Indira Gandhi Quotes

Indira Gandhi was born in Allahabad, India. She was an Indian politician and central figure of the Indian National Congress party, and to date the only female Prime Minister of India. She was the daughter of India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. She served as Prime Minister from 1966 to 1977 and then again from 1980 until her assassination in 1984. She was elected Congress President in 1959. As the Prime Minister of India, she was known for her political ruthlessness and unprecedented centralisation of power. She went to war with Pakistan in support of the independence movement and war of independence in East Pakistan, which resulted in an Indian victory and the creation of Bangladesh, as well as increasing India's influence to the point where it became the regional hegemon of South Asia. She also presided over a controversial state of emergency from 1975 to 1977 during which she ruled by decree. In 1999, Indira was named "Woman of the Millennium" in a poll organised by the BBC. After leading India to victory against Pakistan in the Bangladesh liberation war in 1971, President V. V. Giri awarded Mrs. Gandhi India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna. In 2011, the Bangladesh Freedom Honour, Bangladesh's highest civilian award, was posthumously conferred on Indira Gandhi for her outstanding contributions to Bangladesh's Liberation War.