As daughter of independent India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi grew up in the midst of the struggle for independence in a highly political family. She was elected president of the youth wing of the Indian National Congress in 1956 and was elected to parliament in place of her father when he died in 1964. Soon, Indira Gandhi emerged as one of India's most powerful prime ministers.
Under her stewardship India won a war against Pakistan for the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971. She ushered in the green revolution that ensured food security for India, nationalised banks in a move that cushioned India from the worst of the current global recession and abolished princely states. It was during her stint as Prime Minister that India joined the nuclear club and took big strides in the field of science and technology. In international diplomacy Indira Gandhi was an effective and strong leader who dared to take on the United States.
But her primary strength lay in her ability to connect with the poor. In many houses in the south of the country she's worshipped along with religious deities. For large numbers of Indians, Indira Gandhi is a progressive and idealistic figure. It's not her political failures, rather her mass appeal, charisma and her belief in an Idea of India that endures.
No comments:
Post a Comment