Summary of Chapter 9: Indira Gandhi - “Like a Tigress”

Chapter 9 explores the rise and political life of Indira Gandhi, India's first female
prime minister, focusing on her complex and often polarizing leadership. Indira,
the daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, was born on November 25, 1917, into a
prominent family, with her father becoming the first Prime Minister of independent
India. Raised in a household balancing aristocratic values and democratic ideals,
Indira’s experiences shaped her approach to governance. Her early life was marked
by loneliness, due to her mother's illness and her father's frequent imprisonments
during the freedom struggle, which hardened her character.
As a child, Indira showed early interest in politics, leading a children’s brigade
against British rule by age twelve. She later joined the Congress Party, actively
participating in the independence movement and serving jail time for her role in
the Quit India Movement. Her marriage to Feroze Gandhi in 1942 connected her
further to Congress, though it also strained familial and social expectations due to
Feroze’s Parsi background. Over time, Indira assumed roles as her father’s
confidante and official hostess, especially after Gandhi’s assassination in 1948.
Following Nehru’s death in 1964, a brief period of collective leadership ensued
under Lal Bahadur Shastri, but his untimely death in 1966 opened a path for
Indira’s political ascent.
In 1966, Indira became Prime Minister, initially backed by senior Congress leaders
who viewed her as a malleable figure. However, her ambition and intelligence soon
dismantled this perception. Although she struggled initially with public speaking
and relied on advisers, Indira gained confidence, advocating for socialist policies
and aligning with the political Left. One of her first major initiatives was the
devaluation of the rupee in 1966 under U.S. pressure to secure foreign aid, a move
that proved controversial within her party and among the public.
By 1971, Indira had consolidated power and distanced herself from the Congress
“Syndicate” that had supported her. She implemented radical reforms, including
bank nationalization and agricultural policies that spurred the “Green
Revolution.” Indira’s government sought to eliminate poverty through slogans like
Garibi Hatao (Remove Poverty). She strategically emphasized her role as
“Mother India,” cultivating a deep connection with the electorate and appealing to
lower-class and minority voters, which won her a landslide victory in the 1971
elections.
One of her most significant achievements was her handling of the 1971 Indo-
Pakistani War, which led to the liberation of Bangladesh. Amid a humanitarian
crisis and mounting tensions, Indira’s diplomatic maneuvers included a 20-year
treaty with the Soviet Union, securing support against U.S.-backed Pakistan. On
December 3, 1971, Pakistan attacked India, sparking a conflict that ended with
Pakistan’s surrender on December 15, marking a decisive victory for India. This
triumph bolstered Indira’s reputation domestically and internationally, earning her
titles like the "Empress of India."
Post-war, Indira continued her socialist agenda, nationalizing more industries and
introducing extensive welfare programs. Her populist policies faced challenges,
particularly from the judiciary, which resisted her constitutional amendments
aimed at curtailing the powers of the Supreme Court. Her attempts to limit the
influence of wealthy elites and strengthen parliamentary authority reflected her
commitment to socialism but also alarmed her critics, who saw authoritarian
tendencies emerging.
Her relationship with her son Sanjay Gandhi significantly impacted her political
style and decisions. Despite his inexperience, Sanjay was appointed to lead an auto
manufacturing project, a controversial move that epitomized her nepotism. Sanjay
wielded considerable influence, both within Congress and in the administration,
often through unorthodox and high-handed tactics that drew public criticism.
In 1974, India conducted its first successful underground nuclear test, positioning
itself as a nuclear power and symbolizing Indira’s commitment to national security
and technological progress. She invested heavily in science and technology,
emphasizing sectors like atomic energy and space exploration. Meanwhile,
domestic strife grew as her centralized governance style, marked by her heavy
reliance on a select group of advisers and her direct control over Congress, led to
accusations of authoritarianism. Indira’s refusal to trust others or delegate
responsibilities led to internal dissent within Congress and strained her relations
with regional leaders.
A turning point came in 1975 when the railroad strike and a political campaign by
Jayaprakash Narayan ignited opposition to her rule. Rising unrest and economic
difficulties fueled calls for her resignation. These pressures set the stage for the
Emergency (1975-1977), a period when she suspended civil liberties, imposed
censorship, and ordered mass arrests of opponents. While Indira argued these
actions were necessary to restore order, the Emergency marked the peak of her
authoritarian measures and contributed to her eventual downfall in 1977, as the
public rejected the draconian restrictions she had imposed.
In conclusion, Chapter 9 presents a multifaceted portrait of Indira Gandhi,
illustrating her strengths as a decisive, charismatic leader and her weaknesses in
her reliance on autocratic tactics and nepotism. Her tenure was marked by
groundbreaking achievements, such as the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War and
the 1974 nuclear test, but also by controversial decisions that alienated key
sections of Indian society and Congress.