Feroze Gandhi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Feroze Gandhi
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Gandhi before 1950
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| Member of the Indian Parliament for Pratapgarh District (west)-Rae Bareli District (east) |
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| In office 17 April 1952 – 4 April 1957 |
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| Member of the Indian Parliament for Rae Bareli |
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| In office 5 May 1957 – 8 September 1960 |
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| Succeeded by | Baij Nath Kureel |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Feroze Jehangir Ghandy
12 September 1912 Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India (now Mumbai, Maharashtra, India) |
| Died | 8 September 1960 (aged 47) New Delhi, India |
| Cause of death | Heart attack |
| Resting place | Parsi cemetery, Allahabad |
| Political party | Indian National Congress |
| Spouse | |
| Relations | See Nehru–Gandhi family |
| Children | |
| Alma mater | Ewing Christian College |
Feroze Gandhi (born Feroze Jehangir Ghandy; 12 September 1912 – 8 September 1960) was an important Indian freedom fighter, politician, and journalist. He played a key role in India's journey to independence.
Gandhi started two newspapers, The National Herald and The Navjivan. He served as a member of parliament in India.
His wife, Indira Gandhi, was the daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister. Both Indira and their elder son, Rajiv Gandhi, later became Prime Ministers of India.
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Discovering Feroze Gandhi's Early Life
Feroze Jehangir Ghandy was born on 12 September 1912. His family was Parsi, and he was born in Bombay. His parents were Jehangir Faredoon Ghandy and Ratimai. Feroze was the youngest of five children.
In the early 1920s, after his father passed away, Feroze and his mother moved. They went to Allahabad to live with his aunt. He went to Vidya Mandir High School and later graduated from Ewing Christian College.
Feroze Gandhi's Family and Public Service
In 1930, Feroze joined the Indian independence movement. He met Kamala Nehru and her daughter, Indira Gandhi, during a protest. Feroze was so inspired that he left his studies to join the fight for freedom.
He was greatly influenced by Mahatma Gandhi. Because of this, he changed the spelling of his last name from "Ghandy" to "Gandhi". He was arrested in 1930 and spent time in jail. He was also imprisoned two more times in 1932 and 1933. During this time, he worked closely with Jawaharlal Nehru.
Feroze first asked Indira to marry him in 1933. However, she was only 16, so her family said no. Over the years, Feroze became very close to the Nehru family. He especially supported Indira's mother, Kamala Nehru, during her illness. Indira and Feroze grew closer while they were in England. They got married in March 1942.
Indira's father, Jawaharlal Nehru, was not happy about their marriage at first. He even asked Mahatma Gandhi to try and change their minds, but it didn't work. Feroze and Indira were arrested in August 1942. This happened during the Quit India Movement, less than six months after they married. Feroze was jailed for a year.
After India gained independence, Jawaharlal Nehru became the first Prime Minister. Feroze and Indira settled in Allahabad with their two young sons. Their sons, Rajiv Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi, were born in 1944 and 1946. Feroze became the Managing Director of The National Herald, a newspaper started by his father-in-law.
Feroze Gandhi's Political Career
Feroze was a member of the provincial parliament from 1950 to 1952. In 1952, he won India's first general elections. He became a member of the Lok Sabha, representing the Rae Bareli area. Indira helped him with his election campaign.
Feroze quickly became a strong voice in politics. He was known for speaking out against corruption. He even criticized the government led by his father-in-law, Jawaharlal Nehru.
In 1955, Feroze exposed a case where a businessman, Ram Kishan Dalmia, was misusing company money. This showed Feroze's dedication to fighting financial wrongdoing.
He was re-elected in 1957. In 1958, he brought up another big scandal in parliament. This involved the government-controlled LIC. This event caused a lot of embarrassment for Nehru's government. It even led to the Finance Minister resigning. Feroze's strong actions showed his commitment to honesty in public life.
Feroze also pushed for the government to take over some private companies, known as nationalization. He believed this would benefit the public. He continued to challenge the government on various issues. He became a respected member of parliament, admired by both sides.
Feroze Gandhi's Passing and Lasting Impact
Feroze Gandhi had a heart attack in 1958. Indira, who lived with her father, returned to care for him. Feroze passed away in 1960 in Delhi, after suffering a second heart attack. His ashes were placed at the Parsi cemetery in Allahabad.
His former parliamentary seat in Rae Bareli was later held by his daughter-in-law, Sonia Gandhi. She won the seat in 2004, 2009, 2014, and 2019.
A college that he helped start in Rae Bareli was named after him. Also, a power plant in Uttar Pradesh was renamed the Feroze Gandhi Unchahar Thermal Power Plant. These names honor his contributions to India.
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