Indira Gandhi

Indira Gandhi (http://www.iloveindia.com/indian-heroes/indira-gandhi/pictures.html ())

      In the autumn of 1917, on November 19th, Indira Gandhi, a hero to many was born.  This young infant would soon rise to power and eventually become the first female Prime Minister of India.  Indira was not only the first female, but she also served at a baffling three consecutive terms (1966-1977) and a fourth term after (1980-1984).  All of these achievements demonstrates some aspect of heroism. Throughout her life, her actions showed determination, perseverance, proficiency, and loyalty to her native country, India.

      Indira was born in the city of Allahabad to the politically involved family of the Nehru's.  Her grandfather, Motilal Nehru, was a prominent activist of the Indian National Movement and an esteemed leader of the Indian National Congress.  Her father, Jawaharlal Nehru, was an Indian politician, an imperative leader in the Indian Independence Movement, and the first Prime Minister of independent India.  Because the Nehru family was the center of Indian politics at the time, she was exposed to the political world very early in her life.  Indira displayed active participation in the Indian National Movement, and became a member of the Rajya Sabha, or simply the 'upper house' of Indian National Congress.  She married Feroze Gandhi, a journalist and a member of Youth Congress, and had two kids: Rajiv and Sanjay Gandhi.

Following the death of Lal Bahadur Shastri, (the Prime Minister who succeeded Indira's father), Indira served as Prime Minister until India held the next election.  Coincidentally, she won that election and in 1967, she became the first female Prime Minister of India, the second female head of government in the world, and one of the first women ever elected to lead a democracy.  Gandhi was reelected in 1971 by campaigning with the slogan "Abolish Poverty."  One of Indira's more admirable feats occurred in the same year.  To prevent the Bangladeshi refugees from intruding her country, Indira supported the East Pakistan's struggle for freedom against West Pakistan.  She provided strategic support and sent bounties of troops to aid the East Pakistanis in declaring independence.  Her triumph in the war increased her popularity and reputation as a powerful political leader.

However, in 1975, Indira was accused of violating election laws.  Although the conviction was later overturned by the Supreme Court of India, the agitation and anger of the people were clear.  To secure her power because of various escalating riots, she declared a state of emergency which limited the personal freedom of Indians, but allowed her the power to make quick, unchallenged creation of law, or "rule by decree."   In her opinion, her dictatorship was for the good of India, but in 1977, she allowed free elections and the people of India voted her out of office.  Nevertheless, she resumed the office of Prime Minister in 1980.  In June of 1984, the Indian army forcefully entered the Golden Temple, the most sacred Sikh Gurdwara, or "Gateway to God", under Indira's orders.  However, there was a reason for this.  There had been terrorist activity of extremist Sikhs and her "attack" was to remove the bevy of weapons, (including tanks and armored vehicles), which were occupying the temple, and to protect millions of people's lives,   But the Sikhs blinded by rage, lashed out and in retaliation to her offending acts, assassinated her with the help of her very own bodyguards and brought her life to a tragic end.

The Golden Temple, Amritsar (http://www.sikhnet.com/gallery/v/Gurudwaras/golden-temple-amritsar.jpg.html ())