In pics: Remembering Indira Gandhi on her 30th death anniversary

A day before Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi was shot dead, she told a public rally that "If I die today, every drop of my blood will invigorate the nation". We commemorate the Indian Iron Lady's 30th death anniversary in pics. A look back at 1984 riots

A day before Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi was shot dead, she told a public rally that "If I die today, every drop of my blood will invigorate the nation".

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She was assassinated on October 31, 1984, near her Delhi residence by two Sikh security guards who wanted vengeance for authourising a military attack on the Golden Temple in Amritsar five months earlier.

Riots erupted following her murder, as Hindus took their revenge on Sikhs.

This is Hindustan Times' front page a day after she was shot:

We commemorate the Indian Iron Lady's 30th death anniversary in pics:

Indira Gandhi was Prime Minister three times and the dominant figure in India for almost two decades.



At age 48, she became India's first woman prime minister.



Thirty years on, the Congress appears a much weakened political force, appearing leaderless. That's a sharp

fall from the time of her rule.

Indira Gandhi is credited with the abolition of the princely privy purses, nationalisation of banks and providing

a strong leadership during the 1971 war with Pakistan that led to the creation of Bangladesh.



Her decision to impose internal emergency in 1975 following a court verdict unseating her from power drew

widespread criticism.



Some three million people reportedly attended her funeral.

Her son Rajiv Gandhi was sworn in as her successor within hours of her death. He went on to win a landslide

victory in the general election in December 1984.



Rajiv Gandhi was himself assassinated by a suicide bomber on 21 May 1991.



Indira Gandhi poses for a photo with her family in happier times.