Forty-one years ago, on this day — October 31, 1984 — India was stunned into silence. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the nation’s first and only woman Prime Minister, was assassinated as she stepped out of her 1, Safdarjung Road residence in New Delhi by two of her Sikh bodyguards, Beant Singh and Satwant Singh.
That morning began like any other. Indira Gandhi, known as the “Iron Lady of India,” was preparing for an interview with an Irish television crew led by British actor and filmmaker Peter Ustinov. As she walked along the garden path connecting her Safdarjung Road residence to the adjoining bungalow at 1, Akbar Road, her guards opened fire without warning. More than 30 bullets struck her before nearby security personnel could intervene.
Sonia Gandhi, hearing the commotion, rushed out of her home and found Indira Gandhi lying motionless. She held her in her lap as they sped toward AIIMS Hospital, just three kilometers away. Doctors worked for hours to revive her, performing continuous blood transfusions, but she was declared dead soon after arrival.
The assassins were immediately confronted — Beant Singh was killed on the spot, while Satwant Singh was captured alive, later tried, and executed in 1989.
Indira Gandhi’s assassination came in the aftermath of Operation Blue Star, a military operation she had ordered in June 1984 to remove militants led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale from the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The operation deeply hurt Sikh sentiments, and her killing was seen as an act of revenge.
What followed was one of the darkest chapters in Indian history — violent anti-Sikh riots erupted across the country, especially in Delhi, claiming the lives of over a thousand innocent Sikhs in just a few days.
Indira’s son, Rajiv Gandhi, was sworn in as Prime Minister hours later, as the nation reeled in grief.
Indira Gandhi had been both admired and criticized throughout her career. She led India to victory in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, strengthened India’s nuclear program, and drove the Green Revolution, which transformed India from a food-deficient to a self-sufficient nation. Her political will, charisma, and leadership defined an era.
On this solemn day, India remembers Indira Gandhi not only for the tragedy that claimed her life but for the indomitable spirit with which she led the nation through war, reform, and change. Her legacy endures — as a symbol of courage, determination, and national pride.
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