New Delhi, Nov 19 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday paid tribute to former PM Indira Gandhi on the occasion of her birth anniversary.

PM Modi took to his social media platform X and said, “Tributes to former Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi on the occasion of her birth anniversary.”

Indira Gandhi was born on this day in 1917 into an illustrious political family. She was the daughter of India’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Her early education took place at prestigious institutions such as Ecole Nouvelle in Bex, Switzerland; Ecole Internationale in Geneva; Pupils’ Own School in Poona and Bombay; Badminton School in Bristol; and Visva-Bharati University in Shantiniketan. She later attended Somerville College, Oxford. Over the years, she received honorary doctoral degrees from several universities around the world, along with a Citation of Distinction from Columbia University.

Indira Gandhi became involved in the freedom struggle from a young age. As a child, she founded the Bal Charkha Sangh and later, in 1930, established the Vanar Sena, a group of children dedicated to assisting the Congress Party during the Non-Cooperation Movement. She was imprisoned in September 1942 for her role in the Quit India Movement. In 1947, she worked in riot-affected areas of Delhi under Mahatma Gandhi’s guidance, providing relief and support to victims of communal violence.

On March 26, 1942, she married Feroze Gandhi, with whom she had two sons. Her political responsibilities grew steadily as she rose through the Congress Party’s organisational ranks. She became a member of the Congress Working Committee and the party’s Central Election Committee in 1955. In 1958, she joined the Central Parliamentary Board of the Congress. She also served as the Chairperson of the National Integration Council of the AICC, President of the All India Youth Congress, and head of the Women’s Department of the AICC. Indira Gandhi became President of the Indian National Congress in 1959, holding the position until 1960, and again from January 1978.

Her ministerial career began when she served as the Minister for Information and Broadcasting from 1964 to 1966. She went on to become the Prime Minister of India in January 1966, holding the office until March 1977, and then again from January 1980 until her assassination in October 1984. During her tenure, she simultaneously held several key portfolios, including Minister for Atomic Energy from 1967 to 1977, Minister of External Affairs from 1967 to 1969, Minister of Home Affairs from 1970 to 1973, and Minister for Space from 1972 to 1977. In January 1980, she became Chairperson of the Planning Commission.

Indira Gandhi served as a Member of the Rajya Sabha from 1964 to 1967 before being elected to the Lok Sabha in the fourth, fifth, and sixth general elections. In January 1980, she won from both Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh and Medak in Andhra Pradesh, ultimately choosing to retain the Medak seat. She also served as the leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party from 1967 to 1977 and again from 1980.

Her achievements earned her numerous national and international honours, including the Bharat Ratna in 1972, the Mexican Academy Award for the Liberation of Bangladesh, the FAO’s Second Annual Medal, and the Sahitya Vachaspati Award. Internationally, she received the Mothers’ Award in the United States, Italy’s Isabella d’Este Award for diplomacy, and Yale University’s Howland Memorial Prize.

–IANS

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