Indira Gandhi’s ascent as prime minister of India in 1966 was entirely unforeseen. But she soon emerged as one of the most powerful political leaders of her times, who transformed the world’s largest democracy. She served as prime minister for a remarkable fifteen years, leaving behind a complex and deeply controversial legacy.

In this fascinating account, Srinath Raghavan tells the story of Indira Gandhi’s political career and the momentous changes that India experienced under her leadership. From her tentative start in high office to her remarkable electoral victories, the dark days of the Emergency of 1975–77, and her assassination at the hands of her bodyguards in 1984, Raghavan sheds new light on her politics and government, as well as on her adversaries and critics. He shows how the 1970s were the hinge on which the history of the country turned―and how Indira Gandhi transformed the new postcolonial nation into the India of today.