Shastri had been a member of Mahatma Gandhi’s non-cooperation movement against British rule and was imprisoned several times. He served in regional government and was elected to the central legislature in 1952, becoming Minister of Home Affairs in 1961. In 1964 he succeeded Nehru as Prime Minister and was praised for his handling of the conflict in 1965 with Pakistan over Jammu and Kashmir. He died shortly after completing a peace agreement.