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Early Life & Education
1917 – Born on November 19, 1917, in Allahabad, India, to Jawaharlal Nehru and Kamala Nehru. 1936 – Studied at Shantiniketan (Visva-Bharati University), where she was mentored by Rabindranath Tagore, and later at Oxford University, UK. 1942 – Married Feroze Gandhi and actively participated in the Quit India Movement, leading to her brief imprisonment by the British. -
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Political Rise
1955 – Became a member of the Congress Working Committee, gaining political influence. 1964 – After the death of Jawaharlal Nehru, she became Minister of Information and Broadcasting, playing key role in media expansion and social awareness campaigns. 1966 – Following the sudden death of Lal Bahadur Shastri, she was elected as India’s first female prime minister marking a historic moment in Indian politics. -
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First Term as Prime Minister
1969 – Nationalized 14 major banks to strengthen the economy. 1971– Led India in the Bangladesh Liberation War, defeating Pakistan and helping create Bangladesh. 1974 – Conducted India’s first nuclear test (Pokhran - Smiling Buddha), establishing India as a nuclear power. 1975–1977 – Declared Emergency Rule, curtailing civil liberties and censoring the press. 1977 – Lost elections due to public backlash against Emergency. -
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Return to Power & Final Years
1980: Return to Power
- Re-elected as Prime Minister(January 14).
-Sanjay Gandhi died (June 23) Rajiv Gandhi entered politics. 1980–1983: Governance Unrest
- Strengthened central control, faced unrest in Punjab, Assam, and Kashmir. 1984: Operation Blue Star Assassination
- Ordered Operation Blue Star ( June ) to remove Sikh militants from Golden Temple.
- Assassinated by Sikh bodyguards (October 31), leading to anti-Sikh riots.