The charismatic former Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi’s half-a-day stay here left such an impact on Kazakhs that many decided to name their daughters after her. And the trend still continues.
Several people named their daughters after Indira, charmed by her during her visit to the erstwhile USSR in 1955 with her father, Jawaharlal Nehru. “The name Indira struck a chord with most of the people. Every other household decided to christen a newborn girl after the Indian leader,” says Satarhan, 82, a preacher at the central mosque here. His granddaughter is named Indira.
“It is not that everyone got to see Indira and Nehru during their half-day stay in Almaty. Whoever saw the lady was mesmerised by her looks, her eloquence and her behaviour. People wanted their daughters and granddaughters to be like her and started naming them after her,” Mr. Satarhan said. “Such was the trend that almost every 10th Kazakh girl was named Indira.”
Indira Ospanova, a receptionist at a four-star hotel here, says: “My grandparents insisted that my name be Indira.”
Indian Ambassador to Kazakhstan Ashok Sajjanhar says that even today, girls and those born in the 1980s and 90s continue to be named Indira. “This is a demonstration of the deep bonds and linkages of love and affection among the people of Kazakhstan for India.”
Indira Smagulova works as a flight attendant in Air Astana, Kazakhstan’s national carrier. “It’s great to share a name with one of the world’s greatest women leaders. I have seen Indira Gandhi only in photographs and is very much impressed by her persona and her grace.”
Rima Karmysova, a guide and interpreter, however, is more impressed by Indira Gandhi’s son Rajiv. “In my teens, I had a crush on Rajiv. He was so handsome.” She will love to name her son after the former Prime Minister.
