Remembering Indira Gandhi: Powerful quotes by the first woman Prime Minister of India

Indira Gandhi was the first female Prime Minister of India and the central figure of the Indian National Congress party. Indira Gandhi, who served from 1966 to 1977 and then again from 1980 until her assassination in 1984, is the second-longest-serving Prime Minister of India and the only woman to hold the office. On the 34th death anniversary of former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi, here are some of the famous quotes by her:

“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” 

The only daughter of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi was destined for politics. Born on November 19, 1917, in Allahabad, India, Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi was the sole child of Kamala and Jawaharlal Nehru. 

"You must learn to be still in the midst of activity and to be vibrantly alive in repose"

She was elected to the prominent 21-member working committee of the Congress Party in 1955 and, four years later, was named its president. 

"You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist"

After being appointed as the Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi gained enormous popularity for introducing successful programs that transformed India into a country self-sufficient in food grains—an achievement that was known as the Green Revolution.

"A nation’s strength ultimately consists in what it can do on its own, and not in what it can borrow from others"

Indira Gandhi gave her last speech on October 30, 1984, in Odisha, a day before her assassination. Here's an excerpt from her final speech:

''I am here today, I may not be here tomorrow. But the responsibility to look after national interest is on the shoulder of every citizen of India"

Read: Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's Death Anniversary: Leaders From Across The Spectrum Pay Tribute

Earlier in the day, a number of key political leaders from across party lines, including Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi on her 34th death anniversary. 

Congress President Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter and wrote:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid tribute to the former Prime Minister: