Indira Gandhi’s 103rd Birth Anniversary: Top Three Speeches of India's Former Prime Minister

Indira Gandhi, the first female prime minister of India, is remembered as a powerful leader, who faced her own share of ups and downs. She became the prime minister after the demise of Lal Bahadur Shastri, who had succeeded Jawaharlal Nehru as prime minister.

Born on November 19 in 1917, Gandhi was not only a strong leader but also a powerful orator. As the country pays homage to Gandhi on her 103rd birth anniversary, here are some of her renowned speeches.

United Nations, September 1983:

Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, Gandhi expressed her views in front of the world leaders against the backdrop of increasingly bloody insurgency in Punjab. At that time, economy was on a downhill and she was facing criticism for corruption issue in the country. At the UNGA, she spoke on economy and global issues, addressing issues like relationship between Israel and Arab countries and inequality in the world.

Independence Day speech, 1984

Gandhi was assassinated by her own body guards two months after delivering Independence Day speech in 1984. From the ramparts of Red Fort, she said, “If we have achieved independence, we should not rest peacefully that we have now achieved independence. We have to struggle always to maintain it. We have to protect this flame of independence from every storm, from every gust of wind, we have to save it with our hard work.”

Her Last speech, October 30, 1984

A day before her assassination, Gandhi delivered a powerful speech at BBSR parade ground at Bhubaneswar on October 30, 1984. There she said that she may not be here tomorrow as many attempts have been made to shoot her. However, she added that she did not care if she lived or died. Gandhi asserted that she had lived a long life, saying that she was proud of spening her life in the service of the nation.

“I shall continue to serve until my last breath and when I die, I can say, that every drop of my blood will invigorate India and strengthen it,” these words of the legendary leader from that speech are still afresh in the minds of many.

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