ira ▁Gand hi ▁at ▁a ▁resident ial ▁school ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 3 0 s , ▁and ▁remained ▁close ▁to ▁the ▁prime ▁minister ▁in ▁later ▁life . ▁She ▁received ▁many ▁government ▁awards ▁and ▁s ine c ures ▁under ▁the ▁Ind ira ▁Gand hi ▁administration , ▁including ▁the ▁Pad ma ▁Sh ri ▁( 1 9 8 4 ) ▁and ▁being ▁made ▁chair person ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁School ▁of ▁D rama ▁( 1 9 8 2 – 8 4 ). ▁ ▁She ▁was ▁the ▁sister ▁of ▁actress ▁D ina ▁Path ak ▁( née ▁Gand hi ) ▁and ▁Tar la ▁Gand hi , ▁also ▁a ▁stage ▁perform er . ▁ ▁Background ▁She ▁was ▁a ▁founder - member ▁of ▁the ▁central ▁bal let ▁tr oupe ▁of ▁the ▁Indian ▁People ' s ▁Theatre ▁Association ▁( IP TA ), ▁and ▁tou red ▁the ▁country ▁widely ▁through ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s . ▁As ▁a ▁play w right ▁she ▁is ▁remembered ▁as ▁an ▁early ▁pione er ▁in ▁rev iving ▁ancient ▁Indian ▁drama ▁especially ▁S ansk rit ▁drama ▁and ▁folk ▁theatre ▁to ▁modern ▁Indian ▁theatre ▁and ▁amongst ▁her ▁most ▁noted ▁plays ▁are ▁Raz ia ▁Sultan ▁and ▁J asma ▁Od an ▁based ▁on ▁a ▁Gu jar ati ▁legend ▁on ▁the ▁practice ▁of ▁s ut te e , ▁her ▁own ▁production ▁of ▁the ▁play ▁in ▁Gu jar ati ▁Bh ava i ▁style , ▁became ▁a ▁land mark ▁in ▁contemporary ▁Indian ▁theatre , ▁and ▁along ▁with ▁' Main a ▁G ur j ari ' ▁by ▁her ▁sister ▁De ena ▁Gand