Empowered Women 2020 Indira Gandhi (1917-1984)
“Indira Gandhi had been called a Goongi Gudia (dumb doll) by Ram Manohar Lohia an activist in the Indian Independence movement and a socialist political leader. But she went on to become the Iron Lady of India. She was the first female Prime Minister of India and served three consecutive terms (1966-77) and then a fourth term from 1980 up till the time she was assassinated in 1984. She used Silence as a weapon, was ruthless and she made a mark in a man’s world. According to S Nihal Singh a veteran journalist Mrs Gandhi shaped herself into a consummate politician practicing realpolitik and getting the better of congressmen and beating them at their own game. Singh says he found her gracious, eloquent, with razor sharp clarity”.
Indira Gandhi had lineage and luck but she is to be admired for breaking the glass ceiling and holding her own. I admired her for her grit, tenacity, grace, the Rudraksh Mala she always wore & her “Sari Swag”.
As a kid I had sent her a greeting card in 1981 and her office had replied
and it is memorabilia worth keeping and sharing.