The First Woman Prime Minister of India: Indira Gandhi

Indira Gandhi the first women prime minister of india

Indira Gandhi - The first woman Prime Minister of India

Daughter of First Prime Minister of India

 

Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi was the third Prime Minister of India and a central figure of the Indian National Congress party.

Born: November 19, 1917, Allahabad

Full name: Indira Priyadarshini Nehru

Assassinated: October 31, 1984, New Delhi

Education: Somerville College, Oxford, Visva-Bharati University, Badminton School, University of Oxford

Parents: Kamala Nehru, Jawaharlal Nehru

Awards: Bharat Ratna, Lenin Peace Prize, Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding

 

She was imprisoned for 13 months in 1942 by the British. In that year she married Feroze Gandhi, a journalist; they had two sons, Rajiv and Sanjay. Indira, however, remained with her father, who became Prime Minister after independence, and acted as his hostess and close supporter from 1947 to 1964. Under Gandhi's instructions she worked in the riot-affected areas of Delhi in 1947. Associated with numerous organizations, she was Chairman of the Central Social Welfare Board (1953-7), member of the Working Committee and Central Election Committee from 1955 and the Central Parliamentary Board from 1956, and President of the All India Youth Congress from 1956 to 1960. On Nehru's death in 1964 she was elected to Parliament in his place. After acting as Minister of Information and Broadcasting (1964-6), Indira Gandhi became Prime Minister on the death of Lal Shastri in 1966, having toured India, drawing enormous crowds in her campaign, . In 1971 he called a general election to seek public support and won by an enormous margin.