Indira Gandhi’s reading list: 6 books the former PM read as a girl

We bring to you six books that left a lasting impression on a young Indira Gandhi, and inspired her scientific curiosity and love for nature.

The Life of the Bee by Maurice Maeterlinck

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The Life of the Bee by Nobel Prize-winning Belgian author Maurice Maeterlinck was a gift from her father, and left a profound impact on her young mind. The book, a poetic yet scientific exploration of bee behaviour, fascinated her with its depiction of nature’s wonders. Nehru’s inscription—”Indira Priyadarshini, Papu ka Bahut, Bahut Pyaar”—made the book even more special. In a letter to her father in December 1930, Indira mentioned how much she enjoyed reading it, and that she had begun its companion volume, The Life of the Ant. These books, she later recalled, instilled in her a habit of keen observation and a sense of kinship with all living creatures. Maeterlinck’s writing, blending science with lyrical prose, reinforced her belief in the interconnectedness of life, a theme that would later echo in her environmental policies.  Beyond its scientific value, The Life of the Bee also offered philosophical insights into order, discipline, and collective survival.

The Life of the Butterfly by Friedrich Schnack

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Another entomological work that fascinated Indira was Friedrich Schnack’s The Life of the Butterfly. Like The Life of the Bee, it is a poetic and scientifically grounded exploration of butterflies and moths. It offers a lyrical meditation on the lives, migrations, habitats, and transformations of different species of butterflies and moths. Schnack vividly describes species such as the Painted Lady, Camberwell Beauty, and Purple Emperor, as well as moths such as the Death’s Head and Spurge Hawk-Moth. He intertwines personal reflections, natural history, and colorful imagery, celebrating these insects.

Far Away and Long Ago by WH Hudson

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Another book that captivated Gandhi was Far Away and Long Ago, the autobiography of naturalist William Henry Hudson. The memoir recounts Hudson’s childhood in the Argentinian Pampas, painting a vivid picture of the landscapes, wildlife, and rural life that shaped his love for nature. For Gandhi, who spent much of her early years in solitary reading due to her father’s political incarcerations, Hudson’s recollections of an untamed, idyllic world must have been deeply fascinating. Hudson’s elegiac  reflections on how human progress often comes at the cost of nature’s destruction may have influenced her later advocacy for conservation.

Swallows and Amazons Series by Arthur Ransome

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Among the many books that shaped Indira Gandhi’s early years, Arthur Ransome’s Swallows and Amazons series held a special place. This beloved children’s adventure series, set in the idyllic landscapes of the Lake District and Norfolk Broads, follows a group of children as they sail, camp, and explore the outdoors with independence and imagination. For Gandhi, who spent much of her childhood in solitude due to her father’s frequent imprisonments, these stories likely offered an escape into a world of freedom, camaraderie, and adventure. The series also drives home the lessons of self-reliance, teamwork, and a deep connection with nature.

What Dare I Think? by Julian Huxley

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Julian Huxley’s What Dare I Think? (1931) was a series of essays on “scientific humanism.” It was a book that challenged conventional thought and encouraged rational inquiry. The book explores the relationship between biology, environment, and human life, beginning with how physical and biological factors shape human existence. It examines the biological basis of individuality and heredity, explaining how genes influence traits across generations. The text then addresses the inherent conflict between scientific knowledge and human nature, proposing scientific humanism as a rational ethical framework. It also investigates the complex relationship between science, religion, and human behaviour, concluding with reflections on how scientific progress might reshape the future of religion.

Flowering Earth by Donald Culross Peattie

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Unlike many of the books she read in her youth, Flowering Earth was one Indira discovered on her own—a rare instance where she introduced her father to a book rather than the other way around. While recovering from pleurisy in Switzerland in 1940, she came across a condensed version of Peattie’s work in Reader’s Digest and was immediately enthralled. She wrote to Nehru about it.  Nehru, intrigued by her enthusiasm, admitted in a letter that he had not read the book but found her description fascinating.