Priyadarshini govind biography of mahatma gandhi
As her left-of-center policies became clear, the Congress party split, with the younger, more priyadarshini govind biography of mahatma gandhi elements coalescing around Gandhi and the older, more conservative party leaders opposing her. This division came to a head in July when she nationalized the country's 14 leading banks in a highly popular move meant to make credit more available to agriculture and to small industry.
The split was formalized when Gandhi's candidate for the presidency of India, V. Giri, won over the party's official nominee. Although Gandhi took members of Parliament with her into the New Congress, this was not a majority in the member house, and she held power only with support from parties of the left. In December when Gandhi failed to get the necessary support to abolish the privy purses and privileges of the former princes, she called on the President to dissolve Parliament.
Midterm elections were set for Marchone full year ahead of schedule. A coalition of three parties of the right and an anti-Congress socialist party opposed Gandhi, who made alliances with parties of the left and some regional parties. Her platform was essentially one of achieving social and economic change more rapidly in an effort to improve the quality of life of India's people.
Her party won a massive victory with over a two-thirds majority in Parliament. Gandhi faced major problems in the areas of food production, population control, land reform, regulation of prices, unemployment, and industrial production. The problems were exacerbated by the influx of almost 10 million refugees as a result of the civil turmoil in East Pakistan.
On December 6 Gandhi announced diplomatic recognition of the Bangla Desh government set up by East Pakistani rebel leaders. Ten days later Pakistan's commander in East Pakistan surrendered to India. In the state elections held in India in MarchGandhi's New Congress party scored the most overwhelming victory in the history of independent India; however, her opponent accused her of violating election laws, and a high court upheld the charge in Because of this development, as well as domestic unrest, Gandhi declared a state of emergency and postponed elections.
In the elections Gandhi and her party suffered major defeats; Gandhi lost her seat and the premiership. While Jawaharlal was engrossed in the resolutions of the Indian National Congress, he communicated with Indira through a series of poignant letters which encompassed issues of endurance, familial obligations, perseverance and subservience of personal desires for larger objectives.
Gandhi extolled the fervor of women as they played a revolutionary role by picketing shops selling liquor and imported cloth. Indira was possessed with an ardent desire to travel to Dandi to witness the historic event. The Nehru women, especially Kamala Nehru, astounded everyone by her tenacity and endurance as she addressed public meetings, picketed shops and stood undaunted in the face of a lathi charge.
Indira inspired by her mother, at once withdrew herself from the Jesus and Mary convent and with an indomitable spirit formed the Vanar Sena - an army of children aged between 5 and She displayed meticulous organizational skills and planned with precision, events like strikes in schools, distribution of pamphlets etc. In an incident, Indira was made to sit in the backseat of a car containing secret documents and she convincingly managed to persuade the sergeant who was checking the car to confiscate the papers, to let her off as she would be late for school!!!
She was unforgiving and retreated into devastating, formidable silences. Indira was initiated into discovering inner silences and began to appreciate creative expression in the form of art, drama and poetry. She revered Rabindranath Tagore and was in harmony with nature in the company of aesthetically inclined individuals. Around the same time, Feroze Gandhia young Parsee youth who volunteered to assist Kamala in her political pursuits as a representative of the Congress Party at Allahabad, proposed marriage to Indira.
However, she declined it as too frivolous a concern in view of the grave and challenging political situation in India. A distraught Indira linked the ominous thunderstorms accompanied by lightning to the arms of death furiously closing in on her stricken and defenseless mother. This led to a lifelong fear of violent storms which left her feeling terrorized and drained out.
Jawaharlal Nehru was released from prison at Almora in September and boarded the first flight to meet his critically ill wife. This union between the father and daughter gave succor to the anguished Indira and lifted some of her burdens. Feroze Gandhiwho considered Kamala to be his mentor, visited her en route the London School of Economics.
The traumatic and tragic death of Kamala Nehru inflicted a searing wound on Indira which even time could not heal. Indira had inherited a hard core and an indomitable spirit from her mother, yet, she felt hopeless and rootless with an uncertain bleak future. Jawaharlal Nehru was overwhelmed with a sense of obligation towards his motherland and took over the Presidentship of the Congress Party.
He returned to India immediately, even if it meant leaving his daughter alone in moments of grief to fight her own battles. During this time, Indira was drawn towards Feroze who offered attentive companionship and shared warm memories of Kamala Nehru with her. Indira returned to India to find her father distant and emotionally entangled in a relationship with Padmaja Naiduthe attractive daughter of freedom fighter Sarojini Naidu.
Indira, who was extremely proud and possessive of her legendary father felt disillusioned and dejected and decided to return to Paris. It was in the romantic setting of Paris that the young Indira finally accepted the marriage proposal of Feroze. Not surprisingly, she remained furtive about her intimacy with Feroze in letters to her father.
Indira returned to India in Novemberin view of the strengthening of the Fascist forces and to recover, as she was diagnosed with Pleurisy, even before completing her course due to failure in the Latin examination. She made a second futile attempt to complete her education and returned to Oxford University a year later, but suffered with a relapse of the Pleurisy.
One can relate to the emotional turmoil she experienced as an adolescent struggling to recuperate in a gloomy sanatorium traversing the same path and reliving the memories of her mother who eventually succumbed to her illness. Indira faced the tribulation with the resilience of a weed whose struggle for survival enables it to bend with every storm in order to live.
Jawaharlal Nehru extolled her steadfastness and fortitude as he advocated that diseases of the body have to be fought with a strong mind. Indira along with Feroze undertook an arduous journey back to India, a voyage fraught with danger and turbulence due to the escalation of World War 2. Indira met Jawaharlal at the Dehradun Jail and revealed her ardent desire to marry Feroze, citing the need for companionship and to raise her children in a stable home.
The marriage was solemnized on Ram navami a Hindu festival, celebrating the birth of the Hindu God Lord Rama on 16 th March,followed by festive celebrations with the blessings of Mahatma Gandhi, relatives and friends. The Quit India Movement was launched on 8 th August,and Indians were determined to seize control of their destiny and nation. Enraged by the brutality of the British and infused with patriotic fervor to defy the authoritative British rule, Indira addressed a mammoth public rally where she was attacked by the police and subsequently arrested.
This marked the transformation of a shy, self- conscious Indira who swore never to speak in public, to an emphatic leader passionately connecting with the crowd and arousing them from slumber. Indira spent eight months in captivity, which served as a lesson in endurance and a voyage of self-discovery where she finally encountered her inner calling cajoling her towards a higher destiny.
Indira was overwhelmed with joy to embark into motherhood when she discovered her pregnancy. An equally elated Feroze ensured that she received the best medical facilities in India and brought her to Mumbai, where their first child Rajeev Ratna was born on 20 th August, Jawaharlal Nehru was released from Ahmednagar Jail in June and met his grandson at an emotional family re-union at Srinagar.
ByJawaharlal Nehru was the interim prime minister. Indira took a momentous step forward to occupy the niche created for her by resolving to leave Allahabad and living with her father in Delhi. As the gracious official hostess to Presidents, philosophers and stalwarts of the Indian freedom struggle, an observant Indira mastered the nuances of protocol, diplomacy and political manipulation.
The initial euphoria of companionship and marital intimacy wore off and gave way to ripples of tension, perhaps due to the infidelity of Feroze Gandhi. Feroze, a meticulous and accomplished journalist was working in Lucknow with National Herald, a news magazine founded by Jawaharlal Nehru, and during this period he got involved in an intimate relationship with a lady while staying away from Indira, who continued to live in Delhi.
They grew to love animals as they had pandas, tiger cubs, horses and even a crocodile as pets!!! Indira however, ensured that they were not spoilt by materialistic possessions like expensive toys and other fringe benefits, and sent them to a private school run by Elizabeth Gauba. Rajeev was soft-spoken, docile and suave which was a complete contrast to the rebellious, out-spoken and adamantly demanding Sanjay.
The children basked in the adulation of the Indian masses whenever they accompanied their mother and grandfather at official functions like the fascinating and pompous Republic Day celebrations. At midnight, on 14 th August,when the world was in a slumber, India awoke, ready for its tryst with destiny. Indians rejoiced ecstatically when their motherland was liberated from the British rule.
Almost numb with excitement, Indira stood in the background as Jawaharlal Nehru unfurled the national flag from the historic Red Fort. The dark side of the celebration of freedom, so intensely yearned for, was the partition of India that brought with it massacres, communal riots and looting. Indira was returning from Missouri to Delhi by train along with her two kids, when the train was stopped by miscreants and a man presumed to be a Muslim was attacked.
In a stunning move, a fearless Indira jumped out of the train and rescued this man from the fury of the hysterical crowd to the safety of her compartment. Indira served selflessly in Muslim refugee camps waking up at 5. She rescued hapless victims of senseless violence, completely disregarding numerous threats to her life. The year brought with it the shocking assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, whom she had always considered to be an elder of the family.
It served as a stark reminder of the price that the liberators of India paid for the sake of a better tomorrow. A deeply anguished Indira mourned along with the entire nation that was engulfed in the darkness of despair. However, he soon felt claustrophobic in the formal structure of Teen Murti Bhawan where the grimness of protocol had to be maintained.
He eventually moved into an official residence and his sons looked forward to staying over with their enthusiastic father who spent qualitative time doting over them while they bonded over gardening and building cars in a relaxed environment, with laughter and mirth flowing uninhibited. The wall of conflict between Indira and Feroze created an insurmountable rift in their marriage.
Feroze eventually sought solace in extra marital affairs and was at the brink of a divorce from Indira. The children continued their education at a boarding school. Rajeev excelled in his studies while Sanjay, being disinterested in the conventional priyadarshini govind biography of mahatma gandhi structure, eventually dropped out of the prestigious Doon School in Dehradun.
The boys continued with their higher education in England following the footsteps of their mother and grand-father. As the children were away from her now, Indira Gandhi worked ceaselessly, electioneering for her father as a member of the Central Election Committee of the Congress. She was a part of the Indian delegation as the prime minister travelled to U.
Child welfare was her forte and she established Bal Bhawan. Tribal dancers and rural artisans received patronage from Indira and Jawaharlal, as creative expression enlivened their spirit. Indira was abreast of international trends and orchestrated the establishment of the prestigious National Institute of Design at the serene banks of Sabarmati, Ahmedabad.
You can break that big plan into small steps and take the first step right away. Feroze Gandhi had revitalized the youth and was a formidable parliamentarian as his eye for detail and the thoroughness of a journalist gave him an in-depth understanding of national affairs. Jawaharlal Nehru interacted with Feroze with a tinge of conceitedness which led to a failure in building a close rapport with his son-in-law.
Krishnamachari and M. Mathaithe P. Though her mind resembled a labyrinth, her outward demeanor exuded grace and poise. Since many Hindus and Sikhs were killed in the operation, this was to be her undoing. With characteristic gusto, Indira Gandhi had returned to power intent on pursuing far-reaching programs that would take India into the next century.
Her vision, however, was still in its conceptual stages when, in Octoberfour months after the incident in the Golden Temple, Indira Gandhi was assassinated on the grounds of the prime minister's residence and office by her Sikh security guards. Immediately following the shootings, her son Rajiv was sworn in as India's new prime minister, thereby keeping the Nehru dynasty in power.
Rajiv Gandhi would also be assassinated on May 21,but the dynasty would live on through his wife Sonia Gandhi who was elected president of India's Congress Party in Indira Gandhi is revered as a remarkable political leader and one of the most accessible in the history of India, who led her country with integrity and fortitude. To her political opponents, she was a ruthless autocrat bent on perpetuating a family dynasty.
To the vast Indian masses, she was Mataji revered mother. A compulsive reader with an incisive mind, she was always a pioneer in reform and became a role model for many Indian women. More than anyone else, she was acutely aware of her paradoxical position as a woman leading a male-dominated country. She admitted that the advantages of her family background and education gave her opportunities not available to most Indian women.
While her example has been a stimulus that has encouraged numerous urban, educated women to discard the traditional yolks, it also produced a tendency to deify her. Indira Gandhi, always the pragmatist, pointed out to her sisters that aspirations could be achieved: "We have thought—our society has thought—that if you call a woman a goddess, you have done everything necessary, even if she is suppressed and has no rights.
They do not want to be goddesses, but they must have every opportunity to develop their talent, their capabilities, and to use those talents and capabilities in the service of the community. Carras, Mary C. Indira Gandhi: The Crucible of Leadership. Boston, MA: Beacon Press, Brahmjyot K. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.
January 8, Retrieved January 08, from Encyclopedia. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia. Women Encyclopedias almanacs transcripts and maps Gandhi, Indira — Gandhi, Indira — gale.
Learn more about citation styles Citation styles Encyclopedia. More From encyclopedia. About this article Gandhi, Indira — Updated About encyclopedia. Gandhari, Buddhist Literature in. Gandharan Art and Architecture. Gandevia, Bryan Harle. Gandersheim, Convent of.
Priyadarshini govind biography of mahatma gandhi
Gander, Forrest Gander, James Forrest. Gander Mountain, Inc. Gander Mountain Company. Gandelsonas, Mario. Gandalf's Garden. Ganchoff, Moses. Ganche, Edouard. Ganassi dal Fontego, Sylvestro di, Italian. Gandhi, Kasturba — Gandhi, Mahatma. Gandhi, Mahatma M. Gandhi, Mohandas. Gandhi, Sonia —. Indira served as Prime Minister from January to March and again from January to her death on October 31, After winning theand parliamentary elections for the Congress Party, internal rifts about her controversial leadership resulted in several splits and her disqualification for politics by a court sentence inwhich she contested the next year declaring authoritarian rule.
The Congress was defeated in the elections and, following new trouble with justice, a landslide victory returned her to office in On October 31, Indira was assassinated just one other woman ruler, Rwanda's Agathe Uwilingiyimana, has been murdered up to now by a sikh extremist. Seven years later her son Rajiv would suffer the same fate. Indira was one the most charismatic rulers and strong personalities in the 60s and 70s, as home leader and for the Third World and Non-Aligned countries.
In addition, never has a stateswoman been at charge of so many people.