Sonia Gandhi Age

Indian politician Sonia Gandhi was born on December 9, 1946 in Lusiana, a historically Cimbrian-speaking village 30 km from Vicenza in Veneto, Italy.

Sonia Gandhi Real Name

Her real name is Sonia Maino.

Sonia Gandhi Father Name

His father Stefano, who was a building mason established a small construction business in Orbassano.

Sonia Gandhi Photo

Sonia Gandhi Young

She attained primary education attending the local Catholic schools; Sister Maria, one of her early teachers described her as “a diligent little girl, studied as much as was necessary”.

Gandhi completed her schooling at the age of 13. She aspired to become a flight attendant. In 1964, she went to study English at the Bell Educational Trust’s language school in the city of Cambridge.

The following year, she met Rajiv Gandhi at the Varsity Restaurant, where she worked as a part-time waitress. He was enrolled for an engineering degree in the Trinity College at the University of Cambridge

Sonia Gandhi Husband

She married Rajiv Gandhi in 1968, in a Hindu ceremony, following which she moved into the house of her mother-in-law and then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi.

The couple had two children, Rahul Gandhi (born 1970) and Priyanka Vadra (born 1972). Despite belonging to the influential Nehru family, Sonia and Rajiv avoided all involvement in politics.

Rajiv worked as an airline pilot while Sonia took care of her family. She spent considerable amount of time with her mother-in-law, Indira Gandhi.

When Rajiv entered politics in 1982 after the death of his younger brother Sanjay Gandhi in a plane crash on 23 June 1980. Sonia continued to focus on her family and avoided all contact with the public.

Sonia Gandhi Nationality

Mrs Gandhi acquired Indian Citizenship in April 1983. She surrendered her Italian passport to the Italian Embassy on 27 April 1983.

Sonia Gandhi Biography

Sonia Gandhi’s involvement with Indian public life began after the assassination of her mother-in-law and her husband’s election as prime minister.

As the prime minister’s wife she acted as his official hostess and also accompanied him on a number of state visits.

Following her husband’s assassination, Congress leaders invited Gandhi to lead the party, but she refused and stayed away from politics.

She finally agreed to join politics in 1997 after constant prodding from the party; the following year, she was nominated for party president, and elected over Jitendra Prasada.

Under her leadership, the Congress went on form the government post the 2004 elections in coalition with other centre-left political parties.

Gandhi has since been credited for being instrumental in formulating the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), which was re-elected to power in 2009.

Gandhi declined the premiership following the 2004 victory; she instead led the ruling alliance and the National Advisory Council.

Over the course of her career, Gandhi presided over the advisory councils credited for the formation and subsequent implementation of such rights-based development and welfare schemes as the Right to information, Food security bill, and MNREGA. She drew criticism related to the Bofors scandal and the National Herald Case.

Her foreign birth has also been a subject of much debate and controversy. Gandhi’s active participation in politics began to reduce during the latter half of the UPA government’s second term owing to health concerns.

She stepped down as the Congress president in December 2017, but continues to lead the party’s Parliamentary committee.

Media often described Gandhi as one of the most powerful politicians in the country, and the most powerful women in the world.