Hero behind 'Gandhi's surname...
- Kapil Suravaram
- Feb 27, 2023
- 4 min read
Updated: Feb 28, 2023
Rahul Gandhi, scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family, may have a rich legacy in his name, but he has yet to prove himself as a top star in Indian politics. Despite coming from a political dynasty that includes three prime ministers, Jawaharlal Nehru, his daughter Indira Gandhi and her son Rajiv Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi has struggled to lead his party to victory in national elections. However it is not only Congress trying to benefit from the dynasty, BJP too has rocketed Maneka Gandhi & her son Varun Gandhi to the very top for many years hoping to reap the benefit of dynasty name but had disappointing results. Modi attacked Nehru-Gandhi family for using Gandhi Name & not Nehru name. This created an opportunity for the nation to know the true star behind the Gandhi name in the Gandhi-Nehru clan. That star is A Gujarati Parsi, Feroze Jehangir Ghandy, the husband of Indira Gandhi and a militant young turk in Indian parliament. He used Surname Gandhi instead of Gandhy from respect to Mahatma Gandhi.
Feroz Gandhi was born in Mumbai in 1912 and grew up in a wealthy family. He became involved in politics during his time in London, where he joined the Indian National Congress and the anti-colonial movement. Upon his return to India, Feroz Gandhi quickly rose through the ranks of the Congress Party, becoming known for his passionate speeches on social justice and economic reform.
Feroz Gandhi's marriage to Indira Nehru in 1942 was a significant moment in Indian politics. Indira Nehru was the daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first prime minister and a prominent leader in the Congress Party. Nehru did not like Feroz but Mahatma Gandhi was very fond of Feroz and he even said that If I have seven people like Feroz I can achieve Independence in seven days. Very shortly after the wedding both Feroz & Indira were jailed by the colonial administration. When they got married, Feroz Gandhi proposed that Indira Nehru add the name Gandhi to her surname as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, whom he greatly admired. The couple's children, Rajiv and Sanjay, also took on the name Gandhi.
Feroz Gandhi's political career was marked by his commitment to social justice and economic reform. He was a vocal advocate for workers' rights and a supporter of land reform. He also championed the rights of minorities, including Muslims and Dalits, and worked to promote communal harmony in a country that was still recovering from the trauma of partition.
Feroz Gandhi was a journalist turned politician. In 1952 & 57, Feroz Gandhi was elected to the Indian parliament with astounding majorities, where he became the first young turk, a group of young and progressive politicians who challenged the traditional elite of the Congress Party. He likes to listen more than he spoke in parliament. But when he spoke he shook the floor with all the information he accumulated from listening & analysing. He was known for his fiery speeches and his willingness to take on corruption, even if it meant exposing wrongdoing in his own father-in-law's government of his own party. It is his constituency Rae Bareli and not Nehru or Indiras constituencies that has become iconic as the Gandhis constituency. It was his private member bill that was unanimously passed that has enabled unbridled media coverage of parliamentary proceedings.
One notable example of Feroz Gandhi's courage was when he exposed a scandal wherein a insurance company invested 1.25 cores public money in private companies. The exposure led to the resignation of the hugely popular finance minister T.T. Krishnamachari and nationalisation of life insurance. This is in sharp contrast to nothing happening despite current dispensation having LIC invest Rs 30,127 crore in Adani Group and actually loosing public money due to loss of Adani Share value. He also called his own wife, then Congress President, Indira Gandhi, a fascist for dismissing the world's first democratically elected communist government led by the Communist Party of India in Kerala.
Despite his contributions to Indian politics, Feroz Gandhi's life was cut short when he died of a heart attack in 1960, at the age of 48 in Allahabad. Stunned by the massive turnout of people for Feroz Gandhi funeral, Nehru remarked that he didn't know that Feroz was so popular. However, his legacy as a progressive and forward-thinking politician continues to inspire new generations of leaders in India. Imagine how healthy would be our democracy if we take his inspiration and have the culture of even ruling parties legislators being brave enough to expose the loopholes in their own parties governments with the end objective of a stronger nation.
In conclusion, while the Nehru-Gandhi family has produced several iconic leaders, including Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, it is Feroz Gandhi who may be the true star in their ancestry. His commitment to social justice, economic reform, and his willingness to speak truth to power, even if it meant taking on his own family, set an example for future generations of Indian politicians. Despite his contributions, Feroz Gandhi remains a relatively unknown figure outside of political circles. It is high time that the nation recognizes his contribution and his legacy is celebrated.
Interestingly there are two parks in name of Feroz Gandhi, one in Allahabad and the other is in Hyderabad entrenched between troop bazar & bank street.
Who do you think is the top star in Nehru-Gandhi Dynasty?
Motilal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru
Feroz Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
You can vote for more than one answer.
