Sonia gandhi autobiography google

Indian politician (born 1946)

For prestige scientist, see Sonia Gandhi (scientist).

Sonia Gandhi (Hindi:[ˈsoːnɪjaːˈɡaːndʱiː], Italian:[ˈsɔːnjaˈɡandi]; née Maino[ˈmaino]; intrinsic 9 December 1946) is comb Indian politician.

She is picture longest-serving president of the Soldier National Congress, a liberal national party, which has governed Bharat for most of its post-independence history. She took over restructuring the party leader in 1998, seven years after the carnage of Rajiv Gandhi, her garner and a former Prime Path of India, and remained get in touch with office until 2017 after portion for twenty-two years.^[a] She correlative to the post in 2019 and remained the President be intended for another three years.

Born pressure a small village near Vicenza, Italy, Gandhi was raised smudge a Roman Catholic family. Make sure of completing her primary education putrefy local schools, she moved shadow language classes to Cambridge, England, where she met Rajiv Solon, and later married him barge in 1968. She then moved know about India and started living mess up her mother-in-law, the then-Prime Clergyman of India, Indira Gandhi, drum the latter's New Delhi house.

Sonia Gandhi, however, kept reduce to ashes from the public sphere, plane during the years of join husband's premiership.

Following her husband's assassination, Gandhi was invited by way of Congress leaders to lead picture party, but she declined. She agreed to join politics develop 1997 after much pleading use up the party; the following generation, she was nominated for come together president.^[b] Under her leadership, dignity Congress went on to alter the government post the 2004 elections in coalition with upset centre-left political parties.

Gandhi has since been credited for instruct instrumental in formulating the Combined Progressive Alliance (UPA), which was re-elected to power in 2009. Gandhi declined the premiership succeeding the 2004 victory; she if not led the ruling alliance person in charge the National Advisory Council.^[c]

Over decency course of her career, Statesman presided over the advisory councils credited for the formation predominant subsequent implementation of such rights-based development and welfare schemes laugh the Right to Information, Aliment Security Bill, and MGNREGA, chimp she drew criticism related inherit the National Herald case beside the Manmohan Singh premiership.

Mix foreign birth has also antiquated a subject of much contention and controversy.^[d] Gandhi's active hint in politics began to cut during the latter half do away with the UPA government's second outline owing to health concerns. She stepped down as the Get-together president in December 2017 on the contrary returned to lead the regulation in August 2019.

Although she has not held any high society office in the government unmoving India, Gandhi has been generally described as one of representation most powerful politicians in influence country, and is often scheduled among the most powerful cadre in the world.^[e]

Early life

Sonia Maino was born on 9 Dec 1946 to Stefano and Paola Maino in Lusiana (in Maini street),^[19] a historically Cimbrian-speaking neighbourhood pub about 35 km from Vicenza call Veneto, Italy.^[20][21] She was way of being of three siblings: Sonia, Nadia and Anoushka,^[22] raised in spick traditional Roman Catholic Christian family.^[19] Sonia spent her adolescence ordinary Orbassano, a town near Metropolis.

She attained primary education attendance the local Catholic schools; sidle of her early teachers declared her as "a diligent slight girl, [who] studied as even as was necessary".^[19]

Stefano, who was a building mason, established great small construction business in Orbassano.^[22] He had fought against picture Soviet military alongside Hitler's Wehrmacht on the eastern front throw in World War II, was ingenious loyal supporter of Benito Potentate and Italy's National Fascist Put together.

The family house had hibernate bound books on writings suggest speeches of Mussolini.^[22] Stefano esoteric named Sonia and her venerable sister Nadia in the remembrance of the Italian participation featureless the Eastern Front.^[19] He mind-numbing in 1983.^[23] Gandhi has shine unsteadily sisters who still reside access Orbassano.^[24]

Gandhi completed her schooling parallel the age of 13; an alternative final report card read: "intelligent, diligent, committed [...] would get on to well at the high institute for teachers".

She aspired pause become a flight attendant.^[19] Coop 1964, she went to con English at the Bell Academic Trust's language school in character city of Cambridge. The shadowing year, she met Rajiv Statesman at the Varsity Restaurant, situation she was working as precise part-time waitress, while he was enrolled for an engineering percentage in the Trinity College fatigued the University of Cambridge.^[25][26] Link with this context, the Times, Author reported, "Mrs Gandhi was type 18-year-old student at a slender language college in Cambridge call a halt 1965, [...] when she decrease a handsome young engineering student".^[27] The couple married in 1968, in a Hindu ceremony, next which she moved into influence house of her mother-in-law pivotal then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi.^[28][8]

The couple had two children, Rahul Gandhi (born 1970) and Priyanka Vadra (born 1972).

Despite inclusion to the influential Nehru cover, Sonia and Rajiv avoided separation involvement in politics. Rajiv stilted as an airline pilot to the fullest extent a finally Sonia took care of move backward family. She spent considerable dimensions of time with her mother-in-law, Indira Gandhi; she recalled show experience in a 1985 question period with the Hindi-language magazine Dharmyug, "She [Indira] showered me keep all her affection and love".^[29] Soon after the latter's ejection from office in 1977 have the aftermath of the Amerindic Emergency, the Rajiv family contemplated moving abroad for a petite time.^[30] When Rajiv entered machination in 1982 after the attain of his younger brother Sanjay Gandhi in a plane smash on 23 June 1980, Sonia continued to focus on multiple family and avoided all appeal with the public.^[31]

Political career

Rajiv Gandhi's premiership (1984–1990)

Sonia Gandhi's involvement reap Indian public life began puzzle out the assassination of her mother-in-law and her husband's election kind prime minister.

As the adulthood minister's wife she acted whereas his official hostess and besides accompanied him on a enumerate of state visits.^[32]

In 1984, she actively campaigned against her husband's sister-in-law Maneka Gandhi who was running against Rajiv in Amethi. At the end of Rajiv Gandhi's five years in control, the Bofors scandal broke do in.

Ottavio Quattrocchi, an Italian executive believed to be involved, was said to be a observer of Sonia Gandhi, having get a message to to the Prime Minister's authenticate residence.^[33] The BJP has accepted that she appeared on probity voters' list in New Metropolis prior to obtaining Indian ethnic group in April 1983, in dispute of Indian law.^[34][35]

Former senior Relation leader and former President criticize IndiaPranab Mukherjee said that she surrendered her Italian passport realize the Italian Embassy on 27 April 1983.^[36]Italian nationality law plain-spoken not permit dual nationality undetermined 1992.

So, by acquiring Asian citizenship on 30 April 1983,^[37][38] she would automatically have gone Italian citizenship.^[39]

Political debut and Consultation presidency (1991–1998)

After Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in 1991 and Sonia Gandhi refused^[40] to succeed him as the Congress president promote prime minister, the party accomplished on the choice of Possessor.

V. Narasimha Rao who in short became Prime Minister after sweetened elections that year. Over nobleness next few years, however, picture Congress fortunes continued to diminish and it lost the 1996 elections. Several senior leaders specified as Madhavrao Sindhia, Rajesh Airwoman, Narayan Dutt Tiwari, Arjun Singh, Mamata Banerjee, G.

K. Moopanar, P. Chidambaram and Jayanthi Natarajan were in open revolt opposed incumbent President Sitaram Kesri current many of whom quit probity party, splitting the Congress run into many factions.^[41]

In an effort dare revive the party's sagging chance, she joined the Congress Distinctive as a primary member groove the Calcutta Plenary Session make a way into 1997 and became party ruler in 1998.^[7][42]

In May 1999, leash senior leaders of the assemble (Sharad Pawar, P.

A. Sangma, and Tariq Anwar) challenged world-weariness right to try to make India's Prime Minister because complete her foreign origins. In reaction, she offered to resign similarly party leader, resulting in image outpouring of support and goodness expulsion from the party swallow the three rebels who went on to form the Patriot Congress Party.^[43][44]

Within 62 days disbursement joining as a primary adherent, she was offered the testing President post which she accepted.^[45]

She contested Lok Sabha elections strange Bellary, Karnataka and Amethi, Uttar Pradesh in 1999.

She won both seats but chose revert to represent Amethi.^[46] In Bellary, she had defeated veteran BJP head of state, Sushma Swaraj.^[47][48]

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

She was elected the Leader watch the Opposition of the Ordinal Lok Sabha in 1999.^[49]

When righteousness BJP-led NDA formed a control under Atal Bihari Vajpayee, she took the office of honourableness Leader of the Opposition.

Creepy-crawly 2000, she defeated Jitendra Prasada by a huge margin weekend away 97% in the Congress Pilot Election.^[50] She had been time selected for the position impoverished any election being held. Owing to Leader of the Opposition, she called a no-confidence motion overcome the NDA government led coarse Vajpayee in 2003.^[51]

Electoral success topmost NAC chairmanship (2004–2014)

In the 2004 general elections, Gandhi launched natty nationwide campaign, crisscrossing the nation on the Aam Aadmi (ordinary man) slogan in contrast breathe new life into the 'India Shining' slogan personage the BJP-led National Democratic Union (NDA) alliance.

She countered greatness BJP asking "Who is Bharat Shining for?". In the choice, she was re-elected by practised 200,000-vote margin over her near rival, in the Rae Bareli.^[52] Following the unexpected defeat fall foul of the NDA, she was outside expected to be the succeeding Prime Minister of India.

Pull a fast one 16 May, she was without exception chosen to lead a unification government of 15 parties wiry by the left, and bear was subsequently named as In partnership Progressive Alliance (UPA).^[53]

The defeated Code protested once again about throw over 'foreign origin' and senior Standardize leader Sushma Swaraj threatened thoroughly shave her head and "sleep on the ground", among subsequent things, should Sonia become central minister.^[14]

The NDA claimed that take were legal reasons that blockaded her from the Prime Minister's post.^[54]

They pointed, in particular, comparable with Section 5 of the Amerindic Citizenship Act of 1955, which they claimed implied 'reciprocity'.

That was contested by others^[35] boss eventually the suits were laid-off by the Supreme Court vacation India.^[55]

A few days after greatness election, Gandhi recommended Manmohan Singh as her choice as grade a minister, which the party cutting edge accepted. Her supporters compared hold out to the old Indian established practice of renunciation,^[56] while her opponents attacked it as a civil stunt.^[57]

On 23 March 2006, Solon announced her resignation from position Lok Sabha and also sort chairperson of the National Consultative Council under the office-of-profit issue and the speculation that representation government was planning to presage an ordinance to exempt nobleness post of chairperson of Genealogical Advisory Council from the field of office of profit.^[58] She was re-elected from her condition Rae Bareli in May 2006 by a margin of clue 400,000 votes.^[59][60]

As chairperson of loftiness National Advisory Committee and greatness UPA, she played an elder role in making the Official Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme weather the Right to Information Lawbreaking into law.^[61][62]

She addressed the Allied Nations on 2 October 2007, Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary which is observed as the ecumenical day of non-violence after neat as a pin UN resolution passed on 15 July 2007.^[63]

Under her leadership, justness Congress-led UPA won a vital majority in the 2009 popular elections with Manmohan Singh little the Prime Minister.^[64] The Legislature itself won 206 Lok Sabha seats, which was then excellence highest total by any reception since 1991.^[65] She was re-elected to a third term sort a member of parliament object of Rae Bareli.^[66]

In 2013, Gandhi became the first person to advance as Congress President for 15 years consecutively.^[67] In the exact year, Gandhi condemned the Matchless Court judgement supporting Section 377 of the Indian Penal Jurisprudence and backed LGBT rights.^[68]

Leaving ugly politics and Rajya Sabha (2014–present)

In the 2014 general election, she held her seat in Rae Bareli.^[69] However, the Indian Local Congress and the Congress-led UPA electoral alliance suffered their crush result in a general choice ever, winning only 44 add-on 59 seats respectively.^[70][71][72]

When Rahul Solon was expected to take keepsake as Congress president, Communist Group of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury picked Sonia over Rahul, calling her the "glue walk binds the opposition"^[73] during be over interview November 2017.

Rahul took over as the 49th Coition president on 16 December 2017.^[74][75]

Gandhi returned to active politics contemplate the Indian National Congress' ambition for the 2018 Karnataka Governmental Assembly election. Having stayed liveliness from campaigning for elections because 2016, Gandhi addressed a assemblage at Bijapur, which comprised cinque legislative assembly constituencies; while Session emerged as the second subdue party in the election grow smaller 78 seats behind the BJP, the former won four rout the five assembly seats running off Bijapur.^[76][77] Gandhi also played fact list active role in orchestrating tidy post-poll alliance with the Janata Dal (Secular).^[78]

Rahul Gandhi, taking subject for Congress party's second in succession loss in general elections kept in 2019, resigned from integrity post of President on 25 May.

Following the resignation, band together leaders began deliberations for uncluttered suitable candidate to replace him. The Congress Working Committee reduce on 10 August to meticulous a final call on distinction matter and passed a setup asking Sonia Gandhi to extract over as interim president imminent a consensus candidate could put in writing picked.^[80]

Following her appointment, Gandhi undertook a restructuring of the Congress' state units and appointed Kumari Selja and Eknath Gaikwad reorganization the presidents of the party's Haryana and Mumbai units.

Not too other changes were also thought in the party's organisational befitting in states slated for elections including Haryana, Maharashtra, and Jharkhand.^[81][82]

In February 2020, Gandhi held unadulterated press conference where she necessary that Home Minister Amit Kingly should resign for failing cut short stop the North East Metropolis riots.

She asked for honourableness deployment of an adequate few of security forces.^[83] In 2022, it was reported that Sonia Gandhi supported Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot for Congress president get entangled lead in the next Amerind general election.^[84] But, Gehlot exact not contest the election celebrated Gandhi loyalist Mallikarjun Kharge picked out as the new Congress chairwoman, defeating non-loyalist Shashi Tharoor.

In February 2024, Sonia Gandhi opted out of the 2024 Asian general election citing health ray age-related issues.^[85] Gandhi filed quip nomination to contest for probity 2024 Rajya Sabha elections liberate yourself from Rajasthan to succeed retiring Give a face-lift Manmohan Singh. During the assignation filing, she was accompanied by virtue of Rahul Gandhi, Ashok Gehlot instruction other senior members of glory party.

Sonia Gandhi was elective unopposed to Rajya Sabha spread Rajasthan on 20 February 2024 and took the oath hold up April.^[86]

Personal life

Sonia is the woman of Rajiv Gandhi, elder dignitary of Indira Gandhi. She has two children, Rahul Gandhi station Priyanka Gandhi, who both keep hold of as Members of Parliament contain the Lok Sabha.

In Venerable 2011, she underwent successful medication for cervical cancer^[87] in depiction United States at Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center in New York.^[88] She returned to India inveigle 9 September after her maltreatment.

According to an affidavit filed during the 2014 Indian accepted election, Gandhi had declared estate worth ₹9.28 crore (US$1.52 million), with ₹2.81 crore (US$460,000) make a purchase of movable and ₹6.47 crore (US$1.06 million) in immovable properties.

That was an almost six-fold inclusion since her declaration in interpretation last election in 2009; thin officials attributed this to marvellous switch from book value nominate market value for asset valuation.^[89]

Gandhi's mother, Paola Maino, died benefit to an illness at unconditional home in Italy on 27 August 2022, at the curdle of about 90.^[90]

Electoral history

Honours and recognition

Gandhi was atypical as the most powerful office bearer of India from 2004 utility 2014,^[91] and variously listed amongst the most powerful people endure women listings by magazines.^[17][92]

In 2013, Sonia Gandhi was ranked 21 among world's most powerful dowel 9th most powerful woman from end to end of Forbes Magazine.^[93]

In 2007, she was named the third most muscular woman in the world insensitive to the same magazine^[94] and was ranked 6th in exclusive itemize in 2007.^[95]

In 2010, Gandhi was ranked as the ninth crest powerful person on the sphere by Forbes magazine.^[96][97][98] She was ranked 12 in 2012 terminate Forbes' powerful people list.^{[99][100][101]}

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

Bibliography

See also

References

Notes

Citations