Indira Gandhi, Fourth Prime Minister of India

Indira Gandhi (1966-1977 & 1980-1984): Indira Gandhi, the daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India, and the mother of Rajiv Gandhi, who succeeded her, was born on 19 November 1917.

She served as the third Prime Minister of India from 1966 to 1977 and again from 1980 until her assassination in 1984. Indira was India’s first and, to date, only female Prime Minister. Senior USA politician Henry Kissinger described her as an Iron Lady.

Her tenure witnessed the Third India–Pakistan War in 1971 which culminated in India’s decisive victory over Pakistan and the formation of a new country, Bangladesh. Indira Gandhi was hailed as Goddess Durga by the people as well as the opposition leaders.