Indira Gandhi- The Iconic Woman

The very name of our first woman Prime Minister evokes the image of a popular leader whose two terms as Prime Minister record her phenomenal achievement and attainments in the realm of our politics, economic development, agriculture and science and tecnology. Perhaps her efforts towards national integration would be always remembered with gratitude by the people of this country for which she made the supreme sacrifices by laying down her life.

Indira Gandhi entry into politics took place during the turbulent times of freedom stuggle and she had the opportunity to learn the shades and nuances of the art of politics from her father Late Pandit Jawhar Lal Nehru who served the country long years as Prime Minister after Independence. Contrary to the popular belief that Pandit Nehru had dynastic ambitions and groomed her to be future prime minister of the country, she became prime minister when Pandit Nehru was nowhere and got her minister assignment in the Union cabinet under Lal Bahadur Shastri's prime ministership as minister for Information and Broadcasting. When Shastriji died under tragic circumstances, she was the nomination of the Syndicate of the Congress consisting of old guards of the Congress Party. Critics say that the members had the dubious aim of controlling her making use of her relative inexperience and young age.But the rest was history.

It is not necessary to delve into her innumberable achievements which you might have read elsewhere.And the controversial part of her rule like imposition of Emergengcy and sending venerable leader like Jay Prakash Narayan behind it and its fallout, is best left out to the political scholars. One aspect of her character that has given an iconic status and earned universal was courage. She was truly courage personified! The way stood up to the late US President Richard Nixon's bullying tactics during Bangladesh's war of independence and the way she humbled Pakistan are stuffs folklores are made up of.