Rare pictures of Indira Gandhi, India's Iron Lady

New Delhi: Indira Gandhi, born Indira Priyadarshini Nehru, created a whole new definition of women empowerment in India. The first ever woman prime minister of India Indira Gandhi, created a revolution in the corridors of Indian politics with her tough approach towards grassroot politics. Born in 1917 in Allahabad, Gandhi hailed from the most affluent families of India, the family of the first prime minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru.She was brought up in a highly patriotic atmosphere which led to inculcation of strong nationalistic feelings in Indira. Her political career took flight at an early age. She joined the Indian National Congress in 1938. She actively took part in the freedom struggle and spent two days in the jail. Indira set up a Vanar Sena, consisting of young boys and girls who worked for the freedom movement.She was very close to her father and after independence, became his political adviser. She gradually became a prominent figure in Indian politics. The death of Jawaharlal Nehru in 1964 was a life changing event for Indira Gandhi.Indira Gandhi with Dara Singh, her sons Rajiv and Sanjay and Amitabh BacchanWhen Lal Bahadur Shahstri became the Prime Minsiter, Indira Gandhi was made the Information and Broadcasting Minister. Shahstri's sudden death in January 1966 in Tashkent, made way for Indira to take over as Prime Minister, after the Congress Parliament Party voted in her favour. She not only became the first woman prime minister of India but also was the longest serving prime minister. Indira Gandhi enjoying a horse ride with father Jawaharlal NehruShe ruled as prime minister from 1966 till 1977, when her party Congress was thrown out of power in the Lok Sabha elections following 19 months of Emergency. Indira came back to power in the 1980 Lok Sabha elections, after the Janata Party split due to internal bickerings, and ruled till 1984.Indira Gandhi with Margret ThatcherAfter Operation Bluestar at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, in which the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, the Akal Takht was badly damaged in an army action in June, 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated on October 31, 1984. Two of her Sikh bodyguards shot her while she was going from her residence to her office at 1, Safdarjang Road. The nation plunged into mourning, and anti-Sikh riots broke out on a large scale in Delhi, Kanpur, Bokaro and other cities, in which several thousands Sikhs were killed. Indira Gandhi became an epitome of power and fearlessness. It was under Indira's rule that India won the 1971 India-Pakistan war and Bangladesh was created. Let's have a look at the life and journey of the Iron Lady of India through some priceless rare photographs.Indira Gandhi with her mother Kamla Nehru and father Jawaharlal NehruIndira Gandhi with father Jawaharlal NehruIndira Gandhi with Jackie KennedyThe elegant Indira GandhiIndira Gandhi with daughter-in-law Sonia and grandson RahulThe complete family photo of the Nehru familyIndira Gandhi addressing the Jawans at LehIndira Gandhi with John Kennedy and his wife Jackie KennedyIndira Gandhi returns from electioneering in Orissa in 1967. A stone thrown at her split her lip and broke her noseIndira Gandhi celebrating a traditional festivalIndira with her newly wed daughter-in-law Sonia GandhiIndira with her newly wed son Rajiv and daughter-in-law SoniaIndira Gandhi with her husband Feroze GandhiIndira Gandhi with her husband Feroze Gandhi on her wedding dayIndira in her younger daysThe young Indira with father Jawaharlal NehruIndira Gandhi in a traditional Tibetan dressIndira Gandhi in a traditional dressIndira Gandhi with legendary actor A.K. HangalIndira Gandhi in her childhood days with Mahatma GandhiIndira Gandhi with her father and two sonsThe young Indira Priyadarshini NehruIndira Gandhi visiting an injured Jawan in hospitalIndira Gandhi at Ajmer SharifIndira Gandhi in her childhood daysIndira Gandhi with her two sons, daughter-in-laws and grandchildren Indira Gandhi with some prominent leaders