Women in History · Head-to-head
Ella Fitzgerald vs Indira Gandhi
Yes — based on their recorded years, Ella Fitzgerald (1917–1996) and Indira Gandhi (1917–1984) were alive at the same time for at least part of their lives.
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald was an American jazz vocalist known as the 'First Lady of Song,' celebrated for her purity of tone and virtuosic scat singing over a career spanning six decades.
Key achievements
- Rose to fame after winning an amateur talent contest at Harlem's Apollo Theater in 1934.
- Became renowned for her innovative and virtuosic scat singing technique.
- Won 13 Grammy Awards throughout her recording career.
- Recorded influential 'songbook' albums interpreting the work of major American composers.
Fast fact
Fitzgerald won 13 Grammy Awards over her career and was one of the first African American women to win a Grammy, at the very first Grammy Awards ceremony in 1959.
Full profile of Ella Fitzgerald →Indira Gandhi
India's first and only female prime minister, who dominated Indian politics for over a decade before being assassinated in 1984.
Key achievements
- Became India's first and only female prime minister, serving from 1966 to 1977 and again from 1980 to 1984
- Led India during the 1971 war that resulted in the independence of Bangladesh
- Declared a controversial state of Emergency from 1975 to 1977
- Was assassinated in 1984 by her own bodyguards during a period of Sikh separatist tension
Fast fact
Gandhi declared a controversial national Emergency in 1975, suspending civil liberties for nearly two years before restoring elections and eventually losing power at the polls.
Full profile of Indira Gandhi →Who lived first, Ella Fitzgerald or Indira Gandhi?
Ella Fitzgerald (1917–1996) lived first, before Indira Gandhi (1917–1984), based on their recorded years.
Were Ella Fitzgerald and Indira Gandhi contemporaries?
Yes — based on their recorded years, Ella Fitzgerald (1917–1996) and Indira Gandhi (1917–1984) were alive at the same time for at least part of their lives.
What do Ella Fitzgerald and Indira Gandhi have in common?
Both Ella Fitzgerald and Indira Gandhi are grouped among our Women in History figures and lived during the Modern Era.