Indian statesman, Prime Minister of India in 1966-1977 and 1980-1984 Indira Gandhi was born on November 19, 1917 in Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh state in northern India) into a family that actively participated in the struggle for Indian independence.
Her father Jawaharlal Nehru, who later became India's first prime minister after the country's independence in 1947, was at that time taking his first steps in the political arena with the Indian National Congress (INC) party. Gandhi's grandfather Motilal Nehru, one of the veterans and leaders of the "old guard" of the INC, enjoyed great fame. Active participants political struggle There were also women of the Nehru family: Indira Swarup's grandmother Rani Nehru and her mother Kamala were repeatedly subjected to repression by the authorities.
At the age of two, Indira Gandhi met the “father of the nation” - Mahatma Gandhi, and at the age of eight, on his advice, she organized a children's union in her hometown for the development of home weaving. From her teenage years, she took part in demonstrations and more than once served as a courier for independence fighters.
In 1934, Indira entered the People's University, which was created by the famous Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore. However, after the death of her mother in 1936, she had to interrupt her studies and go to Europe.
In 1937, she entered Somerwell College, Oxford in England, where she studied government, history and anthropology. After the outbreak of World War II, Indira decided to return to her homeland to be with her people during these difficult times. I had to return home through South Africa, where many Indians settled. And there, in Cape Town, she gave her first real political speech.
In 1941 she returned to India, and in 1942 she married Feroz Gandhi (namesake of Mahatma Gandhi), a journalist from Allahabad and a childhood friend. In September 1942, the couple were arrested, Indira Gandhi remained in prison until May 1943.
In 1944, her son Rajiv was born, and in 1946, her son Sanjay.
On August 15, 1947, India achieved independence. The first national government was formed. Indira Gandhi became the personal secretary of her father, the prime minister, and accompanied Nehru on all his foreign trips.
Since 1955, Indira Gandhi has been a member of the Working Committee and a member of the Central Election Commission of the INC, the chairman of the women's organization of this party and a member of the Central Parliamentary Council of the All India Committee of the INC. That same year, Gandhi attended the Bandung Conference with her father, which launched the Non-Aligned Movement. In 1959-1960, Gandhi was the chairman of the INC.
In 1960, Indira Gandhi's husband died.
At the beginning of 1961, Gandhi became a member of the working committee of the INC and began to travel to hotbeds of national conflicts.
In 1964, Indira Gandhi's father Jawaharlal Nehru died.
That same year, Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri invited Gandhi to join the cabinet, and she took up the post of Minister of Information and Broadcasting.
In 1966, after the death of Shastri, Indira Gandhi became prime minister. In this position she faced strong opposition. In 1969, after her government nationalized 14 of India's largest banks, conservative INC leaders tried to expel her from the party. They failed to do this and the right-wing faction left the INC, which led to a split in the party.
In 1971, the war with Pakistan began, under these conditions Gandhi signed the Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation with the USSR.
The consequences of the war caused a deterioration in the economic situation and increased internal tension, resulting in unrest in the country. In response, Gandhi declared a state of emergency in India in June 1975.
In 1978, having announced the creation of her party INC (I), Gandhi was again elected to parliament, and in the 1980 elections she returned to the post of prime minister.
Soon after returning to power, Gandhi suffered a severe personal loss - her youngest son and chief political adviser Sanjay died in a plane crash. IN last years Gandhi's life paid great attention to activities on the world stage; in 1983, she was elected chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement.
Indira Gandhi's second term was marked by conflict with Sikh separatists in the state of Punjab. The military operation "Blue Star" to neutralize Sikh extremists, carried out on the orders of the Indian government, led to the death of Indira Gandhi. On October 31, 1984, she was killed by her Sikh guards.
After the death of Indira Gandhi, the INC and the government were headed by her eldest son Rajiv. In 1991, he was killed by a terrorist from the Sri Lankan Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in retaliation for the dispatch of Indian troops to Sri Lanka in the mid-1980s.
The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources
Indira Gandhi (1917 - 1984) - Indian woman politician, prime minister and leading figure in the Indian National Congress party. She earned the title of “Woman of the Millennium” according to the BBC. She remains the only woman to hold the post of Indian Prime Minister.
Gandhi's early years
Indira Gandhi is a representative of the famous Indian Nehru dynasty, which gave the country fighters for independence and modernization. It is not only her father Jawaharlal Nehru, but also his father Motilal, and Indira's maternal grandmother and great-grandmother, who were often arrested by the Indian authorities.
Nehru's family belonged to the varna of Kashmiri Brahmins and thus to the highest social group of Indian society. However, from the very birth of his daughter, Jawaharlal Nehru began to move away from ancient traditions: Indira was born not in her mother’s house, as was customary, but in the large and respectable house of her grandfather.
The girl grew up smart and lively. At just two years old, she met Mahatma Gandhi, who has since become her true friend and mentor. When she was eight years old, at his suggestion, she founded children's home weaving courses. During her school years, she tried to participate in politics and helped fighters for independence in every possible way. Of course, her father instructed her in this.
In 1934, Indira entered the Rabindranath Tagore People's University, but two years later, after the death of her mother, she was forced to leave for Europe. She studied in England for some time, but during World War II she decided to return to her homeland. The path home lay through South Africa, which at that time had many Indians living in it, and it was there that she made her first real political speech.
In 1942, she married social activist Feroz Gandhi and took his surname. This politician belonged to the Parsis, a people of Iranian origin who professed Zoroastrianism. Feroz was the namesake of Mahatma Gandhi, but not a relative. This marriage grossly violated religious and caste traditions: Feroz did not belong to the highest varna. However, he also participated in the struggle for independence, and soon after their marriage the couple was arrested. The girl spent time in prison until May 1943.
In independent India
Attempts by the British to maintain power in the country were not successful, and in 1947 India gained independence. The Indian National Congress party, led by Jawaharlal Nehru, took power. Indira became his assistant and secretary. Due to her duty, she traveled with her father to all events.
A high-profile event was a trip to the USSR in 1955. Indira was impressed by the power of Soviet industry. There is a famous episode when she climbed right into the bucket of a huge walking excavator. This event strengthened friendly relations between both countries, but the USSR was not invited to the Bandung Conference, which became the beginning of the Non-Aligned Movement.
Feroz Gandhi died in 1960. At that moment, Indira joined the working committee of the party and began to travel to the “hot spots” of the country.
Indira Gandhi - Prime Minister
Jawaharlal Nehru died in 1964. Two years later, Indira took over as prime minister. She became the second woman in the world to hold this position; the first was also a representative of the Indo-Aryan group - Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Sirimavo Bandaranaike. The main milestones of her reign were as follows:
- Building a socially oriented state, fighting poverty;
- Rapid development of industry;
- "Green Revolution" in agriculture, thanks to which India was able to fully provide itself with food;
- Nationalization of a number of major banks.
Indira Gandhi sought to strengthen and develop friendly relations with the USSR. It is known that the KGB allocated tens of millions of dollars in support of the INC, including for the purpose of supporting anti-American propaganda.
The Soviet secret services also gave Indira gifts - for example, back in 1955, she received a fur coat as a gift; at that time, while her father was still alive, the KGB hoped that the daughter would be able to exert the necessary influence on Nehru. However, nationalization, a bias towards a “welfare state” and friendship with socialist countries led to a split in the INC; the right sector of the party, represented by aristocrats, defiantly left it.
The deterioration of the political and economic situation in the country was facilitated by the war unleashed by Indira Gandhi with Pakistan. Popular unrest and calls to dismiss her began. In response, she declared a state of emergency, during which she was able to stabilize the situation. However, she was too confident in her popularity, which by that time had greatly weakened.
In 1977, she called free elections, which she lost. Subsequently, she was arrested several times and accused of corruption. A few years later, however, Indira returned to politics and again headed the government.
Forced sterilization
Indira Gandhi understood that one of the reasons for the appalling poverty of most of the country's inhabitants was uncontrolled reproduction and overpopulation. To combat this problem, she introduced forced sterilization of citizens. This measure, however, turned out to be unpopular - not particularly literate people did not appreciate it. This further turned the masses of ordinary Indians against their “iron lady”.
Murder
The negative side of the second period of Indira’s reign was the conflict with the Sikhs (a religious group), which escalated into a violent clash. The military dared to desecrate main temple Sikhs, in which extremist fanatics took refuge. The Sikhs swore revenge on the prime minister, which was soon fulfilled. Indira Gandhi was shot dead by her own bodyguards, who were Sikhs, in 1984.
On October 31, 1984, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, was assassinated. In India she was called the “mother of the nation”, and in the world she was considered the most famous female politician. In the USSR, girls were named after her. The assassination of Indira Gandhi was a real shock to the world community.
Daughter of a famous father
On November 19, 1917, Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi, daughter of the first Prime Minister of independent India, Jawaharlal Nehru, was born in the city of Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh). She was educated in England, graduating from Oxford, and upon returning home, she became her father’s personal secretary, accompanying him on trips around the country and abroad, participating in meetings and international negotiations. As time passed, her experience and influence among the country's political forces grew. As a politician, Indira Gandhi was able to overcome the wariness of the stronger half of humanity and even then won the trust of the Indian population.
Indira's relationship with her father was very trusting and darkened only once, when she got married in 1941. The fact is that Nehru came from one of the most high-born and ancient Brahman clans, whose members in India were revered almost like demigods. Members of the clan have been concerned about the purity of their blood for thousands of years; Indira’s grandfather even received a noble title from the British. Brahman Nehru was shocked by the choice of his daughter, who was going to marry a man from a despised class.
Indira's chosen one was Feroz Gandhi from a family of fire-worshipping Zoroastrians. The news of the engagement of the daughter of the Indian leader to a pariah caused outrage in the country, even leading to threats of physical violence. However, this did not frighten Indira, and she did not change her decision. The famous Mahatma Gandhi, revered in India as a saint, and the groom's namesake, spoke in her defense. It is still not clear why Indira needed this marriage so much, because they believe that she did not have any all-consuming love for Feroz. It is believed that she decided on such a misalliance, realizing that a husband of equal origin would simply force her to give up politics for the sake of the duties of a wife.
Perhaps this disagreement was the only one for two decades, when they remained practically one, the father and daughter were so close spiritually and politically. The daughter became a true friend for Jawaharlal, he talked with her about his experiences, sorrows and hopes, and shared plans for the future. Indira, in turn, did not hide anything from him and supported her father in every possible way.
Indira Gandhi at the head of the country
Jawaharlal Nehru died in 1964. He was called the “father of the nation”, the grief of the Indians was immeasurable. Indira Gandhi bravely endured this blow of fate; she was already a prominent politician and considered it her duty to continue her father’s work. She served as Minister of Information and Broadcasting for two years, then became the chairman of the ruling Indian National Congress party. In 1966, Indira Gandhi took over the government, becoming the world's second woman to serve as prime minister.
No one still knows how much of the victory of 49-year-old Indira was due to the authority of her late father, and how much was due to her strength of character and legendary ability to influence the masses. It is worth noting that holding the post of head of India at that time was an incredibly responsible, difficult and even dangerous task. The country was literally suffocating from economic, social, domestic and foreign policy problems. A solution had to be found, and this in a country with a complex caste structure, interreligious problems, widespread poverty and women's inequality.
An indecisive and overly cautious politician simply could not cope with this, but Indira Gandhi acted energetically, without fear of a military conflict with neighboring Pakistan, or disagreements with like-minded people, or bullets from separatists or conspirators. She sacrificed her personal life to the political struggle and wanted others to do the same.
Many in our country do not know about one of Indira Gandhi’s worst mistakes, because of which she even lost the elections. It was a family planning program. Poverty was rampant in the country, children were dying of millions of hungry Indians, something had to be done about it. Indira Gandhi's son, for example, believed that forced sterilization of the poorest men could stop the rise in poverty. Many other politicians shared this view. As a result, simple-looking peasants in rags were caught on the streets and forcibly sterilized, while forgetting to explain that they would not lose their potency from this procedure.
Of course, the people did not like this very much, and they went to the elections in 1977 under the slogan “Drive out Indira, save your masculine strength.” As a result, Indira Gandhi lost the election. However, the opposition, as often happens, was only able to criticize and label. After three years of her rule, all the problems in the country only worsened, so in 1980, Indira Gandhi returned to power in triumph.
Operation Blue Star
Indira Gandhi's return to power coincided with her severe personal loss - her youngest son Sanjay, whom she was preparing to be her successor, died in a plane crash. By that time, he was already his mother’s confidant and her political adviser. The eldest son Rajiv was lukewarm about politics; his hobby was computers. It is thanks to him that India is now one of the leaders in this field. Because of Sanjay's death, he had to start helping his mother in the political field.
In the early 1980s, Sikh separatists in the state of Punjab became active in India. They demanded the proclamation of an independent Khalistan state in Punjab. The separatists did not want a referendum, they did not intend to hold peaceful protests, they were only talking about armed struggle. In 1982, the leader of radical extremists Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale settled on the territory of the main shrine of the Sikhs - the Golden Temple in Amritsar. This problem became a headache for Indira Gandhi; she was repeatedly reported about Sikh extremists demanding the separation of the state of Punjab from the country, how they were bringing weapons and ammunition to the Golden Temple and even organized something like an arms factory there. The temple essentially became a base for terrorists, something had to be done urgently. At the same time, the country's leadership understood that a conflict with the Sikhs on the territory of their main shrine would undoubtedly lead to dire consequences. The situation was further complicated by the fact that hundreds of peaceful pilgrims were constantly present on the temple grounds.
In early June 1984, units of the 9th Infantry Division of the Indian Army surrounded the temple, periodically engaging in firefights with militants. Soon, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi ordered a military operation to clear the temple of separatists. It was called "Blue Star". On June 5, the militants were presented with an ultimatum: without any preconditions, they had to immediately leave the temple and lay down their arms. However, only 129 people left the temple complex.
On the evening of June 5, the assault on the temple by army units began. The militants' resistance was so strong that they had to use tanks. The fighting continued until June 9. According to official data, during the assault on the temple complex, 83 military personnel and 492 people inside the temple were killed. Among the dead were not only militants and extremist leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, but also peaceful pilgrims, including 30 women and 5 children. However, extremists spoke about the destruction by the military of up to 10 thousand Sikhs, among whom civilians predominated.
Bloody revenge of the Sikhs
The task of eliminating the “nest” of extremists was solved, but many considered the storming of the temple a big mistake. There were many Sikhs in the Indian army; after the assault, they began to desert from service, often with weapons. Many warned Indira Gandhi that extremists would definitely try to take revenge on her. She was offered to wear a bulletproof vest, but she smiled and said: “It makes me look fat.” No, she was not careless and, no doubt, understood the seriousness of the threat hanging over her, but she was not going to change her life even on pain of death. She said: “Martyrdom is not the end, but only the beginning,” and gave the example of Mahatma Gandhi, who died at the hands of a fanatic.
She did not even change the Sikh guards, believing that this could only deepen the division in Indian society. Among the Prime Minister's bodyguards was one Beant Singh, who served her for about ten years and accompanied Indira Gandhi several times on her trips abroad. Alas, she did not know that this man had connections with Sikh extremists who vowed revenge for the desecration of the Golden Temple. It was Beant Singh who agreed to become an instrument of revenge for the conspirators. He managed to find an accomplice in the person of the young policeman Satwant Singh.
Indira Gandhi seemed to have a presentiment that death was already somewhere near her. The day before her death, October 30, 1984, she said: “Today I am alive, and tomorrow I may not be... But every drop of my blood belongs to India.” On the morning of October 31, the Prime Minister was supposed to have a meeting with the famous English writer, playwright and actor Peter Ustinov. Indira Gandhi was waiting for her with obvious pleasure; she spent a long time choosing an outfit, because she had a television interview ahead of her. She opted for a saffron-colored dress and skipped the bulletproof vest to look slimmer.
Beant Singh and Satwant Singh stood at one of the posts along the path along which Indira Gandhi walked to the meeting with her guards. She smiled welcomingly at the Sikh guards, and then Beant Singh pulled out a pistol and shot the Prime Minister three times, and Satwant Singh pierced her body with a burst of machine gun fire. Indira Gandhi's bodyguards immediately opened fire. Beant Singh managed to shout: “I did what I wanted. Now you do what you want! - and fell, struck by bullets. He was killed, but the second killer, despite his wounds, managed to survive.
Indira Gandhi was urgently sent to the hospital, but the doctors were powerless - eight bullets hit her vital organs at once. In total, doctors removed 20 bullets from her body. One of the members of Peter Ustinov’s film crew recalled: “I heard three single shots, and then a burst of machine gun fire. Apparently, the killers wanted to complete their task one hundred percent. They did not leave the victim a single chance...” The villainous assassination of Indira Gandhi caused an explosion of indignation throughout India, and the anger of the people, of course, fell on the Sikhs. About 3 thousand people were killed in a few days.
Those who ordered the murder of Indira Gandhi were never found; some still believe that she was the victim of just lone fanatics. Indira Gandhi's body was cremated according to Hindu rites on the banks of the Jamna River. Her son Rajiv Gandhi personally lit the funeral pyre. Addressing the crowd, he said: “My mother gave her life so that Indians could live as one family. Don’t dishonor her memory!” In 1991, Rajiv Gandhi, who became his mother's political heir, was assassinated by a suicide bomber from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
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Indira Gandhi is the Prime Minister of India. She is known for her strong character, sharp mind and political acumen. According to the results of the survey, Indira was named “Woman of the Millennium” in 1999. To this day, she is the only woman to ever rule India.
Becoming a politician
It is quite easy to understand why Indira Gandhi chose the path of politics. She was born in 1917 into a family of people who were interested in politics and actively participated in political life of your country. Indira Gandhi's father was a famous politician, his name was Jawaharlal Nehru. He began his career in the Indian National Congress party. Indira's mother and grandmother were also active and participated in many demonstrations.
At the age of two, little Indira met the no longer young Mahatma Gandhi. A sharp mind and acumen were inherent in the young Indian from childhood: being at the age of modern first-graders, on the advice of the Mahatma, she organized a club for children, the purpose of which was to develop home weaving.
In 1937, Indira decided to return to her homeland. Her return route lay through South Africa, where many Indians lived. It was there that she found her first audience, for whom she delivered a fiery and memorable speech. In Cape Town she spoke about her ideas and worldview to Indians. Her words had an effect, and then the girl realized her path and destiny.
In 1942, the future prime minister got married. Feroz Gandhi becomes her husband. He professed the teachings of Zarathustra, which consisted in a person’s conscious choice of good thoughts, words and actions. It is important to note that the young spouses literally violated ancient Indian laws by entering into an unequal marriage. However, for them, intercaste marriage was not an obstacle, and, despite everything, Indira took her husband's surname. Many believe that Feroz was a relative of a famous political family named Gandhi, but this is not so.
In 1947, India gains independence. At the age of 30, Indira Gandhi began working in tandem with Jawaharlal Nehru. She holds the post of his personal secretary. In 1955, they traveled together to the Soviet Union, to the Urals. She really liked the Uralmashplant, she was amazed at the scale military equipment, produced by the Urals.
At this time, the Soviet Union begins to perceive Indira as an excellent tool for influencing her father. She is presented with expensive gifts (for example, a fur coat). In addition, millions of dollars are beginning to be allocated for her party and movement. Indira Gandhi did not know until the end of her life that this money was coming to her foundation from the capital of the Soviet Union.
Indira Gandhi and her father go to a conference in Badung, where they advocate for the Non-Aligned Movement, a movement that denies the possibility of participation in hostilities. In 1960, Indira's husband dies, she takes this loss hard and after that she begins to devote all her strength to her political career.
First reign
In 1964, Indira's father dies. A woman is elected as a member of parliament from the INC after the death of a relative. After some time, she is offered to take a higher position and is appointed to the post of Minister of Information and Broadcasting. The woman accepts this offer with great pleasure.
In 1971, Indira Gandhi begins to promote her social ideas. She builds relationships with Soviet Union. Warm and trusting ties are established between the two countries, and the USSR helps India in the conflict with East Pakistan. This year becomes successful for Gandhi: she wins the parliamentary elections.
During the reign of Indira, the country begins to flourish:
- There is progress in the banking system.
- Industry is developing.
- India's first nuclear power plant is launched.
- A “green revolution” is taking place in agriculture, which has also affected a number of other developing countries.
During this time, she manages to achieve further victories. Conflicts between people of different religions are practically eradicated in the country. At the same time, some of the policy's innovations are not successful. For example, the proposal for forced sterilization to curb population growth was received negatively by society. In 1977, unexpectedly for everyone, Indira loses the next election.
Second government
Indira Gandhi quickly finds a way out of this situation. A year after the elections, she finds the strength to organize her own party. She is again invited to parliament and restored to the status of prime minister. Indira's active policy simultaneously attracted the attention of society and also had opponents: in 1980, she was attacked by a terrorist. However, the knife hits the bodyguard, and Indira remains alive.
During her second reign, Indira spent a lot of energy fighting the Sikhs. They declared their independence and occupied the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The Hindus did not like this, so in 1984 they raised a militia and liberated the temple from the Sikhs. It was this event that served as the impetus for the latter’s aggression against India and the desire for revenge. The Sikhs were full of hatred towards the Prime Minister and in the same year they commit the assassination of Indira Gandhi.
It’s hard to believe, but the ruler’s bodyguards turned out to be Sikhs. A feeling of injustice towards their people overwhelmed them and they made an attempt on Indira's life. On this tragic day, the great woman did not wear a bulletproof vest under her dress, as she was going to come to an interview with Peter Ustinov in a light sari.
Indira was killed on her way to see the journalist. As the Prime Minister walked along the path to the reception on small gravel, she saw two of her guards standing on either side of the path. She gave them a friendly smile and was immediately wounded by a revolver and a machine gun. The Sikhs were immediately detained.
The great woman made a huge contribution to the development of the country, although she was brief in her speeches and modest. Wikipedia says that after the death of Indira Gandhi in Moscow, a square was named after her, and a monument to this woman politician was erected. Many countries have issued postage stamps with her portrait, and Delhi Airport was named after the great ruler. Indira Gandhi also attracted the attention of the writer Salman Rudsha; her biography was partially reproduced in his work “Midnight’s Children.” Author: Ekaterina Lipatova
Perhaps every romantic girl dreamed of meeting a prince on a white horse. Maybe not on white, maybe not on a horse, but definitely a prince. Perhaps someone dreamed of a prince from an oriental fairy tale. It is not known whether one Italian girl Sonya dreamed of this, but in her life such a fairy tale became a reality. And the eastern prince appeared, and romantic love, life in a fabulously beautiful country and much more. But first things first.
Rajiv Gandhi's childhood
The Gandhi family was one of the most famous and influential in 20th century India. Rajiv was the eldest son of Indira and Feroz Gandhi, the grandson of the world famous Indian figure Jawaharlal Nehru. Rajiv Gandhi was born on August 20, 1944 in Bombay (now Mumbai) in British India, at that time still a colony. India gained independence in 1947. After this, Jawaharlal Nehru became the first Prime Minister of India. Little Rajiv was mostly brought up in the house of his grandfather, who loved children very much. Life in the house of great politicians implied that Rajiv himself would in the future occupy a certain place in the political system of India.
According to the recollections of people who knew him, Rajiv did not like politics, but loved technology. And that’s exactly what I wanted to do. Fortunately, he had such an opportunity: the political successor of his grandfather and mother was to be his younger brother Sanjay, who showed more inclinations towards this type of activity. They began to prepare him to be the future leader of the Indian National Congress party. And Rajiv was able to go to study in the UK as a mechanical engineer.
Sonia Gandhi's childhood
Sonia, nee Maino, was born in northern Italy on December 9, 1946. Sonia's family was, of course, not as famous as Rajiv's family. Her father fought on the side of the Italian fascists and was captured by the Soviets. Returning to his homeland, he was engaged in contracts and managed to get rich. In memory of the Soviet Union, he gave his three daughters Russian names. True, for us they sound a little strange - Annushka, Sonya and Nadya. When Sonya turned 18, her parents decided to send her to study English language and literature at Cambridge. After completing her studies, she had to return to her homeland to become a teacher. in English. But fate decreed differently.
Love at first sight
Rajeev and Sonya met quite by accident, in a Greek restaurant, where they often dined. Sonya noticed a handsome guy who stood out among the noisy student crowd with his reserved manners. He was also incredibly charming, with a wonderful smile. By the way, he remained like this all his life. She noticed him, but she didn’t make any attempts to get to know him. One day, Sonya’s friend introduced them over lunch. Rajeev and Sonia looked into each other's eyes and realized that it was real love. And, as it turned out, love for life.
Soon they began to spend all their time together. But when the conversation came up about the wedding, the first difficulties arose. Sonya herself was not afraid of intercultural differences: for the sake of her loved one, she was ready to change her place of residence, language, customs, and, in the end, become Indian. The obstacles were the parents, on both sides: Rajiv, the son and grandson of famous Indian politicians, and Sonia, a provincial Italian, looked too different. It would seem, what do they have in common? But there was one thing in common - true love. She won.
Family life
The parents of the bride and groom greeted the news of the future wedding with hostility. Sonya's father Antonio Maino never came to terms with his daughter's choice and did not come to the wedding. Indira Gandhi was also not happy about her son’s desire to marry a foreigner. This could damage the political reputation of the party: in conservative India, even inter-caste marriages among Indians themselves were not encouraged, not to mention marriages with foreigners.
But Indira Gandhi was a person of progressive views, and besides, at one time she herself violated centuries-old foundations - her husband Feroz was not like her from a Brahmin family, he was a Parsi - a Zoroastrian. In the end, the wise Indira Gandhi accepted her son's choice and even gave the bride her own sari for the wedding, in which she herself got married.
The wedding took place in the capital of India, Delhi, in 1968, according to all Hindu canons. The young family settled in the house of Indira Gandhi, then Prime Minister. Sonya began diligently studying Indian traditions, learning Hindi, and began dressing in a sari. The subsequent period of life became the happiest and calmest in the Gandhi family. Rajeev went to work as a pilot for Indian Airways. In 1970, the happy couple had a son, Rahul. And in 1972, daughter Priyanka.
Sonya, like a good Indian wife, took care of the children and housework, and helped her mother-in-law. And she also worked at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Delhi. They didn't talk about politics in their family. Sonia and Rajiv led the life of an ordinary happy couple. Exactly until the first of the tragedies happened, which radically changed their fate.
Life and politics
The life of Rajiv Gandhi fully reflected the saying “If you are not involved in politics, politics will be involved in you.” Rajiv still failed to avoid a political career. In 1980, the unexpected happened - Sanjay Gandhi died in a plane crash. There are still many rumors about this death. It is unknown which of them is true and which is not. When a politician of this rank dies, “conspiracy theories” always appear, talk about evil fate, etc. For Sonya's family, this event really turned out to be a manifestation evil rock.
Gandhi's political dynasty was under threat. And Indira Gandhi did everything to get Rajiv to engage in political activities. For Sonya this was a blow, she was afraid that politics would destroy her family, destroy her love, and destroy their freedom. She had reasons for this: political activity often takes away all a person’s free time, deprives him of the opportunity to live at his own discretion, and takes away time from communicating with his family.
The first disagreements and quarrels began in the family. Sonya seriously threatened her husband with divorce and departure to Europe. But she was unable to fight the will of Indira Gandhi. Like a true loving Indian wife, Sonia resigned herself. And she allowed her husband to engage in activities that she hated so much. Despite the fact that he had no inclination towards politics, Rajiv achieved great political success. Perhaps due to the fact that his beloved woman supported him in everything.
And then another tragedy happened: on October 31, 1984, Indira Gandhi was shot and killed by her own bodyguards. She died in Sonya's arms: having heard the shots, she ran out of the house and found her mother-in-law in a pool of blood. Now Rajiv Gandhi no longer had any choice; in the evening of the same day he was elected prime minister. But even after becoming the head of a huge country, Rajiv Gandhi did not cease to be loving husband and a wonderful family man. Unlike other political figures, he tried to spend all his free time with his wife and children, remaining the same sensitive and kind person.
The last tragedy
On May 21, 1991, Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a suicide bomber from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam during a campaign trip. The girl broke through the crowd with a garland of flowers in her hands and set off an explosive device... Sonya lost everything in her life and closed herself off from the whole world for many years. But she did not return back to Italy. According to Sonya herself, India is her homeland, the homeland of her children. For their sake, for the sake of the future of the country, Sonya stayed. And, subsequently, I found the strength to continue the work of my husband and mother-in-law. In 1999, she entered politics. Now Sonia Gandhi is the leader of the Indian National Congress party.
Love is not always like a fairy tale among the rich and famous. The story is a story of passionate love and humiliation.
