Sonia Gandhi- Subtle in demeanour and lofty in action

INCREDIBLE WOMEN OF INDIA

When we utter the word woman we barely see the journey, trials and tribulations that she has been through. Most of us only perceive her physical attributes and beauty. It is said that behind every successful man there is a woman. There is an endless list of amazing and incredible women around the globe whose lives have been steeped with extraordinary feats and tales. As Indians we are blessed to recite and inscribe several such stories. One such story is about Sonia Gandhi, president of Indian National Congress. Her story is a journey of an Italian girl christened as Antonia Albina Maino who came to India as the daughter-in-law of the Gandhi family.

Incidentally, her father Stefano Maino was a staunch supporter of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. Antonia Albina Maino who had met Rajiv Gandhi, the charismatic former Indian Prime Minister at a bar in UK (while they were both studying in the University) is not known to have had any pronounced political aspirations during her maiden life. In her case everything seemed destined. For after her very first meeting with young Rajiv, a profound and riveting love story started between them and the rest ofcourse is public history.

A twenty two year old Sonia who wedded Rajiv Gandhi in 1968 relocated to India and acquired Indian citizenship. It is said that because of her gentle and subtle demeanour Sonia was Indira Gandhi's beloved daughter in law. However, despite her gentle ways she was tenacious and incredibly strong too- traits that she demonstrated when her husband was assassinated in 1991, traits that India has witnessed consistently with her numerous acts and initiatives to make herself an intrinsic part of India and its culture. Be it learning Hindi or making prompt arrangements for migrant workers in distress (during the Covid lockdown), the lady has made endearing (albeit subtle and even maybe unnoticed) pronouncements of her 'Indianness' numerous times.

The Forbes magazine in 2004 designated Sonia Gandhi as the third most powerful woman in the world. Incidentally when she had started her life in India as the bride of Rajiv Gandhi she had consciously strived to keep away from the limelight and political sphere. Eventually, her children Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were pretty much the centre of her world. After the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 who was then the Prime Minister of India, Sonia was invited to hold and lead the Congress Party, an offer that she had initially declined. It is said; 'One cannot escape or run away from fate.' What is meant to happen shall happen. After years of pleading from the party high command and amidst a scenario in which many members had started quitting the Congress Party Sonia Gandhi finally decided to join politics in 1997. Her political career made its own brand of history. Sonia was nominated and elected as the President of the Congress Party within 62 days of joining as a chief member of Indian National Congress. She is incidentally the longest-serving President in the 125-year history of the Congress Party.

However, the hurdles never ceased in her path. In May 1999; three senior leaders of the party challenged her right to become India's Prime Minister because of her foreign origin. Her foreign birth is always a controversial debate to opponents but irrespective of this fact and even intermittent slander she has led the party with grace, pride and sincerity. In March 2013 the Guardian listed Sonia Gandhi as one of the fifty best-dressed women over 50 years of age. She follows the style principle "Simple is Stylish".

Her stands on issues of national interest have been wide and varied. Sonia Gandhi condemned the Supreme Court judgement supporting Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code and backed LGBT rights. As chairperson of the National Advisory Committee and the UPA, she was instrumental in the formation and subsequent implementation of several rights-based development and welfare schemes and played an important role in making the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, the Right to Information Act into law, Food Security Bill and MGNREGA.

Without exaggeration, Sonia Gandhi is one woman who has successfully defeated the question of her foreign birth through her actions.

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