Feroze Jehangir Gandhi

Feroze Gandhi (12 September 1912 – 8 September 1960) was an Indian politician and journalist, and publisher of the The National Herald and 'The Navjivan' newspapers from Lucknow.[3]

He became the member of the provincial parliament (1950—52), and later a member of the Lok Sabha, the Lower House of India's parliament. In 1942 he married Indira Nehru (later Prime Minister of India) and they had two sons Rajiv Gandhi (also later a Prime Minister) and Sanjay Gandhi, and thus became part of the Nehru dynasty.[4]

Feroze Gandhi was born in Bombay, to a Parsi family from Gujarat. He was the youngest child among four siblings, with father Jehangir Faredoon , a marine engineer and mother Rattimai.[3] His family had migrated to Bombay from Bharuch in South Gujarat, where his ancestral home which belonged to his grandfather, still exists in Kotpariwad, city’s Parsi neighbourhood.

His family was not related to that of Mahatma Gandhi.[3]:p93

In early 1920s, with his father Jehangir Faredoon dead, he and his mother Rattimai Faredoon moved to Allahabad to live with their unmarried aunt, Dr. Shirin Commissariat, a well known surgeon at city's Lady Dufferin Hospital. He attended the Vidya Mandir High School, and then graduated from the British-staffed Ewing Christian College.[3] Later, he was to study at the London School of Economics.

In March 1930, the youth wing of Congress Freedom fighters, the Vanar Sena was formed, subsequently Feroze first met Kamala Nehru and Indira at women demonstrators picketing outside his college, Ewing Christian College, Allahabad, it so happened that under the mid-day sun Kamala fainted and young Feroze who was watching the demonstrators along with his friends rushed to comfort her. The next day, he abandoned his studies in 1930 to join the Indian independence movement. He was imprisoned in 1930, along with Lal Bahadur Shastri, head of Allahabad District Congress Committee, and lodged in Faizabad Jail for nineteen months. Soon after his release, he going agrarian no-rent campaign in the United Province (Uttar Pradesh) and thus was imprisoned twice in 1932 and 1933, while working closely with Nehru.[3]

Feroze grew close to the Nehru family, especially Indira's mother Kamala Nehru and Indira herself. He even accompanied ailing Kamala Nehru to the TB Sanatorium at Bhowali in 1934 and was visited by both Indira and Nehru (from Almora Jail) in December, and seeing his devotion to Kamala, Nehru was deeply impressed. Feroze stayed with Kamala till she left Europe when her condition worsened in April 1935, never to return as she eventually died in 1936 in Laussane, Switzerland.[3] In the following years, Indira and Feroze grew further closer to each other while in England. They married in March 1942 according to Hindu rituals.[5]

His father-in-law was strongly opposed to his marriage with the young Indira and even approached Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi to dissuade the young couple, but to no avail. However, over the years, father-in-law and son-in-law resolved their differences, especially with Feroze adopting Gandhiji's ideology. The couple were arrested and jailed in August 1942, during the Quit India Movement less than six months after their marriage, he was imprisoned for a year in Allahabad's Naini Central Prison. The coming five years were of comfortable domestic life and the couple had two sons, Rajiv Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi, born in 1944 and 1946 respectively.

After independence, Jawaharlal became the first Prime Minister of India. Feroze and Indira settled in Allahabad with their two young children, and Feroze became Managing Director of The National Herald, a newspaper founded by his father-in-law. He was also the first chairman of Indian Oil Corporation Limited.

After remaining a member of the provincial parliament (1950-1952), Feroze Gandhi contested independent India's first general elections in 1952, from Rae Bareli constituency in Uttar Pradesh. Indira came down from Delhi and worked as his campaign organizer, and he won. Feroze soon became a prominent force in his own right, criticizing the Government of his father-in-law and beginning a tirade against corruption.

In the years after independence, many Indian business houses had become close to the political leaders, and now some of them started various financial irregularities. In a case exposed by Feroze in Dec 1955,[6] he revealed how Ram Kishan Dalmia, as chairman of a bank and an insurance company, used these companies to fund his takeover of Bennett and Coleman started transferring money illegally from publicly-held companies for their own benefit.

In 1957, he was re-elected from Rae Bareli. In the parliament in 1958, he raised the Haridas Mundhra scandal involving the government controlled LIC insurance company. This was a huge embarrassment to the clean image of Nehru's government and eventually led to the resignation of the Finance Minister T.T. Krishnamachari. His rift with Indira had also become public knowledge by then, and added to the media interest in the matter.

Feroze also initiated a number of nationalization drives, starting with the Life Insurance Corporation. At one point he also suggested that Telco be nationalized since they were charging nearly double the price of a Japanese Railway engine. This raised a stir in the Parsi community since the Tatas were also Parsi. He continued challenging the government on a number of other issues, and emerged as a parliamentarian well-respected on both sides of the bench.[6]

[edit] Death

Feroze suffered his first heart attack in 1958. Indira who stayed with her father at Teen Murti House, the official Prime ministers residence, was away with her father on state visit to Bhutan rushed back and took him to recuperate in Kashmir, where with their young boys, they were together again.[7] However, Feroze died in 1960 of a second heart attack at the Willingdon Hospital, now Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Delhi. He was later cremated and his ashes interred at the Parsi cemetery in Allahabad, the town where his eldest brother Fardiun's son, Rustom Gandhi's family still lives.[8]

His Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency seat, is now being held by his daughter-in-law, and wife of Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi After Death according to Amit Sharma Congress president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi has assured financial support for the uplift of her father-in-law Feroze Jehangir Gandhi’s grave here. The work is expected to start within a fortnight and Sonia might pay a visit to the place as she did five years ago.

‘‘He is not dead. Who lifts thy glorious mind on high to live in hearts we leave behind is not to die,’’ reads the epitaph on the grave of Feroze Gandhi, husband of late PM Indira Gandhi at Stanley road on Allahabad-Lucknow Highway here.

Since Feroze was buried at this graveyard in 1966, the place lay neglected. It was Feroze’s nephew Rustom Gandhi, born and brought up in Allahabad, who decided to ‘‘glorify’’ his uncle by seeking help from the ‘‘daughter-in-law’’.

He is also making an attempt to seek help from the administration and plans to meet UP CM Mulayam Singh Yadav for the cause. ‘‘I had written to Sonia Gandhi two months ago and met her personally to appeal for help in beautifying the graveyard of Feroze Gandhi. In Parsi religion, we believe graveyard is the place where everyone should not be allowed to walk in, which is why we are not raising a memorial. Since here lies a person who was the husband of the late Indian PM, we cannot ignore the place either,’’ Rustom Gandhi, a trustee of Allahabad Parsi-Zorostrian Anjuman, which looks after the Parsi graveyard, told The Indian Express.

The city around 20 Parsi families and the graveyard at Stanley Road has not more than 100 graves. Sonia Gandhi, during a visit here five years ago, had expressed concern over the deterriorating condition of the place but had not assured any help for its uplift.

‘‘Now, after Soniaji has agreed to help, we expect some support from the local administration. I have letters to the DM in the last two years to help maintain the approach road to the graveyard but to no avail,’’ said Rustom. But help, it seems, is on the way.

GEDCOM Note

BIOGRAPHY http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feroze_Gandhi

Feroze Gandhi (12 August 1912 - 8 September 1960) was an Indian politician and journalist. He was a member of India's first parliament and the husband of Indira Gandhi and father of Sanjay Gandhi and the former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Feroze Gandhi was born "Feroze Gandhy" into a Parsi family in Allahabad, British India. His father, Jehangir Gandhy, was a Parsi trader with a typical Gujarati surname, as is common for many Parsi families, since Parsis were historically based in Gujarat.

Feroze was educated at the City Anglo-Vernacular High School and Ewing Christian College, followed by the London School of Economics. He abandoned his studies in 1930 to join the struggle for Indian independence.

Feroze grew close to the Nehru family, especially Indira's mother Kamala Nehru and Indira herself. Feroze helped nurse the ailing Kamala, and briefly traveled with Nehru, Kamala and Indira to Europe. Nehru and Kamala were not pleased with the match[1][2]. Indira and Feroze grew closer to each other while in England. They married in 1942.

Arrested and jailed during the Quit India Movement less than six months after their marriage, he was imprisoned for a year in Allahabad's Naini Central Prison. Indira was also imprisoned. In 1944, she gave birth to Rajiv Gandhi, India's future Prime Minister. In 1946, Sanjay Gandhi, was born. Indira and Feroze settled in Allahabad with their two young children, and Feroze became editor of The National Herald, a newspaper founded by his father-in-law.

Feroze suffered his first heart attack in 1958. Indira took him to recuperate in Kashmir, where with their young boys, they were together again. However, Feroze died in 1960 of a second heart attack.

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Indira Gandhi By Dom Moraes

Feroze changed the spelling of his Last name from Gandhy to Gandhi.

Parents Lived in a Parsi Colony in Naoroji Natakwala Bhawan in Khetwadi, Bombay, India. Pg - 64

He was first attracted to Kamala Nehru (Indira's Mom)Pg - 65

Parents sent him to Allahabad, to his Aunt Mrs. Commissariat (Firozes Fathers Sister).

In 1931 Feroze went to the prison for the first time, for a year to Faizbad prison.

Proposed to Indira in 1933, she refused Feroze as she thought she was too young, she was at school in Poona at that time, she Matriculated in 1933.

In 1935 Feroze went to London School of Economics, paid for by his aunt Mrs. Commissariat.

In 1952 Feroze became a member of Parliament from Rae Bareilly, Utter Pradesh, Lucknow, India

Feroze, DIED on September 8, 1969 of a Heart Attack at age 48 in Delhi. Indira was next to him when he died.

Rhoda Gandhi (his Aunt) used to own a small hotel in Allahabad. Pg - 102
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mother India - By Pranay Gupta

Dr. Shirin Commissariat invited her sister Ratimai (Feroze's mom) & Kids to live with her at the passing away of Feroze's father Jahangir, mom Rattimai, his Sis Tehmina & Brother Faredun.

Dr. Shirin Commissariat (FRCS) was a Surgeon at the Lady Dufferin Hospital in Allahabad.
______________

Jehangir Gandhi (Feroze Gandhi's Father) He was a Naval Engineer.

Shortly after the start of World War I in 1921, Jehangir a Marine Engineer with Peninsular and Oriental Shipping, died, leaving Ratimai to raise their 5 kids.

BIOGRAPHY http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feroze_Gandhi

Feroze Gandhi (12 August 1912 - 8 September 1960) was an Indian politician and journalist. He was a member of India's first parliament and the husband of Indira Gandhi and father of Sanjay Gandhi and the former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Feroze Gandhi was born "Feroze Gandhy" into a Parsi family in Allahabad, British India. His father, Jehangir Gandhy, was a Parsi trader with a typical Gujarati surname, as is common for many Parsi families, since Parsis were historically based in Gujarat.

Feroze was educated at the City Anglo-Vernacular High School and Ewing Christian College, followed by the London School of Economics. He abandoned his studies in 1930 to join the struggle for Indian independence.

Feroze grew close to the Nehru family, especially Indira's mother Kamala Nehru and Indira herself. Feroze helped nurse the ailing Kamala, and briefly traveled with Nehru, Kamala and Indira to Europe. Nehru and Kamala were not pleased with the match[1][2]. Indira and Feroze grew closer to each other while in England. They married in 1942.

Arrested and jailed during the Quit India Movement less than six months after their marriage, he was imprisoned for a year in Allahabad's Naini Central Prison. Indira was also imprisoned. In 1944, she gave birth to Rajiv Gandhi, India's future Prime Minister. In 1946, Sanjay Gandhi, was born. Indira and Feroze settled in Allahabad with their two young children, and Feroze became editor of The National Herald, a newspaper founded by his father-in-law.

Feroze suffered his first heart attack in 1958. Indira took him to recuperate in Kashmir, where with their young boys, they were together again. However, Feroze died in 1960 of a second heart attack.

===============================================================================

Indira Gandhi By Dom Moraes

Feroze changed the spelling of his Last name from Gandhy to Gandhi.

Parents Lived in a Parsi Colony in Naoroji Natakwala Bhawan in Khetwadi, Bombay, India. Pg - 64

He was first attracted to Kamala Nehru (Indira's Mom)Pg - 65

Parents sent him to Allahabad, to his Aunt Mrs. Commissariat (Firozes Fathers Sister).

In 1931 Feroze went to the prison for the first time, for a year to Faizbad prison.

Proposed to Indira in 1933, she refused Feroze as she thought she was too young, she was at school in Poona at that time, she Matriculated in 1933.

In 1935 Feroze went to London School of Economics, paid for by his aunt Mrs. Commissariat.

In 1952 Feroze became a member of Parliament from Rae Bareilly, Utter Pradesh, Lucknow, India

Feroze, DIED on September 8, 1969 of a Heart Attack at age 48 in Delhi. Indira was next to him when he died.

Rhoda Gandhi (his Aunt) used to own a small hotel in Allahabad. Pg - 102
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mother India - By Pranay Gupta

Dr. Shirin Commissariat invited her sister Ratimai (Feroze's mom) & Kids to live with her at the passing away of Feroze's father Jahangir, mom Rattimai, his Sis Tehmina & Brother Faredun.

Dr. Shirin Commissariat (FRCS) was a Surgeon at the Lady Dufferin Hospital in Allahabad.
______________

Jehangir Gandhi (Feroze Gandhi's Father) He was a Naval Engineer.

Shortly after the start of World War I in 1921, Jehangir a Marine Engineer with Peninsular and Oriental Shipping, died, leaving Ratimai to raise their 5 kids.