Indira Gandhi 1984

November 19, 1984

A postage stamp on Indira Gandhi Commemoration (1^st Issue), 3^rd Prime Minister of India (1966-77, 1980-84), mother of Rajiv Gandhi, 6^th Prime Minister of India (1984-89) :

Issued by India

Issued on Nov 19, 1984

Type : Stamp, Postal Used

Colour : Multi colour

Denomination : 50 Paise

Printed at : India Security Press

Name : Indira Priyadarshini Nehru

Born on Nov 19, 1917 at Allahabad, United Provinces, British India

Died on Oct 31, 1984 at New Delhi, India

About :

Born on November 19, 1917 at Allahabad, Indira Priyadarshini as she was named by her father Jawaharlal Nehru and her mother Kamala Nehru, got her early education in Switzerland and at Oxford, and in India at Bombay, Pune and at the Vishwa Bharati, Shantiniketan.
Even in her early childhood, young Indira involved herself in the struggle for freedom and founded the Bal Charkha Sangh, and in 1930 the ‘Vanar Sena’ of children to help the Congress Party during the Non-Cooperation Movement. Indira Priyadarshini was married to Feroze Gandhi on March 26, 1942. Soon after, she and Feroze Gandhi were imprisoned in September, 1942, for their association with the Non-Cooperation Movement. Smt. Indira Gandhi came in close contact with various eminent national leaders through her father and her family. She was greatly influenced by the ideals of Mahatama Gandhi and worked in the riot affected areas of Delhi under Gandhiji‘s directions in 1947. Smt. Indira Gandhi and Feroze Gandhi had two sons Rajiv and Sanjay. Sanjay died prematurely in an air-crash at Delhi.
After Independence, Smt. Indira Gandhi was the official hostess to her father Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. She accompanied Pandit Nehru on his tours in the country and abroad and picked up the art of statecraft and diplomacy from her famed father. From 1955 she was actively associated with the working of the Indian National Congress and was elected as its President for the term 1959-60. She was made the Minister for Information and Broadcasting in 1964 in the cabinet of Late Lal Bahadur Shastri. After the sudden demise of Lal Bahadur Shastri, Smt. Indira Gandhi became the Prime Minister of India in January, 1966. She continued to lead the country through various challenges and trying situations upto March, 1977 when in the elections she was defeated. However, she was back as the Prime Minister of India in January, 1980 and since then provided dynamic leadership to this country of over 700 million people of various religions, languages and customs, till she breathed her last. She was associated with a very large number of welfare and cultural organisations and institutions. On an average she used to work 17 to 18 hours a day. Her work provided her the source of recreation and relaxation. Smt. Gandhi was fond of the mountains, wherefrom, she derived inspiration and strength. Being a lover of nature she took active interest in all ecological preservation efforts.