Sonia Gandhi, Chairperson of the Indian National Congress
Sonia Gandhi was born December 9, 1946 in Lusiana, Italy. Her father was an entrepreneur named Stefano Maino, who spent time in Soviet captivity during World War II but retained respect for Russia all of his life.
Ms Gandhi was educated in Italy and England, studying linguistics at Cambridge University. She speaks English, Hindi, French and Spanish. She also studied Russian, which she understands and speaks on a basic level.
In 1968, she married Rajiv Gandhi.
Ms Gandhi accepted Indian citizenship and converted to Hinduism at the beginning of Rajiv Gandhi's political career in 1984. She took part in major social and political events, accompanying Indira and Rajiv Gandhi on practically all of their trips within the country and abroad. She took part in her husband's election campaign for the lower house of parliament in 1991.
In May 1991, after the death of Rajiv Gandhi, who had served as leader of the Indian National Congress (INC), Ms Gandhi declined an offer from the party leadership to become its new chairperson. She instead continued her social, charity and cultural work.
After the INC's defeat in parliamentary elections in March 1998, Ms Gandhi became active in party affairs and was elected INC chairperson. She enjoys great authority in the party and in the country as a whole. Ms Gandhi was elected to the lower house in 1999 She becamethe leader of the INC faction and the official leader of the opposition.
Ms Gandhi has a great interest in history, culture, painting, icon painting, classical music (including Russian music), opera and ballet. She heads the Rajiv Gandhi Memorial fund and has done much to perpetuate his memory.
Ms Gandhi has two children: a son Rahul (b. 1970) and daughter Priyanka (b. 1972). Rahul became actively involved in INC politics in 2004 when he was elected as a member of the lower house of parliament. He now serves as the General Secretary of the All-Indian Committee of the INC and supervises its youth movement.
