” sacrificed their usual comfort to national interests. Expensive dishes and furniture, along with other luxury items, went into the attic, the women took off their European dresses, jewelry and silks, dressing in simple saris. Indira, who by that time was four years old, also made her contribution to what was happening. Submitting to a general impulse, she abandoned her foreign clothes and burned her favorite toys at the stake.

Soon Jawaharlal Nehru actually led the anti-colonial movement. He spoke a lot in public, took part in acts of disobedience and demonstrations, and published the opposition newspaper The Independent. His relatives also found themselves in the thick of things: Motilal supported his son, Jawaharlal’s sisters became members of the INC and helped him, carrying out various assignments and speaking to the female population of Indian provinces. Kamala shared her husband’s views. Indira remembered her mother as very beautiful; fair-skinned and slender, she differed from the women of her circle in her sense of style and elusive grace. Love for her only daughter and husband filled her whole life, giving her meaning and supporting her in difficult moments.
Indira, deprived of communication with her sisters and brothers, was keenly interested in the problems of adults, absorbing their aspirations and hopes from an early age.

Nehru with his daughter Indira Gandhi in London

School occupied Inda little; the pro-English order prevailing there seemed alien to her, far from the way her relatives lived. She loved to read, preferring, like many of her peers, romantic literature telling about exploits and battles for the happiness of mankind. For a long time, the favorite heroine of the young Indian woman was Joan of Arc. Thanks to her excellent knowledge in English her list of favorite authors included Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, H. G. Wells and Rudyard Kipling. On the advice of the wise Mahatma Gandhi, eight-year-old Indira created a children's crafts section, which became a kind of symbol of the national movement (it is no coincidence that the INC flag depicts an Indian spinning wheel). Children who wanted to be involved in the common cause came to the “Abode of Joy” and wove scarves or made topi (caps), which became the identification marks of the oppositionists.

In 1926, Kamala's painful condition, caused by premature birth (the born child lived only two days), forced Jawaharlal Nehru's family to go to distant Switzerland. There, doctors discovered tuberculosis in Indira's mother and recommended that she live in European resorts. Seeing in a healing climate the only possibility To save Kamala's life, Indira's family settled in Geneva, where the nine-year-old girl, due to her mother's serious condition, had to take on most of the household responsibilities. The year she lived far from her homeland left Indu with many colorful memories - about new countries, about an amazing journey across the ocean, about new people, about the winter activities of local children: skiing, skating and fussing in the snowdrifts were unknown to her until then.

In Switzerland, Indira studied at a local school. The main difficulty was that the training was carried out on French, which was completely unfamiliar to the girl, and which she had to learn almost from the alphabet. Despite living far from India, Nehru’s small family was happy at that time - Kamala was slowly but surely recovering, Indira was successfully studying at school, and Jawaharlal Nehru visited European capitals and established contacts with public organizations, the press and various political forces.

Returning from Europe, the Nehru family new energy joined the fight. In 1927, Jawaharlal, on the recommendation of Gandhi, who noted his “crystal honesty,” was elected chairman of the INC. Neither repressions, nor punitive sanctions, nor fines could stop the situation - Indian society was getting out of the control of the British. Jawaharlal Nehru, Gandhi, Motilal Nehru and other leaders of the National Congress were constantly arrested, but the liberation movement attracted more and more new followers.

Despite her age, Indira was at the center of political confrontation. She was one of the few who enjoyed the absolute confidence of Jawaharlal Nehru, and in political affairs he relied on her no less than in domestic affairs. Together with her peers, the girl took part in the activities of the so-called “monkey squads.” Members of the youth movement were engaged in hanging opposition flags, cooking food for demonstrators, and providing first aid to victims of police clashes (for these purposes, an infirmary was organized in Nehru’s house).

In 1930, Indira's father and grandfather were arrested (Kamala went to prison in 1931). However, neither these arrests nor subsequent ones had any impact on the girl’s determination to continue the work she had started. “It’s good to read history, but it’s even more fun to help make it,” Indira’s father told her. In 1931, Motilal Nehru passed away; asthma attacks and high blood pressure crippled this tireless man. At the same time, realizing that the family’s lifestyle did not allow his daughter to receive a full education, Jawaharlal Nehru arranged for her to go to the boarding school of his friends, the Vakil spouses. The education system there was strikingly different from the English one adopted in colonial schools. Class subjects were combined with the study of arts and folk crafts, and independence, mutual assistance and creative initiative were cultivated among students. During her studies, Indira was the secretary of the literary circle, and also became seriously interested in folk dancing.

In the spring of 1934, Nehru's daughter passed the exams at Santiniketan, the first people's university in India, organized by Rabindranath Tagore. The year Indira entered the university, her father was again taken into custody, and her mother fought her illness with all her might and practically did not leave the hospital. The famous Santiniketan was located in the vicinity of Calcutta and was organized in accordance with Tagore's ideas about the balance of spiritual and natural principles. Classrooms, libraries and workshops looked like cozy huts and were located in green parks and groves. The working day began with sunrise - everyday worries flowed into classes, and then into creative exercises. The basis of the philosophy of the national university was freedom of choice and initiative. Indira gave particular preference to the study of foreign languages ​​and arts, especially painting and choreography. But she failed to complete Santiniketan. In 1935, Kamala's condition deteriorated greatly, and the Nehru family, taking advantage of Jawaharlal's release, moved to Europe again. The doctors placed their last hope in the famous resorts of the Black Forest.

Treatment from the best doctors and the mountain air did not help - Kamala died in Europe in early 1936. And soon she was followed by Indira's grandmother, Motilal's wife. The head of the family returned to his homeland, and Indu, by decision of her father, went to England to enroll in Oxford. The girl spent the next five years away from her homeland, studying politics and history. Her education was not limited to the walls of university premises. During these years, Indira, together with Jawaharlal Nehru, traveled a lot to various countries in Asia and Europe, took part in her father’s meetings with public and government figures, in debates and rallies. Busy life affected her academic performance, but allowed the girl to gain invaluable experience that no academic diploma could replace. The completion of her studies at Oxford coincided in Indira's life with the beginning of the Second World War. In 1941, upset by the situation in Europe, as well as by the policies of the colonial authorities, which dragged her country into hostilities, she left for India.

In 1942, Indira got married. She met her husband Feroz Gandhi (not a relative, but only the namesake of Mahatma Gandhi) in her youth. In addition to mutual sympathy, the young people were united by common views. Indira's relatives treated the young man favorably - once he helped Indira's grandmother, who had suffered at the hands of police at a rally, get home safely. However, Feroze Gandhi was never considered as Indu's groom. The whole point was that the young man came from Parsis, descendants of settlers from Persia who professed Zoroastrianism. In addition, Feroz's family belonged to a lower caste. Such a union in Indian society was regarded as a blatant violation of centuries-old foundations.

The friendly relationship between Feroz and Indira strengthened over the years of studying abroad (Gandhi graduated from the London School of Economics). Feroz repeatedly proposed marriage to Indira. However, the girl always put off her decision, and only in the summer of 1937, after a memorable explanation in Montmartre, she promised Gandhi to marry him after graduation. Returning to India, the newlyweds began preparing for the wedding, however, as expected, public opinion reacted categorically against the marriage of the daughter of a famous politician. Even the authority of Jawaharlal could not smooth over the scandal that broke out. He himself, by the way, was not enthusiastic about his daughter’s marriage, but came to terms with what was happening, knowing her character very well. The only one who could influence public sentiment was the righteous Mahatma Gandhi. And, despite zealously observing Hindu traditions, he blessed the bride and groom. The wedding ceremony took place on March 26, 1942 in a park not far from the “Abode of Joy” - a specially used ancient rite, which appeared even before the emergence of Hinduism.

After a honeymoon in Kashmir, the newlyweds settled into their own apartment in Allahabad. As before, their whole lives remained connected with the struggle for the independence of the country - the Gandhis organized protests, for which each of them served time in prison at different times. In addition, Feroz was fond of journalism and worked with the opposition press. In 1944, their first child, named Rajiv Ratna, was born into their family. Despite the doctors' fears for Indira's life, the birth went well, and she sincerely enjoyed motherhood. And in December 1946, the second son, Sanjay, was born.

Meanwhile, the battle for Indian independence entered a decisive phase. Through the efforts of Nehru and his associates, the British government's plans to divide the country into hundreds of separate territories were never realized. In the summer of 1947, India gained the desired freedom, and Indira's father was elected as the first prime minister.

The main problem after gaining independence was the interreligious and interethnic conflicts that broke out in the country. In addition, India had other problems - lack of qualified personnel, poverty, lack of connections with other countries. Indira did not participate in these events - she was just learning politics, and besides, her children took up a lot of her time and energy. She recalled about this period: “...My main problem was reconciling public duty with responsibility to children and home.” However, over the course of several years, she became Jawaharlal Nehru's closest associate, accompanying him on all his foreign trips and worrying about all the minutiae and nuances of diplomatic work. It is known that it was she who advised her father to pin a red rose on his clothes - a symbol of liberated India - which later became the emblem of the Nehru dynasty.

On her path to becoming a politician, Indira Gandhi had to overcome many obstacles, the first of which was her own shyness and insecurity. These qualities, coupled with the restraint inherent in Eastern women, at first greatly hampered her public appearances. In the fifties, through the efforts of Indira, the women's department and the youth organization of the INC were organized. In February 1959, she was elected chairman of the Congress, the largest party in India. Despite the difficulties in this position, Indira confirmed her reputation as a competent specialist who, in addition to knowledge and experience, has a purely feminine diplomatic gift, the ability to listen and hear the interlocutor.

Do your own work at the same time family life and the government residence where her father worked became more and more difficult every year. As Nehru grew older, he needed more and more help, while Feroz was dissatisfied with Indira’s constant absence - his wife’s social activity ran counter to his ideas about the family structure. The relationship between them deteriorated, Indira, upset by the situation, wrote to her friend: “...I missed the most wonderful thing in life - a perfect and complete merger with another person.” In September 1960, 48-year-old Feroz Gandhi died in a Delhi hospital after suffering a heart attack. The wife, who hastily returned from another trip, found only last minutes his life. After the loss of her husband, Indira said: “I feel empty, lost and dead, but I need to move on.” But in May 1964 she had to endure a new blow - Jawaharlal Nehru died. Many expected that his daughter would immediately lay claim to the post of prime minister, but Indira acted smarter. Not wanting to provoke a power struggle, she supported the weakest of the contenders, 60-year-old Lal Bahadur Shastri, and herself took the post of Minister of Broadcasting and Information.

Meeting of N. S. Khrushchev with Indira Gandhi

In January 1966, Shastri died suddenly, and the country began to fight for his place. For numerous participants in the political confrontation, the appointment of Nehru's daughter as Prime Minister meant a compromise solution. To varying degrees, they all had respect for the family of the national hero and believed that Mrs. Gandhi's lack of experience would allow them to influence her decisions. On the day of the parliamentary vote, one of the deputies, unable to restrain himself any longer, asked his colleague who was counting the votes the historical question: “Boy or girl?” Neglecting the reading of the protocol, he answered with a smile: “Girl.” Thus, for the first time, patriarchal India was led by a woman politician.

The hopes of those who hoped to manipulate Mrs. Gandhi were not destined to come true. She said: “My advantage was the education given to me by my father... I had to make twice as much effort to prove that I was not only his daughter, but also a person in my own right.” Just like Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi was a quick learner and much more rational and pragmatic in her decision-making. The press openly admired the Prime Minister's determination; during the Indo-Pakistani conflict, she was openly called "the only man in the cabinet of old women."
As for the ability to speak, the most essential skill for a high-ranking diplomat, Mrs. Gandhi had no equal in this area. Having devoted her entire life to politics, she subtly sensed the aspirations and mood of the audience, unerringly chose intonation and the right words, giving phrases the necessary emotionality and weight. Thanks to her fearlessness and gift of persuasion, Indira Gandhi successfully spoke in front of the most difficult audiences. There are known cases when she single-handedly managed to calm an angry crowd, saving another victim of interreligious conflicts from the massacre of fanatics. Many of Gandhi's statements regarding the situation in India have become aphorisms that have a universal meaning:

“History is the best teacher who has the worst students.”
“There is no path to freedom, for freedom is the path.”
“You cannot shake an outstretched hand if your hand is clenched into a fist.”
“Martyrdom is not the end, it is just the beginning.”
“There are two types of people - some live in debt, others work. You need to try to be in the second group, there is much less competition there.”
“People like to forget their responsibilities, but they always remember their rights.”
“You need to be able to remain calm in the thick of things and be active during calm times.”

A feature of Indira Gandhi's direct and active nature was the attention to people she showed both in her political career and in her private life. Indira herself spoke about it this way: “I love being among people. I don’t perceive them as some kind of gray mass, I see each one individually, I peer into people’s faces so intently that I recognize a person if I’ve ever seen him in a crowd before.”

Indira Gandhi's social activities made her popular all over the world. During her lifetime, she was awarded dozens of state and academic awards - in India, the USSR, Great Britain, Japan and other countries. Not much was known about Mrs. Gandhi’s personal space; her favorite place in the house was the library. She did yoga in the morning and evening and took care of her appearance, although, like her mother, she practically did not use cosmetics and did not wear jewelry. Indira Gandhi chose her toilets meticulously, rarely changing her national dress and carefully matching the colors of the fabrics with the finishing details. The Prime Minister was always condescending to questions from reporters, without allowing the slightest familiarity. No one, not even the most experienced masters of sensation, has ever managed to provoke her or extract information about her private life. To the naive question: “Who would you like to be?”, she always answered with a smile: “Yourself.”

In India's development strategy, Gandhi tried to stick to the course laid down by her father and focused, first of all, on preserving the integrity of the country and carrying out large-scale social reforms. She managed to achieve significant results in the field of healthcare and education, and government regulation had a positive impact on the development of industry. The course towards rapprochement with the USSR and unpopular reforms such as the nationalization of banks caused a split in the INC in 1969, after which Indira Gandhi became the head of the independent Congress Party. It still followed the principles of non-alignment and peaceful coexistence declared by Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, but the Third Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 clearly showed that India could defend its interests by force.

Speech by L. I. Brezhnev at a reception at the presidential palace Rashtrapati Bhavan. New Delhi, November 1973

During the years of Indira Gandhi's work as Prime Minister, the departments of space, electronics, ocean exploration, and conservation were organized in India. environment, and the first nuclear power plant was built. Events in agriculture, called the “green revolution,” made it possible to reduce the country’s dependence on food imports. One of Mrs. Gandhi's most important achievements was the strengthening of India's international authority - thanks to diplomatic successes, the country took a dominant position in the South Asian region. It is worth noting here that in search of a better solution social problems the Prime Minister relied on mutually beneficial cooperation with Soviet Union. Indira Gandhi visited the USSR more than once and always spoke with warmth about the citizens of our country, who amazed her with their hospitality and cordiality.

It should be noted that despite her successes, Gandhi never harbored illusions about the full support of her reforms, knowing full well that it was impossible to please everyone. Accusations, criticism and threats were a familiar part of everyday life for her. The Prime Minister tried to soberly assess the danger from her opponents and tried to predict their future actions. In 1975, after the opposition accused her of violating election laws, Indira Gandhi took advantage of a constitutional provision to impose a state of emergency in India. This period, despite the solution to several political and economic problems, undermined the authority of the ruling party.

The most unpopular initiative was the Family Planning project. Its goal was demographic regulation of the standard of living of the poorest segments of the country's population (in the West they even wrote about forced sterilization). Such interference in the traditional way of life of Indian society resulted in a mass protest that cost Gandhi her prime ministership - she lost the 1977 elections, and her own party expelled her from its ranks. She was even imprisoned for two weeks on trumped-up charges. Interestingly, one of the charges accused her of stealing chickens while traveling around the country.

However, Indira Gandhi turned out to be stoically unbending and returned to power, creating a new party, INC (I) (“I” meant “Indira” and at the same time “India”). Political and economic crisis 1980 made residents remember the stable time of her reign. Early elections were held, and Indira's party took the helm of power. Mrs. Gandhi was no longer young, however, having headed the government, she was actively involved in the work. Among her main successes of that time, it is worth noting her participation in international movement non-alignment with military blocs. Her fight against economic backwardness and poverty also bore fruit, but the results were more modest than those that the prime minister wanted to see. Overall, during Indira's years in power, the proportion of Indians below the poverty line decreased from 60 percent to 40 percent, and life expectancy rose from 32 years to 55.

Meanwhile, separatism remained one of the pressing problems, threatening the unity of the entire state. During the second period of Gandhi's reign, the situation in the state of Punjab, initiated by the Sikhs living there, worsened. This religious community, numbering about 10 million people in those years, has been associated with the lands of India since the sixteenth century. In the seventeenth century, the Sikhs even founded their own state, but with the onset of the British Raj it ceased to exist. At the end of the twentieth century, extremist Sikh organizations demanded the creation of an independent Khalistan state in place of the state of Punjab. The center of the confrontation between government troops and Sikh rebels in 1982 was the Golden Temple in the city of Amritsar. According to the government, the main Sikh shrine was a center for the production and storage of weapons. This, in turn, became the reason for carrying out a military operation. The decision to use force was extremely difficult for Indira Gandhi, but, according to her, such a clear threat to the unity of the country required emergency measures from her.

In 1984, during Operation Blue Star, which involved military equipment and regular units of the Indian Army, the Golden Temple was stormed. The rebellion was suppressed, but more than five hundred defenders, including peaceful pilgrims, died during the shelling. The event received wide publicity both in India and abroad. The Prime Minister was bombarded with threats, but despite this, Indira Gandhi flatly refused to remove from her bodyguards representatives of the Sikh community, who traditionally believe military service the most preferred activity. With such an act, the Prime Minister emphasized that she does not show mistrust of all adherents of this religion and does not suspect them of extremist sentiments.

On October 31, 1984, Indira Gandhi had an appointment with Peter Ustinov, an English actor, writer and publicist. The Prime Minister's path to the reception room, where guests were waiting for her, passed through an open courtyard. Two Sikh bodyguards were on duty there. Having caught up with them, Mrs. Gandhi greeted them. In response, the left guard took out a revolver and shot at her, and his partner slashed at point-blank range with a machine gun burst. The rest of the guards rushed to the shots, the Sikhs were killed, and the wounded Indira was sent to the Indian Institute of Medicine, where the best doctors were already waiting for her. Twenty bullets received by a fearless woman from her own bodyguards became the last test in her life. Four hours later she died without regaining consciousness.

Two days later, Indira Gandhi’s body was burned according to Hindu custom on the banks of the Jamna River. The funeral pyre was lit by her son Rajiv Gandhi, a pilot by profession, who was practically forced to take the place of prime minister. The ashes were scattered over the Himalayan mountain range. At this time, mass anti-Sikh protests and pogroms were taking place in the country. In one of his first speeches, the new prime minister said: “My mother gave her life so that Indians could live as one family. Don’t dishonor her memory!”

There is an assumption that Indira Gandhi knew about the impending assassination attempt on her. On the eve of her death, she made a will and gave detailed instructions regarding the ceremony of her funeral. And on the morning of October 31, she refused the bulletproof vest, which, at the insistence of the head of security, she wore all recent months. Rajiv Gandhi wrote to his son: “I am sure grandmother knew that she would die that day. “Many actions indicate that she was preparing to part with us, not because she wanted it, but because life forced her to make harsh decisions, and she made the decision that she was obliged to make as the leader of her people.”

Seven years later, during the next election campaign, Rajiv was killed in an explosion carried out by Tamil terrorists. After this, the INC was headed by his wife, Sonia Gandhi. Currently, the post of vice-president of the party is occupied by their son Rahul Gandhi, who represents the fifth generation of the eminent dynasty.

Based on materials from the website http://www.vokrugsveta.ru/ and the weekly publication “History in Women’s Portraits”

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