Indira Gandhi entered office eight days after Indian Premier Lal Bahadur Shastri’s sudden death. She served for three consecutive terms, was defeated in elections in 1977, but returned to power in 1980. In 1984, Gandhi was assassinated by her own Sikh body guards in the aftermath of Operation BlueStar, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians, Sikh pilgrims and soldiers.
Other notable events on January 19th:
In 1955, U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower held the first-ever presidential press-conference which was televised.
In 1883, German steamer Cimbria collides with the British steamer Sultan in the North Sea and sinks, killing 340 people.
Indira Gandhi. Leffler, Warren K.,/ U.S. News & World Report Magazine Photograph Collection.
