Indira Gandhi

Gandhi's government accelerated the Green Revolution, promoting high-yield crop varieties, fertilizers, and irrigation. This policy transformed India from a food-deficient nation to a self-sufficient one in grain production.

Gandhi's government nationalized 14 major commercial banks in India. The policy aimed to extend banking services to rural areas and control credit flow, significantly expanding state control over the economy.

India intervened in the Bangladesh Liberation War against Pakistan. The conflict ended with the surrender of 93,000 Pakistani soldiers and the creation of Bangladesh, establishing India as the dominant power in South Asia.

Gandhi declared a national state of emergency, suspending civil liberties and censoring the press. Thousands of political opponents were imprisoned. The Emergency lasted 21 months and is considered a dark period in Indian democracy.

Gandhi ordered the Indian Army to storm the Golden Temple in Amritsar to remove Sikh militants. The operation caused significant damage to the temple and resulted in hundreds of casualties, deeply alienating the Sikh community.

Gandhi was shot dead by her own Sikh bodyguards in New Delhi as revenge for Operation Blue Star. Her assassination triggered anti-Sikh riots across India that killed thousands.