'My father was a statesman, I'm a political woman. My father was a saint. I'm not. - Indira Gandhi

You must learn to be still in the midst of activity and to be

vibrantly alive in repose.

Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi (19 November 1917 – 31 October 1984) was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms (1966–77) and a fourth term (1980–84). Gandhi was the second female head of government in the world after Sirimavo Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka, and she remains as the world's second longest serving female Prime Minister as of 2012. She was the first woman to become prime minister in India. Gandhi was the only child of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of independent India. She adhered to the quasi-socialist policies of industrial development that had been begun by her father. Gandhi established closer relations with the Soviet Union, depending on that nation for support in India’s long-standing conflict with Pakistan. She was also the only Indian Prime Minister to have declared state of emergency in order to 'rule by decree' and the only Indian Prime Minister to have been imprisoned after holding that office. She was assassinated by her bodyguards in retaliation for ordering Operation Blue Star.

Read some motivational quotes by Indira Gandhi:

• 'Even if I died in the service of the nation, I would be proud of it. Every drop of my blood ... will contribute to the growth of this nation and to make it strong and dynamic.'
• 'There exists no politician in India daring enough to attempt to explain to the masses that cows can be eaten.'
• 'My father was a statesman, I'm a political woman. My father was a saint. I'm not.''
• ''You must learn to be still in the midst of activity and to be vibrantly alive in repose.''
• My grandfather once told me that there were two kinds of people; those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group; there was much less competition.”
• “A nation's strength ultimately consist in what it can do on its own and not in what it can borrow from other.”
• “Education is a liberating force, and in our age it is also a democratizing force, cutting across the barriers of caste and class, smoothing out inequalities imposed by birth and other circumstances.”
• “There are two kinds of people, those who do the work and those who take the credit. Try to be in the first group; there is less competition there.”

[इंदिरा गांधी पर हरिओम पवार की संवेदनशील कविता]

मैं लिखते-लिखते रोया था

मैं भारी मन से गाता हूं

जो हिम-शिखरों का फूल बनी

मैं उनको फूल चढ़ाता हूं

मैंने उनके सिंहासन के विपरीत लिखा कविता गायीं

पर उनके ना रहने पर आँखें आँसू भर-भर लायीं

रह-रहकर झकझोर रही हैं यादें ख़ूनी आँधी की

जैसे दोबारा से हत्या हो गयी महात्मा गाँधी की

वो पर्वत राजा की बेटी ऊंची, हो गयी हिमालय से

जिसने भारत ऊँचा माना सब धर्मों के देवालय से

भूगोल बदलने वाली वो इतिहास बदलकर चली गयी

जिससे हर दुश्मन हार गया अपनों के हाथों छली गयी

शातिर देशों की माटी