"Free As Sky": Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi Remember 'Dadi' Indira Gandhi

Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, on Saturday shared cherished childhood photographs with their paternal grandmother and late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, recalling fond memories of their time with her on her death anniversary.

LoP Rahul Gandhi shared a photograph from his childhood with his 'dadi' Indira Gandhi and recalled sitting on her lap, holding her hands and listening to her recite a famous Shanti Mantra from the Yajur Veda.

“Sitting on your lap. Holding both your hands. Listening to your voice say these words. Repeating them after you,” LoP Rahul Gandhi said in a post on social media platform X.

He also shared the Sanskrit Shanti Mantra from the Yajur Veda: “Asato mā sadgamaya, tamaso mā jyotirgamaya, mṛtyormā amṛtaṃ gamaya. Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.”

“What a beautiful gift you gave me, Dadi. What a gift. I never imagined,” LoP Rahul Gandhi added.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also shared a childhood photograph with her grandmother and remembered Indira Gandhi as a woman of remarkable strength and character.

“What a beautiful woman she was! Free as the sky, deep as the ocean, resilient as the Earth and brighter than fire,” Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also paid tribute to the late Prime Minister on his social media in Hindi, remembering her courage, resolve and contribution to the country.

Recalling Indira Gandhi's last speech just a day before her death, Kharge quoted, “'As long as there is breath in me, service will not cease, and when my life departs, then I can say that every drop of blood that is mine, every single drop of blood, will keep one India alive'.”

“A symbol of indomitable courage, unwavering resolve and visionary leadership, a heartfelt tribute to India's first woman Prime Minister and our eternal source of inspiration, Smt. Indira Gandhi Ji, on her martyrdom day,” he said.

Kharge said her dedication to safeguarding the unity, integrity and honour of the nation, along with her contribution to the making of Modern India, would forever remain alive in the country's national consciousness.

“Her courage is our inspiration, and her sacrifice is our indelible memory,” he added.

Indira Gandhi, popularly known as the 'Iron Lady of India,' was born on November 19, 1917, in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, into a Kashmiri Pandit family. She was the daughter of India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Kamala Nehru.

National Integration Day, observed annually on November 19, coincides with Indira Gandhi's birth anniversary and serves to honour her pivotal role in shaping India's political, social, and economic journey.

As India progresses toward becoming a global power, National Integration Day acts as a reminder of Gandhi's contributions to unifying the nation. The observance was instituted by the Indian National Congress in 1985 to commemorate her efforts in promoting unity.

During her tenure as Prime Minister from 1966 to 1977 and again from 1980 until her assassination in 1984, Indira Gandhi worked relentlessly to strengthen national integration. Her political career was defined by her unwavering commitment to unity and integrity.

One of her landmark achievements was her decisive leadership during the 1971 India-Pakistan war, which led to the creation of Bangladesh. Her actions solidified her reputation as a leader with a strong vision and resolve.

The Green Revolution led by Indira Gandhi supported and expanded high-yielding agricultural policies that helped steer India toward food self-reliance and security.

Indira Gandhi also authorised India's first peaceful nuclear test in Pokhran in 1974 and significantly advanced the country's space program.

She chaired the Non-Aligned Movement and positioned India as an influential voice for developing nations during the Cold War and also nationalised 14 of India's largest commercial banks to redirect credit toward agriculture, small industries, and rural development.

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