Indira Gandhi : The Iron Lady
Indira Gandhi was born on November 19, 1917, in Allahabad, the only child
of Jawaharlal Nehru, later the first prime minister of India. Being
influenced and inspired by her parents, Indira Gandhi rose to power in India
and eventually became prime minister. She dedicated her life to progress in
her country despite the overwhelming problems and challenges she
encountered.
A graduate of Visva-Bharati University, Bengal, she also studied at the
University of Oxford, England. In 1938 she joined the National Congress
party and became active in India's movement for independence. In 1942 she
married Feroze Gandhi (1913-60), a Parsi lawyer also active in the party.
Shortly after both were arrested by the British on charges of subversion and
spent 13 months in prison.
India - Be in the Rendezvous land of color, culture and fauna
Late Mrs. Indira Gandhi, famous as 'the iron lady' was the first lady Prime Minister of India. She was one of the avant garde politicians of India who has contributed a lot to make India a strong nation.
To
control population growth, Gandhi implemented a voluntary sterilization
program. As a result, adversaries criticized her and her administration
in general. To secure her power and because of escalating riots, on June
26, 1975, Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency which limited the
personal freedom of Indians. Also, she ordered the arrests of the main
opposition leaders. In 1977, she was voted out of office but regained
her position as prime minister in 1980.
