1917, November 19 Date of birth
1930 Founded the Bal Charkha Sangh and was part of the Vanar Sena—children’s organization which ran messages to help the Freedom Movement during the non-cooperative movement. Goes to study in England and joins Somerville College in Oxford.
1938 Joins the Indian National Congress
1942 Marries Feroze Gandhi. The couple is soon imprisoned at the Naini Central jail, Allahabad on September 11, 1942 on charges of subversion
1943, May 13 Released from Naini Central Jail
1947-1964 Remains with her father as his hostess and close supporter
1947 Under Gandhi’s instructions, she works in riot-affected areas of Delhi
1953-57 Serves as the Chairman of the Central Social Welfare Board
1955 Becomes a member of the Working Committee and Central Election Committee
1956 Member of Central Parliamentary Board
1956-60 Becomes the President of the All India Youth Congress
1960 Feroze Gandhi, her husband, dies
1964 Nehru, her father, dies
Indira was elected to the parliament
1964-66 Serves as the Minister of Information and Broadcasting
1966 Becomes the Prime Minister after the death of Lal Bahadur Shastri
1971 Calls for a general election and wins by an enormous margin. War with Pakistan over Bangladesh—sends India’s first satellite into space—her period in office is marked by severe economic troubles.
1973 There are demonstrations across the country due to high inflation, poor state of the economy, rampant corruption and the poor standards of living.
1974 Tests the explosion of a nuclear device.
1975, June The High Court of Allahabad found her guilty of illegal practices during the last election campaign and ordered her to vacate her seat. She responded by declaring a state of emergency.
1977 Indira Gandhi calls for early elections but loses—she faces charges of corruption and authoritarianism—is expelled from parliament and is imprisoned.
1978 Released from prison. Resigns from the Congress party—Becomes leader of the Indian National Congress—Wins a seat through a by-election
1980 Is re-elected as the Prime Minister—Sanjay Gandhi, her youngest son, dies in a plane crash.
1984, June In in attempt to crush the secessionist movement in Punjab, she launched ‘Operation Blue Star’. She sent troops into the ‘Golden Temple’ of Amritsar. This led to the death of Jarnail Singh Bindranwale, the leader of the secessionist movement of Sikh militants.
1984, Oct. On 31st assassinated by her body guards.
Deprived of normal childhood
Indira was born on November 19, 1917, in Allahabad, to Jawaharlal and Kamla Nehru. Her life was drastically changed in 1919 when her wealthy and prominent family was visited by Mohandas Gandhi, the great leader of the Indian freedom movement. Recently returned from South Africa, he converted her parents to the cause of Indian independence. Constant meetings and the frequent absence of Indira’s parents deprived her of a normal childhood. She was four years old when her father and grandfather were first jailed for their activities, then the jailings, which also included her mother, became frequent.
Shows independent spirit
Because of the insecurities of her childhood Indira hardened herself and resolved not to be hurt, as her mother had been. She grew up as a solemn, precocious child whose games were related to the fight against Britain. For example, at age 11 she organized the Monkey Brigade. While she was in school in Poona in the 1930s she once commented that Gandhi Ji is always present in my life; he played an enormous role in my development.
Her road to power and politics
It was started when she turned twelve years of age. No one know when or if the British would search their homes. Indira became the leader of children’s group (Monkey Brigade) whose purpose was to help end British control in India.
One of the most significant actions of the Monkey Brigade involved Indira. The Congress party’s top officials were organizing a civil disobedience movement. After meeting, the documents containing the plans of movement were placed in trunk of a car with Indira in the back seat. A police inspector stopped the car to search it. However, Indira pleaded him not to inspect the car because the delay would cause her to arrive late at school. Fortunately, the inspector believed her and car was not searched.
Indira joined Congress in 1938. She was imprisoned for 13 months in 1942 by the British. In that year she married Feroze Gandhi, a journalist; they had two sons—Rajiv and Sanjay. Indira, however, remained with her father, who became Prime Minister after independence, and acted as his hostess and close supporter from 1947 to 1964.
Under Gandhiji’s instructions she worked in the riot-affected areas of Delhi in 1947. Associated with numerous organizations, she was Chairperson of the Central Social Welfare Board, member of the Working Committee and Central Election Committee from 1955 and the Central Parliamentary Board from 1956, and President of the All India Youth Congress from 1956 to 1960.
On Nehru’s death in 1964 she was elected to Parliament. After acting as Minister of Information and Broadcasting (1964-66), Indira Gandhi became Prime Minister on the death of Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1966, having toured India, drawing enormous crowds in her campaign. In 1971 he called a general election to seek public support and won by an enormous margin.
SYMBOL FOR WOMEN AND THE THIRD WORLD
India had been ruled by England for over a century prior to its independence in 1947. While the British had built many roads, schools, and hospitals, they had also acted as a superior colonial power. The Indians greatly resented British control. The organized struggle for freedom began early in this century and grew until after World War II, which ended in 1945, when the British finally realized they could no longer hold India. The ascension of a woman, Indira Gandhi, to the highest position in the world’s most populous democracy was especially significant for Indian women, who had traditionally been subservient to men. In addition, she was also an inspiration to people in other Third World nations.
In the early 1980s Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale controled Sikh secessionist movement in Punjab. In early 1984 Bhindranwale and his followers occupied the sacred Golden Temple in Amritsar. The group carried out acts of terrorism, which led to widespread unrest in Punjab. In June Indira sent the Indian army to flush out the terrorists. Hundreds were killed in the conflict, including Bhindranwale, many of his supporters, and many army personnel. A few months later, in October 1984, two of Sikh her bodyguards took revenge by assassinating Indira.
