Indira Gandhi was the first woman prime minister of India. Gandhi was assassinated in 1984 at the age of 66. In 1938, Indira joined the Indian National Congress Party. After the death of Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1966, Indira Gandhi served as prime minister until India held the next election. She won that election in 1967 and became one of the first women elected to lead a democracy.