I had seen her ( Indira Gandhi ) several times very closely and was overcome with her beauty and mannerism. I saw her in the bandobust in Surat, Bhavnagar, Vyara etc. Whenever we saluted her, the Prime Minister, she would accept our salute with a smile and would bow her head in acceptance of salute. -------- In Vyara ( dist Surat ) when I was in charge of the bandobust, a stalwart of the Congress Zinabhai Darji who was also from Vyara, sat cross legged just opposite the rostrum from where the PM was to address the public meeting. I drew her to to the roastrum , she sat on the chair and like a Caesar was surveying the mammoth crowd. Oho, she found Zinabhai darji sitting cross-legged in the front row, she announced from the rostrum to Zinabhai Darji to come on the rostrum , he went up to the rostrum and she asked her to sit beside her on the chair on the rostrum. ..... She knew thousands of Congress workers by name and always enquired about the well being and welfare of their families ! She was a great leader and great charmer of crowds. I saw it in Surat when after relinquishing power , she came to Surat and I was entrusted with her safety just behind the maholla where I was living a few years back ! I felt pride in escorting her and her vehicle carrying her, she was just standing and accepting zindabad from crowds. She knew how to lead them. Remaining in her proximity was my most dearest remembrance. Akmalbhai, thank you for posting this picture.
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