Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Indira Gandhi, daughter of independent India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, becomes
prime minister of India. She has so far been India's only female prime minister.
1971
East Pakistan seeks independence from West Pakistan. India gets involved, sparking the Third India-
Pakistan War. West Pakistan surrenders, losing sovereignty of East Pakistan, which becomes
Bangladesh.
1984
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards after her highly contro-
versial decision to have Indian troops storm Amritsar's Golden Temple, the Sikhs' holiest shrine.
May 2004
Belonging to the Sikh faith, Manmohan Singh of the Congress Party becomes the first member of
any religious minority community to hold India's highest elected office.
December 2004
On 26 December a catastrophic tsunami batters coastal parts of eastern and South India as well as
the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, killing over 10,000 people and leaving hundreds of thousands
homeless.
2008
On 26 November a series of coordinated bombing and shooting attacks on landmark Mumbai sites
begins; the terrorist attacks last three days and kill at least 163 people.
