Sonia Gandhi Biography

Sonia Gandhi was born Edvige Antonia Albina Maino on December 9, 1946, in Lusiana, Veneto, Italy, to Stefano and Paola Maino as one of their three daughters. Her father was a mason who owned a small construction business.

Indira Gandhi’s younger son Sanjay was expected to follow in his mother’s footsteps. However, Sanjay died in a plane crash in 1980, and Indira Gandhi pressurized Rajiv to enter politics. Initially, both Rajiv and Sonia opposed the idea. However, Rajiv later on agreed to enter politics reluctantly.

Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated in 1984, and Rajiv Gandhi succeeded her as the prime minister. As the prime minister’s wife, Sonia had no other option but to get involved in political matters.

Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in 1991, and being his widow, Sonia was considered by many as the natural heir to the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty. She was offered the leadership of the ‘Congress’ party, but she refused the offer and chose to stay away from politics.

In 2004, she was made the chairperson of the ‘National Advisory Council.’ In this position, she played a vital role in the enactment of the ‘National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme’ and the ‘Right to Information Act’ in 2005. Sonia Gandhi was forced to resign from the ‘Lok Sabha’ and as chairperson of the ‘National Advisory Council’ in March 2006 after the controversy regarding office-of-profit. As per law, a member of parliament can’t hold an office-of-profit, and the post of chairperson of ‘National Advisory Council’ after coming under the purview of office-of-profit. Sonia Gandhi was reelected to parliament in May 2006, and subsequently the government exempted the post of the chairperson of ‘National Advisory Council’ from the purview of office-of-profit. She once again became the chairperson of the ‘National Advisory Council’ in 2010, serving till 2014. During the 2014 general elections, her party lost the power but she retained her seat in Rae Bareli.