Indira Gandhi Biography - The Iron lady of India

Indira Gandhi was India's third prime minister, serving from 1966 until 1984, when her life ended in assassination. She was the daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first prime minister.

Birth

Since the 1800s, the Nehru household exhibited a mix of Indian and western cultures with close connections to the British. Indira’s grandfather, Motilal Nehru was a prominent and wealthy lawyer in Allahabad. He preferred the English language, wore expensive suits, enjoyed western cuisines and was not religious. His wife, Swarup Rani, on the other hand, was very traditional and a devout Hindu. The family moved to a lavish English style mansion called Anand Bhawan in 1900.

On 8th February, 1916 Indira’s parents got married. Her father, Jawaharlal Nehru was 26 and her mother, Kamala Nehru was 17 at that time. 

In the following year, on 19th November, 1917 Kamala gave birth. The Scotsman who delivered the baby announced, “It’s a bonnie lassie, sir”. And thus, Indira Gandhi was born to the Nehrus in the midst of a society fragmented by competing visions of India. She was named after her great grandmother, Indrani, as desired by her grandfather.

Early Life

Indira grew up as the only child with her mother at Anand Bhavan, a large family estate in Allahabad. She got a baby brother in November, 1924 who unfortunately died after two days of birth.

When Indira was about two years old, her parents joined the Indian Independence Movement with Mohandas K. Gandhi. The Nehru home was often a meeting place for those involved in the independence movement, creating an atypical environment for an only child.

To know more visit: http://indiragandhi.in/en/timeline