Indira Gandhi was the first female Prime Minister of India. She was the daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister. Gandhi served as Prime Minister from 1966 until her assassination in 1984. Some of her accomplishments included defeating Pakistan in the 1971 war, which led to the independence of Bangladesh. However, her decision to attack the Golden Temple, the holiest site of Sikhism, damaged relations with Sikhs. This led to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards in 1984, which sparked deadly anti-Sikh riots across India.

1. Prime minister Indira
Gandhi (1914-1984)
Emir Veledar
Jonathan Calliste
November 15, 2011

2. Jawaharlal Nehru
(1889-1964)
Indira Gandhi was the daughter of
Indian politician Jawaharlal Nehru.
Nehru was India’s first Prime Minister.
He was a key figure in the events that
led to India gaining independence.
Indira Gandhi worked closely with her
father during his tenure as prime
minister. When he passed away in
1964, there was confusion as to who
would take his spot.

3. Indira Gandhi became prime minister in 1966. She excelled in office
because she was a powerful speaker. She did a great deal of travelling and
gained support by instituting new left-wing policies. One of the staples of
her campaign was to fight hunger and poverty.

4. War of 1971
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a
military conflict between India and
Pakistan. The conflict only lasted 13
days. Prime minister Indira Gandhi was
boosted her popularity by defeating
Pakistan in this war. As a result, East
Pakistan seceded as the independent
state of Bangladesh.

5. Did she help Indian democracy?

6. Golden Temple
Golden Temple, the holiest shrine of the Sikhs in Amristar.

7. Sikhs
The Sikh separatists, lead by a man named Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, occupied
the Golden Temple, the holiest shrine of the Sikhs in Amristar. The Sikh
separatists used the Golden Temple as a haven and arsenal stronghold.

8. 1984: Indira Gandhi is assassinated.
Indira Gandhi was assassinated on
October 31, 1984. While she was in
her garden, two of her bodyguards
unleashed a barrage of gunfire that
struck the prime minister.

9. Police Report of the Assassination
Extract from the original F.I.R. written in Hindi / English
(Courtesy Police Station Tughlak Road)

10. Assassination of Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi was rushed to
the hospital after the
barrage of bullets. Surgery
was attempted to remove
the bullets, but Gandhi did
not survive the procedure.

11. Anti-Sikh Riots
The population which had a Hindu majority were infuriated that the Sikhs killed their
prime minister. Anti-Sikh riots erupted all over New Delhi where Sikhs were targeted
and slaughtered.

12. Anti-Sikh Riots
These riot mobs were led by congressmen and a passive government watched,
looking helpless even unwilling to help the Sikhs and stop the violence. Some of
the government officials even were involved in the attacks.

13. 1984 Assassination Aftermath
In just three days, over three thousand Sikhs were killed.

14. Indira Gandhi
From 1967 to 1974, she was viewed as a strong Indian patriot who took critical actions
to strengthen her newly independent nation. Indira Gandhi was a strong patriot but
also a deeply flawed democrat who chose the wrong ways to show her
patriotism. There are many mixed feelings and about Indira Gandhi; some view her as
an Indian hero while others view her as a ruthless power hungry dictator; regardless
she was a huge influence in the history of India.

15. News Clips
• CNN News
http://youtu.be/gekp9-GFWfM
• IBN CNN News
http://youtu.be/T2NM2PK8QTM