October 31 - Remembering Indra Gandhi

Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi(Nov 19, 1917 – Oct 31, 1984)was the only child of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of independent India and served as the 3rd PM of India  for three consecutive terms (1966–77) and a fourth term (1980–84)

Indra Gandhi was the 2nd Female Head of Govt  in the World(first being Sirimavo Bandaranake of Sri Lanka)  and  remains as the world's 2nd longest serving female Prime Minister as of 2012

Indra Gandhi  was the first woman to become prime minister in India.

Indra Gandhi was also the only Indian Prime Minister to have declared 'State of Emergency' in order to 'rule by decree' during 1975-77 and the only Indian Prime Minister to have been imprisoned after holding that office

Assassination of Indra Gandhi

 

On 31 October 1984, two of Gandhi's bodyguards,Satwant Singh and Beant Singh, shot her with their service weapons in the garden of the Prime Minister's residence at 1 Safdarjung Road, New Delhi as she was walking past a wicket gate for an interview by the British actor Peter Ustinov, who was filming a documentary for Irish television. Beant Singh shot her three times using his side-arm, and Satwant Singh fired 30 rounds. 

Beant Singh and Satwant Singh dropped their weapons and surrendered. Afterwards they were taken away by other guards into a closed room where Beant Singh was shot dead.Kehar Singh was later arrested for conspiracy in the attack. Both Satwant and Kehar were sentenced to death and hanged in Delhi'sTihar Jail 

Indra Gandhi was cremated on 3 Nov 03,1984 near Raj Ghat and her funeral was televised live on domestic and international  TV's including BBC

 

 

 

Note

The day before her death Indira Gandhi visited Orissa on Oct 30,1984 where she gave her last speech -

"I am alive today, I may not be there tomorrow. I shall continue to serve till my last breath and when I die every drop of my blood will strengthen India and keep a united India alive."


Books about Indra Gandhi