The Iron Lady Of India, Indira Gandhi

I chose to paint Indira Gandhi for this art piece because she has shown me and other young girls around the world that it is possible to achieve our dreams if we have determination and strength within ourselves. As the daughter of the independence fighter and the first prime minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, Gandhi was inspired to follow her father’s footsteps and dedicate her life to the service of the people. In 1966, when her father and his successor passed, Gandhi took their places as the first female prime minister. She served three terms, from 1966 to 1977 in which she greatly improved the young nation with her progressive ideals. During the Green Revolution, Gandhi greatly aided poor farmers by improving the technology and seeds used, which helped them yield a larger profit. Furthermore, after Pakistan surrendered in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, Gandhi helped reach a compromise between the leaders of Pakistan, which led to the creation of Bangladesh. She was the first leader to formally recognize the newly formed country. Despite facing backlash and challenges in the following years, Gandhi rose again by becoming the one of the first women to lead a political party. She showed the world that she was capable of rising to the highest seat in the country, instead of letting her gender hold her back. With her great persistence, she broke the social barriers for herself and the women that will follow in her footsteps. Indira Gandhi will forever go down in history as a valiant hero to all.