Book on Indira Gandhi launched at Mountain Echoes festival

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Politician-writer Shashi Tharoor today launched a book on Indira Gandhi with the queen of Bhutan, Ashu Dorji Wangmo Wangchuk, at the ongoing Mountain Echoes Literary Festival here.
The book titled, "India's Indira: A Centennial Tribute", compiled by the Indian National Congress, consists of articles, essays, photographs of the first woman prime minister of India.
Speaking at the launch, the queen remembered Indira Gandhi for being a powerful woman and a towering personality.
"I still remember her photograph with the then American president Richard Nixon. She wasn't a tall woman, but she was a towering figure.
"Mrs Gandhi was a female icon and she showed it to the world what women are capable of doing if they decide something," she said.

Remembering the time when Indira Gandhi came "sitting on a yak along with her father," the queen said the Gandhi family had been on close friendly terms with the Royal Family of Bhutan.

"I used to admire the white streak of hair she had. Although I was very young, I still wanted that streak of white hair," the queen said.
The book, edited by senior leader Anand Sharma, has several photographs of Indira Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru contributed by the royal family.
The book also has a chapter by former Indian president Pranab Mukherjee.
Talking about Gandhi's leadership skills, Tharoor said when she had become the first female prime minister of India, many had wondered if she was capable of the job.

"But as it turned out, she became a better leader than many who came after her could only hope to be," Tharoor said.