G L Khajuria
As per a famous Bengali poem written by Gurudev Rabindra Nath Tagore and translated into English by Indira Gandhi, for awakening modern youth and the upcoming generations, ‘If nobody listens to your call, walk alone, if in fear they cower mutely facing the wall, O hapless, open your mind and speak out alone, if as you cross the wilderness, they turn away and desert you, O hapless one, tread firmly on the thorns on the bloodline track and travel alone, if in the storm-troubled night, if they dare not hold aloft the height, O hapless one ignite your own heart with the lightening and pain and yourself becomes the guiding light.’
Indira Gandhi, the leading woman prime Minister of India was born on November 19, 1917. Priyadarshini Indira was the only child blessed to Kamla and Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru at Anand Bhawan in Allahabad, a city prominent for the confluence (Sangam) of three pious rivers, Ganga, Yamuna and under-flowing Saraswati. Anand Bhawan was the home town of her grandfather Moti Lal Nehru who was a leading advocate of Allahabad High Court. As we all know that he basically hailed from Kashmiri Brahmin family and had purchased this house in 1900 and named it Anand Bhawan, which means an ‘abode of happiness.’
Anand Bhawan was quite often visited by several high dignitaries from far and wide prominent places. Moti Lal Nehru was blessed with only son Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru on November 14, 1889. Through his early education was held in Allahabad but later he graduated from Cambridge University and became a Barrister. At an age of twenty seven, he was married to Kamal Kaul on Panchnami in November 19, 1917 and got blessed with a sweet child, named by her grandfather Priyadarshini Indira.
It was an eventful year when Indira was born. The Russian revolution had already started First World War (1914-18) and Gandhi had started Indian Freedom movement instilling a ray of rope amongst the people of India.
Indira stood by her father in the most intricate and crucial hours and took care of all important matters in the most magnanimous manner, thereby bringing greater fame to her father’s name. Indira was too small to be involved in political matters. She had also spiritual inclination and regularly used to visit temples with her grandmother whom she fondly called ‘Dol Amma’ as she used to give sweets secretly hidden in a box called ‘Dol’.
Indira grew up with love showered by her parents, grand-parents and all other family members. She had a strict and disciplined upbringing. She was strongly attached to her mother Kamla whom she loved the most. Indira shared and valued the real and special movements when she had her parents close by. She had written, ‘Although I didn’t see much of my parents and when my father sat by my side, he was never distracted by other things.’
In the morning, all the three used to sit together and her father and mother used to read great epics- Ramayana, Bhagwat Gita to get her well acquainted with her religion. Indira had a very unique and unusual childhood. She said, ‘My public life began at a tender age of three when I have no recollection of games and my sole occupation was to deliver fiery speeches to servants who often pretend to be afraid of me while being perched on the tool or table delivering thunderous speech to them and her dolls.’ When Indira was 5 years old, her education remained as a far off thing owing to political turmoil whereby it tantamount to uncertainty. Though she didn’t attend any nursery school, a teacher, however, was appointed to teach at home. Even while being in studies, she was most often distracted by procession who at most of occasions entered into her house and take away all her valuables, to whom she was too much attached. His father always preached and encouraged to be very meticulous towards her health. Even when she used to run, she was told to be poise and graceful. Her father taught her swimming and later she realised swimming as only way out of tension. She also learned riding from her father as and when she had occasion to go to hill stations. She was told to be ever graceful on all occasions giving top priority towards regular exercises to ensure good health.
Her father always inspired her to have a good collection of books and built regular reading and writing skills and she came to the expectation of her father. Further she was advised to go through the writing of Rabindra Nath Tagore, Shakespeare, Barnard Shaw and Charles Dicken and many of their elks.
Indira was a nature lover, the forest, wildlife and the environment. She has had immensely contributed towards preservation and conservation of natural assets. She was of the opinion that we should do have developments but not at the cost of destruction. As such, she always emphasized on all occasions while deliberating in world conferences, seminars and conventions.
She was the pioneer in the introduction of the Department of Environment in Nov. 1980. Also, she inculcated wildlife protection act 1972. She introduced and established department of ocean development in 1981 as she wanted to give impetus to department of ocean and science and technology. She had great love for wildlife and this department was also introduced by her, apart from tiger, elephant projects when she came to power as the prime minister of India.
Indira had her education in India and abroad. She was immensely motivated at Shanti Niketan Academy which was being run by Gurudev R N Tagore. She actively participated in freedom movement and at most of the occasions was jailed also. Indira married Feroze Gandhi on March 28, 1942, where after she was called Indira Gandhi. Jawahar Nal Nehru was in prison when he got the news that he had been blessed with a grandson on August 20, 1944, who was named Rajiv Gandhi. It was, of course a delightful experience for Indira Gandhi to become a mother. She gave birth to the second son in December 1946 who was named as Sanjay. Since she had been deprived of much care, so she diverted her maximum time in caring and upbringing of both children and sent them to boarding in Dehradun.
With the passage of time Indira and Feroze devoted maximum in service of the nation. It was September 8, 1960 when Feroze had a heart attack and he expired. Indira was utterly shocked by untimely demise of her husband. Still she kept a big heart and actively associated with her father working day in a day out in shaping modern India. In May, he along with his daughter flew to Dehradun in view of ailing health. Despite utmost care he expired on May 27, 1964.
Indira was shocked and so was the entire nation in June 1964, Lal Bahadur Shastri was chosen as the 2nd Prime Minister of India and Indira Gandhi held the change of Minister for Information and Broadcasting in his cabinet.
In September 1965, Pakistan invaded India and in dealing with challenging situation, Shastri hit hard and the entire nation stood as one man. After 22 days, ceasefire was called on September 23, when Shastri had to attend an agreement at Tashkent on January 1966 and he had to sign the agreement to withdraw Indian forces and areas that had been occupied by the valiant Indian Jawans. Shastri could not bear with signing of this agreement and expired very soon. A gloomy scenario prevailed over Indian horizon.
After the demise of Shastri, Indira Gandhi was sworn in as the Prime Minister on January 24 and she took responsibility with utmost courage and worked from sixteen to eighteen hours continuously for the nation and her tempo of work remained excelling with the revolving wheel of time. In the ongoing process, she had to face defeat in polls in March 1977. Morarji Desai became the Prime Minister but shortly his Government could not continue owing to some internal differences. So, a care-taking government under Choudhary Charn Singh remained in power till 1980 election when again Indira Gandhi came back to power. She did a lot for the betterment of the nation. She brought many changes on social and economic fronts.
On May 18, 1974, India’s first peaceful nuclear explosion at Pokhran in Rajasthan was demonstrated. On the occasion, Indira said, we have no intention to make nuclear weapon, we want our desert bloom and not to make the world a desert. In the field of space research, the Indian space Research Organisation (ISRO) designed 1st space satellite and was launched from Russian cosmodrone on April 12, 1975.
Similarly, at Sriharika, she blasted the second experimental satellite launch vehicle (SLV-3) and entered into space age for the exploration on peaceful grounds. In December 3, 1971, a war ensued by Pakistan and here too India showed her outstanding leadership. Indira said, ‘Aggression would be met and the aggression must be met and people of India will meet with fortitude, determination and with discipline and utmost unity.’ Indira augmented 20 point programme in July, 1975. It was aimed for benefit of landless labours, slum dwellers and other weaker sections of the society. She also struggled for worldwide battle against poverty, inequality and hunger.
Indira inaugurated the second UNCTAD conference in New Delhi. On the occasion, she said, ‘We bear the mark of the storms and have met with courage. I hope you will also recognise the spirit of our country, who have seen countless difficulties, calamities and manmade complexities. It is the spirit alone that has inspired our great men through the ages, some of our problems are centuries old and some are new and we have faced and continue to face with dedication and determination.’
Throughout her life, she encountered countless upheavals and so were the years of emergency and ensuing Punjab problem which being very complex and compelling and she faced with utmost courage keeping body, mind and soul in togetherness and people of integrity associated with her whole- heartedly. The people never expected that Indira could send the army to the sacred shrine temple (Golden temple) but she was utterly helpless. Ultimately she took a bold step and handed over the responsibility to Lt General Tanjeet Singh Dayal to initiate any action, who daringly gripped the situation when 83 Army Jawans were martyred apart from 793 other persons and terrorists, who were badly injured. It was October 31, 1984 morning that she was shot dead by his own Sikh security guard when she stepped out of his official residence to give an interview to Irish TV filmmaker Peter Ustimov, when suddenly air was rent with gun shots. She was assassinated by her own Sikh security guards who were hiding under the cover of hedges.
Her body received sixteen gun shots. The grand lady fell down and her body lay profusely bleeding. She was immediately taken to All India Institute of Medical Sciences. Her son Rajiv was in West Bengal, who immediately rushed Delhi, the doctors operated on her to extract bullets and blood was administered. Despite all efforts made by doctors to save her, she was declared dead at 2:30 PM after a long operation for four hours.
Indira had long desire that after her death, her ashes must be sprayed on the Himalayas and so such her wish was fulfilled. On November 3rd, her funeral took place which was attended by all the high and low around the globe. The Samadhi of Indira was built on Yamuna River site and till date named as ‘Shakti Sthala’ which symbioses strength and power of the most prominent bold lady ever to born. Amongst Indian masses and globe her name shall remain glittering till sun shines, Moon soothes and stars twinkle in the cosmos.
(The Author is former Deputy Conservator, J&K Forests).