Indira: The Life of Indira Nehru Gandhi

Rating:
Summary: A must reading!!
Review: A fantastic piece of journalism!! A very well written account of one of India's greatest leaders. I have not lived long enough to testify to the truth of everything that is written (my parents could!!) but from what I know of Indian history, and from what I have seen around me, a very accurate potrayal of perhaps India's most charismatic prime minister. The book really charts her rise, fall and re-emergence on the political scene, delves into the feelings behind her every action. I had always wanted more about Indira Gandhi than what was available in the papers and magazines and this book tells me all that I wanted to know. Perhaps the only place where it is lacking is that Ms.Frank deals with the last 2 yrs of her life in very few pages. Perhaps more detail was warranted there, but her early life, her relationships with her husband, Feroze Gandhi, and her father, Nehru, are vividly potrayed and it is these parts, and the story of her rise to power, which makes this book a masterpiece. In my opinion, every Indian, and anyone who is interested in Indian history, should read this book. Better still, buy it!!

Rating:
Summary: The Woman who was born to lead India!
Review: An interesting and quite detailed story of Indira's life, and the Nehru's in particular.
Katerine Frank narrates facts and hearsay with impartiality, leaving the readers to come to their own conclusion.
The most interesting part is the gradual introduction of Indira into Indian politics and her ascent up through the coteries of the congress party, which she ruled with an iron hand at the end of the struggle.
By reading this book, One would be able to better admire indira's strong handling of foreign affairs, and the aggressive strength she showed in making india have a say on the world political map. In particular, her role in the formation of bangladesh, and the transformation of india into a nuclear power.
Leaders such as these are nowhere to be seen in india today.This book is a fitting tribute to this great personality.

Rating:
Summary: Great Read...!
Review: I found this book to be an absolutely fascinating introduction to 20th century Indian history through the story of an absolutely fascinating woman. Indira's early years as part of the most prominent family in India post-independence were chaotic--her education was haphazard, her health very poor, her sense of security forever damaged by periodic visits to jail by her father and even once by her tubercular mother. Her life goals were confused--she longed for anonymity as those around her pushed her into the limelight. Her marriage was troubled and she had children against the advice of her doctors.

Indira's political life began in my opinion with her decision to separate from her husband and live with her father and become his "right hand woman," plus the advent of anti-biotics which cured her own TB for good. She became strong and accustomed to power, but never overcame the fear and suspicion of others and fear of disorder which so tragically played itself out in her own political career.

This book is over-sympathetic to Indira during her years in power. Taking advantage of certain constitutional provisions which thank god have no equivalent in the US, she systematically dismantled local governments which were the backbone of this country that is fractured by ethnic and religious conflict. She surrounded herself with loyal but not very wise men, and as the older generation of politicians retired from public life, a new generation of leadership failed to emerge in the corrupt, authoritarian atmosphere she created. She allowed her son Sanjay to roam uncontrolled and sat by as he knocked off enemies, took enormous bribes and payoffs, and perpetrated some of the worst injustices of the Emergency. She was voted out of office in 1977 but amazingly voted back in in 1980, in part because her years in power had allowed her to keep the opposition weak, disorganized and divided.

In fairness Indira was faced with intractable problems--conflict in Assam, Sri Lanka and Kashmir, war with Pakistan, unimaginable poverty, illiteracy, Muslim-Hindu strife, the caste system and the tragedy of untouchability, drought and famine. Unfortunately her reaction to these was to eliminate opposition and protect her own position, and in later years do nothing as she was overwhelmed by paranoia and a clear sense of her own imminent assasination.

And yet the people loved her. On a recent visit to India I visited Gandhi's house and the garden where he was assinated--it was peaceful and uncrowded. Meanwhile long lines awaited those seeking admission to the garden where Indira was killed and her memorial. She styled herself "Mother India," and was idolized by the poor. She spoke to their needs but tragically did little to help them.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Indira, or those looking to gain some understanding of the modern history of India.

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful biography
Review: I have read only a few sections so far and I am mesmerized. I feel as if I am back in Indira's time and place.

The research and the annotations make it a very authoritative biography. It contains a must-read account of the ups and downs of her relationship with her husband Feroze (not available anywhere else) and with her father and mother.

Indira emerges as a very lonely, tragic figure.

I feel energized as I read the progressive views of Nehru. The passages where he describes his expectations for Indira - to work in public life yet also be financially independent are empowering. The great thinkers of that day were more forward-thinking and openminded than most people are even today!

This biograhy is long overdue and is comparable in stature to that of John Adams by David McCullough.

Rating:
Summary: Great Read...!
Review: I would definately recommend this book to anyone who whats to get a good insight into the life of Indira Gandhi. This is has a lot of interesting information about Indira and her family.

Rating:
Summary: Indira is no more
Review: Result of an obviously (too) meticulous study, the book reveals a very objective account of one of the leading female figures of the world... The emphasis is not limited to her political life and therefore you understand almost all underlying motives in her most absurd decisions. Throughout the book, you both love and hate Indira Nehru Gandhi but most of the time, you pity her for the life she, afterall, did not really wanted to have but couldn't refuse either... There is struggle, war, peace, politics, Byzantine games, democracy, dictatorship but happiness in this life....

Rating:
Summary: Indira and India
Review: This is a thorough and critical account of the life of Indira Gandhi, concentrating on her early life and her relationship with her father Jawaharlal Nehru, then on to her time a Prime Minister, the Emergency of 1975-77, the influence of her son Sanjay, and finally her violent death.

The author gives great detail of Indira's childhood and privileged upbringing: it seemed a lonely childhood and adolescence. The close bonds with her father seemed to make her marriage with Feroze Gandhi next to impossible. Franks is highly critical of the baleful influence of Sanjay Gandhi and of Indira for being blind to his faults.

It was interesting that the author quickly dismisses any notion of Indira Gandhi as a conviction politician: the exercise of power seemed a sufficient driving force for her, to the extent that democratic values were dispensible.

I thought that this book is as important an account of post-1947 Indian politics as it is a biography of Indira Gandhi (the two seemed to be closely linked). A good read for all that.

G Rodgers

Rating:
Summary: Why did she become a tyrant?
Review: This is an exceptional and insightful historical biography. The origin's of Indira's fragile psyche are documented and explain her erratic and unpredictable tenure as India's leader. Yet figures as disparate as Margaret Thatcher and Khuswant Singh were admirers of Indira, revealing the power of her persona and charisma. If I were to recommend one book for a Western audience on post-colonial India, this book would be it.