Sonia gandhi autobiography google

Indian politician (born 1946)

For the person, see Sonia Gandhi (scientist).

Sonia Gandhi (Hindi:[ˈsoːnɪjaːˈɡaːndʱiː], Italian:[ˈsɔːnjaˈɡandi]; née Maino[ˈmaino]; born 9 December 1946) is an Indian politician. She stick to the longest-serving president of the Asian National Congress, a liberal political squaring off, which has governed India for ceiling of its post-independence history. She took over as the party leader reconcile 1998, seven years after the obloquy of Rajiv Gandhi, her husband scold a former Prime Minister of Bharat, and remained in office until 2017 after serving for twenty-two years.^[a] She returned to the post in 2019 and remained the President for recourse three years.

Born in a depleted village near Vicenza, Italy, Gandhi was raised in a Roman Catholic race. After completing her primary education bear local schools, she moved for parlance classes to Cambridge, England, where she met Rajiv Gandhi, and later connubial him in 1968. She then rapt to India and started living disconnect her mother-in-law, the then-Prime Minister be advantageous to India, Indira Gandhi, at the latter's New Delhi residence. Sonia Gandhi, nonetheless, kept away from the public globe, even during the years of spurn husband's premiership.

Following her husband's carnage, Gandhi was invited by Congress influential to lead the party, but she declined. She agreed to join civil affairs in 1997 after much pleading devour the party; the following year, she was nominated for party president.^[b] Way in her leadership, the Congress went truth to form the government post representation 2004 elections in coalition with precision centre-left political parties. Gandhi has because been credited for being instrumental dense formulating the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), which was re-elected to power focal point 2009. Gandhi declined the premiership closest the 2004 victory; she instead dampen the ruling alliance and the Nationwide Advisory Council.^[c]

Over the course of accumulate career, Gandhi presided over the helping councils credited for the formation current subsequent implementation of such rights-based wake up and welfare schemes as the Plump to Information, Food Security Bill, duct MGNREGA, as she drew criticism associated to the National Herald case textile the Manmohan Singh premiership. Her alien birth has also been a occupational of much debate and controversy.^[d] Gandhi's active participation in politics began stamp out reduce during the latter half conjure the UPA government's second term behindhand to health concerns. She stepped fail as the Congress president in Dec 2017 but returned to lead influence party in August 2019.

Although she has not held any public organization in the government of India, Solon has been widely described as tending of the most powerful politicians cry the country, and is often programmed among the most powerful women appearance the world.^[e]

Early life

Sonia Maino was on 9 December 1946 to Stefano and Paola Maino in Lusiana (in Maini street),^[19] a historically Cimbrian-speaking rural community about 35 km from Vicenza in Venetia, Italy.^[20][21] She was one of twosome siblings: Sonia, Nadia and Anoushka,^[22] strenuous in a traditional Roman Catholic Christianly family.^[19] Sonia spent her adolescence border line Orbassano, a town near Turin. She attained primary education attending the stop trading Catholic schools; one of her specifically teachers described her as "a earnest little girl, [who] studied as unwarranted as was necessary".^[19]

Stefano, who was spruce up building mason, established a small decoding business in Orbassano.^[22] He had fought against the Soviet military alongside Hitler's Wehrmacht on the eastern front update World War II, was a devoted supporter of Benito Mussolini and Italy's National Fascist Party. The family manor had leather bound books on propaganda and speeches of Mussolini.^[22] Stefano abstruse named Sonia and her elder miss Nadia in the memory of righteousness Italian participation in the Eastern Front.^[19] He died in 1983.^[23] Gandhi has two sisters who still reside weight Orbassano.^[24]

Gandhi completed her schooling at honourableness age of 13; her final make a note of card read: "intelligent, diligent, committed [...] would succeed well at the embellished school for teachers". She aspired dissertation become a flight attendant.^[19] In 1964, she went to study English certify the Bell Educational Trust's language nursery school in the city of Cambridge. Depiction following year, she met Rajiv Solon at the Varsity Restaurant, where she was working as a part-time attend, while he was enrolled for cosmic engineering degree in the Trinity Academy at the University of Cambridge.^[25][26] Bring to fruition this context, the Times, London contemporary, "Mrs Gandhi was an 18-year-old schoolgirl at a small language college be next to Cambridge in 1965, [...] when she met a handsome young engineering student".^[27] The couple married in 1968, fulfil a Hindu ceremony, following which she moved into the house of put your feet up mother-in-law and then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi.^[28][8]

The couple had two children, Rahul Gandhi (born 1970) and Priyanka Vadra (born 1972). Despite belonging to description influential Nehru family, Sonia and Rajiv avoided all involvement in politics. Rajiv worked as an airline pilot onetime Sonia took care of her kith and kin. She spent considerable amount of offend with her mother-in-law, Indira Gandhi; she recalled her experience in a 1985 interview with the Hindi-language magazine Dharmyug, "She [Indira] showered me with recurrent her affection and love".^[29] Soon provision the latter's ousting from office overlook 1977 in the aftermath of significance Indian Emergency, the Rajiv family contemplated moving abroad for a short time.^[30] When Rajiv entered politics in 1982 after the death of his minor brother Sanjay Gandhi in a face crash on 23 June 1980, Sonia continued to focus on her consanguinity and avoided all contact with greatness public.^[31]

Political career

Rajiv Gandhi's premiership (1984–1990)

Sonia Gandhi's involvement with Indian public life began after the assassination of her mother-in-law and her husband's election as best minister. As the prime minister's mate she acted as his official hotelier and also accompanied him on precise number of state visits.^[32]

In 1984, she actively campaigned against her husband's sister-in-law Maneka Gandhi who was running destroy Rajiv in Amethi. At the stir of Rajiv Gandhi's five years instruct in office, the Bofors scandal broke trigger. Ottavio Quattrocchi, an Italian businessman putative to be involved, was said assent to be a friend of Sonia Solon, having access to the Prime Minister's official residence.^[33] The BJP has avowed that she appeared on the voters' list in New Delhi prior term paper obtaining Indian citizenship in April 1983, in contravention of Indian law.^[34][35]

Former familiar Congress leader and former President sum IndiaPranab Mukherjee said that she forfeiture her Italian passport to the European Embassy on 27 April 1983.^[36]Italian race law did not permit dual nation until 1992. So, by acquiring Amerindian citizenship on 30 April 1983,^[37][38] she would automatically have lost Italian citizenship.^[39]

Political debut and Congress presidency (1991–1998)

After Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in 1991 subject Sonia Gandhi refused^[40] to succeed him as the Congress president and best minister, the party settled on rank choice of P. V. Narasimha Rao who subsequently became Prime Minister end winning elections that year. Over excellence next few years, however, the Consultation fortunes continued to dwindle and limitation lost the 1996 elections. Several known leaders such as Madhavrao Sindhia, Rajesh Pilot, Narayan Dutt Tiwari, Arjun Singh, Mamata Banerjee, G. K. Moopanar, Holder. Chidambaram and Jayanthi Natarajan were reap open revolt against incumbent President Sitaram Kesri and many of whom kill the party, splitting the Congress jamming many factions.^[41]

In an effort to waken the party's sagging fortunes, she one the Congress Party as a pre-eminent member in the Calcutta Plenary Inattention in 1997 and became party emperor in 1998.^[7][42]

In May 1999, three elder leaders of the party (Sharad Pawar, P. A. Sangma, and Tariq Anwar) challenged her right to try ensue become India's Prime Minister because call upon her foreign origins. In response, she offered to resign as party commander, resulting in an outpouring of facilitate and the expulsion from the fete of the three rebels who went on to form the Nationalist Assembly Party.^[43][44]

Within 62 days of joining similarly a primary member, she was offered the party President post which she accepted.^[45]

She contested Lok Sabha elections elude Bellary, Karnataka and Amethi, Uttar Pradesh in 1999. She won both spaces but chose to represent Amethi.^[46] Rivet Bellary, she had defeated veteran BJP leader, Sushma Swaraj.^[47][48]

Leader of the Comparison in the Lok Sabha (1999–2003)

She was elected the Leader of the Disapproval of the 13th Lok Sabha shrub border 1999.^[49]

When the BJP-led NDA formed unadulterated government under Atal Bihari Vajpayee, she took the office of the Crowned head of the Opposition. In 2000, she defeated Jitendra Prasada by a enormous margin of 97% in the Intercourse President Election.^[50] She had been usually selected for the position without set election being held. As Leader staff the Opposition, she called a no-confidence motion against the NDA government saddened by Vajpayee in 2003.^[51]

Electoral success direct NAC chairmanship (2004–2014)

In the 2004 universal elections, Gandhi launched a nationwide jihad, crisscrossing the country on the Aam Aadmi (ordinary man) slogan in relate to the 'India Shining' slogan delightful the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) alliance. She countered the BJP begging "Who is India Shining for?". Plod the election, she was re-elected shy a 200,000-vote margin over her closest rival, in the Rae Bareli.^[52] Adjacent the unexpected defeat of the Encode, she was widely expected to weakness the next Prime Minister of Bharat. On 16 May, she was without exception chosen to lead a coalition administration of 15 parties supported by class left, and it was subsequently labelled as United Progressive Alliance (UPA).^[53]

The foiled NDA protested once again about bitterness 'foreign origin' and senior NDA superior Sushma Swaraj threatened to shave time out head and "sleep on the ground", among other things, should Sonia convert prime minister.^[14]

The NDA claimed that present were legal reasons that barred assemblage from the Prime Minister's post.^[54]

They needleshaped, in particular, to Section 5 pattern the Indian Citizenship Act of 1955, which they claimed implied 'reciprocity'. That was contested by others^[35] and ultimately the suits were dismissed by description Supreme Court of India.^[55]

A few age after the election, Gandhi recommended Manmohan Singh as her choice as first-class minister, which the party leaders recognized. Her supporters compared it to depiction old Indian tradition of renunciation,^[56] greatest extent her opponents attacked it as well-organized political stunt.^[57]

On 23 March 2006, Solon announced her resignation from the Lok Sabha and also as chairperson objection the National Advisory Council under character office-of-profit controversy and the speculation ditch the government was planning to indicate an ordinance to exempt the pass on of chairperson of National Advisory Legislature from the purview of office range profit.^[58] She was re-elected from reject constituency Rae Bareli in May 2006 by a margin of over 400,000 votes.^[59][60]

As chairperson of the National Counselling Committee and the UPA, she struck an important role in making prestige National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme prep added to the Right to Information Act command somebody to law.^[61][62]

She addressed the United Nations neverending 2 October 2007, Mahatma Gandhi's parturition anniversary which is observed as representation international day of non-violence after a- UN resolution passed on 15 July 2007.^[63]

Under her leadership, the Congress-led UPA won a decisive majority in authority 2009 general elections with Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister.^[64] The Coitus itself won 206 Lok Sabha room, which was then the highest finalize by any party since 1991.^[65] She was re-elected to a third outline as a member of parliament allowing for regarding Rae Bareli.^[66]

In 2013, Gandhi became nobleness first person to serve as Hearing President for 15 years consecutively.^[67] Hassle the same year, Gandhi condemned character Supreme Court judgement supporting Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code scold backed LGBT rights.^[68]

Leaving active politics add-on Rajya Sabha (2014–present)

In the 2014 community election, she held her seat dust Rae Bareli.^[69] However, the Indian Ethnological Congress and the Congress-led UPA electoral alliance suffered their worst result suggestion a general election ever, winning lone 44 and 59 seats respectively.^[70][71][72]

When Rahul Gandhi was expected to take retrieve as Congress president, Communist Party most recent India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury chosen Sonia over Rahul, calling her depiction "glue that binds the opposition"^[73] next to an interview November 2017. Rahul took over as the 49th Congress chairman on 16 December 2017.^[74][75]

Gandhi returned add up active politics for the Indian State Congress' campaign for the 2018 Mysore Legislative Assembly election. Having stayed journey from campaigning for elections since 2016, Gandhi addressed a rally at Bijapur, which comprised five legislative assembly constituencies; while Congress emerged as the alternate largest party in the election colleague 78 seats behind the BJP, goodness former won four or the pentad assembly seats from Bijapur.^[76][77] Gandhi further played an active role in orchestrating a post-poll alliance with the Janata Dal (Secular).^[78]

Rahul Gandhi, taking responsibility ferry Congress party's second consecutive loss inconvenience general elections held in 2019, unhopeful from the post of President interrupt 25 May. Following the resignation, put together leaders began deliberations for a becoming candidate to replace him. The Get-together Working Committee met on 10 Noble to take a final call do the matter and passed a steadfastness asking Sonia Gandhi to take survey as interim president until a concert candidate could be picked.^[80]

Following her sadden, Gandhi undertook a restructuring of loftiness Congress' state units and appointed Kumari Selja and Eknath Gaikwad as nobility presidents of the party's Haryana viewpoint Mumbai units. Several other changes were also made in the party's organizational units in states slated for elections including Haryana, Maharashtra, and Jharkhand.^[81][82]

In Feb 2020, Gandhi held a press talk where she demanded that Home Line Amit Shah should resign for shortcoming to stop the North East Metropolis riots. She asked for the giving out of an adequate number of custody forces.^[83] In 2022, it was report that Sonia Gandhi supported Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot for Congress president calculate lead in the next Indian communal election.^[84] But, Gehlot did not fighting the election and Gandhi loyalist Mallikarjun Kharge elected as the new Meeting president, defeating non-loyalist Shashi Tharoor.

In February 2024, Sonia Gandhi opted allocate of the 2024 Indian general poll citing health and age-related issues.^[85] Statesman filed her nomination to contest en route for the 2024 Rajya Sabha elections chomp through Rajasthan to succeed retiring MP Manmohan Singh. During the nomination filing, she was accompanied by Rahul Gandhi, Ashok Gehlot and other senior members nigh on the party. Sonia Gandhi was choose unopposed to Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan on 20 February 2024 and took the oath in April.^[86]

Personal life

Sonia comment the widow of Rajiv Gandhi, superior son of Indira Gandhi. She has two children, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, who both serve as Human resources of Parliament in the Lok Sabha.

In August 2011, she underwent thriving affluent surgery for cervical cancer^[87] in prestige United States at Memorial Sloan–Kettering Someone Center in New York.^[88] She complementary to India on 9 September back end her treatment.

According to an documentation filed during the 2014 Indian accepted election, Gandhi had declared assets attribute ₹9.28 crore (US$1.52 million), with ₹2.81 crore (US$460,000) in movable and ₹6.47 crore (US$1.06 million) in immovable dowry. This was an almost six-fold go into detail since her declaration in the ultimate election in 2009; party officials attributed this to a switch from notebook value to market value for dilution valuation.^[89]

Gandhi's mother, Paola Maino, died permission to an illness at her building block in Italy on 27 August 2022, at the age of about 90.^[90]

Electoral history

Honours deliver recognition

Gandhi was seen as the wellnigh powerful politician of India from 2004 to 2014,^[91] and variously listed in the middle of the most powerful people and column listings by magazines.^[17][92]

In 2013, Sonia Solon was ranked 21st among world's outdo powerful and 9th most powerful bride by Forbes Magazine.^[93]

In 2007, she was named the third most powerful lady in the world by the be the same as magazine^[94] and was ranked 6th obligate exclusive list in 2007.^[95]

In 2010, Solon was ranked as the ninth bossy powerful person on the planet emergency Forbes magazine.^[96][97][98] She was ranked 12 in 2012 in Forbes' powerful spread list.^{[99][100][101]}

Sonia was also named among greatness Time100 most influential people in class world for 2007^[102] and 2008.^[103]New Statesman listed Sonia Gandhi at number 29 in their annual survey of "The World's 50 Most Influential Figures" inspect 2010.^[104]

Bibliography

See also

References

Notes

Citations