Popularly known as the ‘Iron Lady of India,’ Indira Gandhi earned a formidable reputation across the globe as a stateswoman. Her sheer sense of politics and exceptional skills catapulted her position in the Indian politics, so much so that she went on to become the first woman elected to lead a democratic country. Till date, she is the only woman to have held the office in India. Born in a politically influential dynasty and growing up in an intense political atmosphere, Indira Gandhi had learned the trick of the trade quite early in her life. She possessed an authoritarian streak and became the central figure of the ‘Indian National Congress’ party, post her father’s death. She was known for her political ruthlessness and extraordinary centralization of power. It was during her premiership that India became the regional power in South Asia with considerable political, economic, and military clout. She also presided over a state of emergency and made considerable changes to the Indian Constitution. She used the army to resolve numerous internal disputes and encouraged a culture of sycophancy and nepotism, due to which she rubbed many Indians the wrong way. Gandhi initialized ‘Operation Blue Star,’ which gave her a critical reputation and eventually scripted her assassination.