Priyadarshini and the battle for Bangladesh in 1971

Dream of Prime Minister of India just shattered into pieces like a mirror. Her last statement became true, "Single Blood of Mine Will Serve The Nation." Bullets penetrated into her body fired by her own bodyguards due to one reason, one will get the answer, once one read details of her.

by Anwar A. Khan

A mother like figure to our generation, the ‘Bharat Ratna’ Priyadarshini Indira Gandhi was born on 19 November 1917 and her precious was life snatched away on 31 October 1984 only at the age of 67.

The sky is laced with fitful red; the circling mists and shadows flee; the dawn is rising from the sea like a white lady - Priyadarshini Indira Gandhi from her bed. And jagged brazen arrows fall aslant the feathers of the night, and a long wave of yellow light. Beautiful her eyes, heartening her voice, engaging are lessons we always rejoice. Her smile made happy even that shining star. Each moment seems lively, fun every hour. Her voice seemed the sweetest heard melody having us as our teacher, makes us very lucky. A friend in a teacher, we got as a gift. Her teachings always help us uplift.

Indira Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India

Politics is now the best class, we all say, meeting and talking to her makes our day. She was a precious treasure class tenth gave us. Her motivation always provides us our plus. Talking to her is like a cherishable memory. Each day, each class, all the talks us make merry. We thank her for helping us with her wisdom flourish many more days with her yet to spend and cherish. For the way she was, thank you, Priyadarshini Indira Gandhi!

Patriotism- love for your nation; love for our nation in 1971 in her heart kept the love for our nation also. Our citizens share the same sentiment, protect the nation and become elegant. It’s the feeling that rises in one’s heart to say something and do too is an art. There are people who stood at the edge of knife, because of her and her true-blue lieutenants, we have our life. Be patriotic and give respect to all when soldiers leave everything on just a call.

Woman - A Super Power - A woman - Priyadarshini gave us life in 1971, a lady and a wonderful political leader. She had some magical power to get things ready at the right hour. She is the definition of love, sweet, loving and awesome as a dove. She is an idol for people always helps them get styled. A woman can do many things, her abilities provides us with wings. She is a wonderful leader as charming as the rose water. She is like a multitasker to us, helps provided everyone our plus.

She had magical powers, made us blossom like flowers. A love to catch a glimpse of her smile, beauty doesn't let time file. The queen of inspiration she was who shines brightly as a star. She did us so much favour, many times became a life saver. She was the most delightful soul who helped us reach our goal to establish Bangladesh in 1971.

The queen of beauty she was, we were happy with all this. Her sweet, soulful voice, protected us from all the noise. The best guide who can be always who made us laugh with glee. Always who was our dream as sweet as the cream. A living goddess for in 1971 who made us to see the light of attaining an independent and sovereign state – Bangladesh for us.

Human life is a tale of continuous changes ranging from beautiful youth-hood to circling wrinkles. It’s nothing but a book of unaccomplished pages inch by inch the vibrancy of living dwindles. Life is a tale of inevitable mortality, cloaked in a pall of bleak darkness, how difficult it is to understand its brevity! Enveloped in uncanny despair and gloominess.

The perpetual string of desires will sever. Life will turn into a gone history. Let’s not waste our precious time anymore in useless cravings and elusive fantasies. Let’s live our days wisely and meaningfully. Fill it with good splendid memories like Priyadarshini. Let’s not run away from the truth of ephemerality, because one day everything will unavoidably cease.

Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi, adventurous woman of era 70's, daughter of Nehru, the First Female Prime Minister of India, beautiful and brilliant lady of nation. She made India into a better nation throughout her journey as a politician. Her growth was tremendous as her journey going on well. That one day changed the whole nation into mourning, her unexpected death, assassination. 

Dream of Prime Minister of India just shattered into pieces like a mirror. Her last statement became true, "Single Blood of Mine Will Serve The Nation." Bullets penetrated into her body fired by her own bodyguards due to one reason, one will get the answer, once one read details of her.

The Indira Gandhi was suave and courteous, and never imperious. She was polite with the staff at the Circuit House where she lived; she was greatly respectful to seniors. When she was assassinated on 31 October 1984, I shed many a silent tear. 

A great leader like Indira Gandhi is born only once after many years. Her death was an immense national loss for both India and Bangladesh, indeed! 

She carried the weight of heavy and arduous responsibility.  She was a stunned figure in the world politics during her times.My political write-up belongs to that rich period of her life. That is where the force in this write-up comes from.

My piece is a product of my spontaneous commitment to show my highest regards to her.  In the period, we were passing through, Indira Ghandi was a heroine to me in the international context and in the political situation in India. 

In fact, Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi was an Indian politician and a central figure of the Indian National Congress. She was the first and, to date, only female Prime Minister of India. Indira Gandhi was the daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India. She served as prime minister from January 1966 to March 1977 and again from January 1980 until her assassination in October 1984, making her the second longest-serving Indian prime minister after her father.

During Nehru's time as Prime Minister of India from 1947 to 1964, Gandhi was considered a key assistant and accompanied him on his numerous foreign trips. She was elected President of the Indian National Congress in 1959. Upon her father's death in 1964, she was appointed as a member of the Rajya Sabha (upper house) and became a member of Lal Bahadur Shastri's cabinet as Minister of Information and Broadcasting. In the Congress Party's parliamentary leadership election held in early 1966 (upon the death of Shastri), she defeated her rival Morarji Desai to become leader, and thus succeeded Shastri as Prime Minister of India.

As prime minister, Gandhi was known for her political intransigency and unprecedented centralisation of power. She went to war with Pakistan in support of the independence movement and war of independence in the-then East Pakistan, which resulted in a Bangladesh-Indian victory and the creation of Bangladesh in 1971, as well as increasing India's influence to the point where it became the sole regional power of South Asia.

In 1999, Indira Gandhi was named "Woman of the Millennium" in an online poll organised by the BBC. In 2020, Gandhi was named by the Time magazine among world's 100 powerful women who defined the last century.

The day before her death (30 October 1984), Gandhi visited Odisha where she gave her last speech at the-then Parade Ground in front of the Secretariat of Odisha. In that speech, which some consider as a premonition of her imminent death, she said that she would be proud to die serving the nation: "I am alive today, I may not be there tomorrow ... I shall continue to serve until my last breath and when I die, I can say, that every drop of my blood will invigorate India and strengthen it… Even if I died in the service of the nation, I would be proud of it. Every drop of my blood ... will contribute to the growth of this nation and to make it strong and dynamic."

Her funeral was televised live on domestic and international stations, including the BBC. Attributing her assassination to Sikh bodyguards, Gandhi's cremation was followed by large scale anti-Sikh riots in Delhi and several other cities in which nearly three thousand people were killed. On a live TV show Rajiv Gandhi said of the carnage, "When a big tree falls, the earth shakes."

After leading India to victory against Pakistan in the Bangladesh liberation war in 1971, President V. V. Giri awarded Gandhi with India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna.

In 2011, the Bangladesh Freedom Honour (Bangladesh Swadhinata Sammanona), Bangladesh's highest civilian award, was posthumously conferred on Priyadarshini Gandhi for her "outstanding contributions" to Bangladesh's Liberation War.

Gandhi's main legacy was standing firm in the face of American pressure to defeat Pakistan and turn the-ten East Pakistan into independent Bangladesh. She was also responsible for India joining the group of countries with nuclear weapons. Despite India being officially part of the Non-Aligned Movement, she gave Indian foreign policy a tilt towards the Soviet bloc to reinforce her support for Bangladesh’s liberation from Pakistan. 

Priyadarshini remains the only woman to occupy the Office of the Prime Minister of India. 

Though 36 years passed, she is still in our hearts as an idol, beautiful Lady of India, 31 October 1984 - Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi.  I pay my glowing tribute to her from the core of my heart

-The End –

The writer is an independent political analyst based in Dhaka, Bangladesh who writes on politics, political and human-centred figures, current and international affairs