Priyanka Vadra
| Priyanka Vadra | |
|---|---|
| Born |
12 January 1972 Delhi, India |
| Residence | Delhi, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Alma mater | Delhi University (B.A.) |
Political party | Indian National Congress |
| Spouse(s) | Robert Vadra |
| Children | Raihan Vadra and Miraya Vadra |
| Parents |
Rajiv Gandhi (father) Sonia Gandhi (mother) |
| Relatives | Rahul Gandhi (brother) |
| Signature |
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Priyanka Vadra also referred to as Priyanka Gandhi before her marriage, (born 12 January 1972) is an Indian politician, daughter of late Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. She is the granddaughter of Feroze Gandhi and Indira Gandhi belonging to the Nehru-Gandhi family.
Early life
Priyanka Vadra (née Priyanka Gandhi), is the second of two children of late Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, current President of the Indian National Congress, and the Chairperson of the ruling United Progressive Alliance.
Her father Rajiv Gandhi, grandmother Indira Gandhi and great-grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru were all Indian Prime Ministers. Her grandfather Feroze Gandhi was a parliamentarian and her great-great-grandfather, Motilal Nehru, was a distinguished leader in the Indian Independence Movement
She attended Modern School Convent of Jesus and Mary, New Delhi, and holds a BA (hons) degree in psychology from Jesus and Mary College, Delhi University. She is an amateur radio operator, carrying the callsign of VU2PGY.[citation needed]
Political career
At a 1999 campaign, she said in an interview to BBC: "I am very clear in my mind. Politics is not a strong pull, the people are. And I can do things for them without being in politics".[1] Nonetheless, the question of her joining formal politics would be bothersome: "I have said it a thousand times, I am not interested in joining politics...".[2]
She has however continued to regularly visit her mother's and brother's constituencies of Rae Bareilly and Amethi where she dealt with the people directly.She is a popular figure in the constituency, drawing large crowds everywhere; a popular slogan in Amethi in every election has been Amethi ka danka, bitiya Priyanka (the clarion call from Amethi is for Priyanka [to stand elections]).[3]
In the Indian general election, 2004, she was her mother's campaign manager and helped supervise her brother Rahul Gandhi's campaign. In a press meeting during these elections she said that "politics is all about serving the people and I am already doing that. I may continue doing only that for five years more.".[4] This led to speculations that she may bear some responsibilities for the Congress Party in Uttar Pradesh.
Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, 2007
In the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, 2007, while Rahul Gandhi managed the statewide campaign, she focused on the ten seats in the Amethi Rae Bareilly region, spending two weeks there trying to quell considerable infighting within the party workers over seat allocations.[5]
On the whole, the Congress party was routed in the state, managing 22 seats out of 402,[6] its lowest tally in decades. However, in what is widely seen as a cachet for Priyanka Gandhi's quiet organizational and vote-drawing ability, the Congress which had only two area seats (out of ten) in the 2002 assembly, now managed to wrest seven, while posting significant gains in all the seats, and this despite initial dissidence within the party.[7]
Personal life
She is married to Robert Vadra, a businessman from Delhi. The wedding took place at the Gandhi home, 10 Janpath, on February 18, 1999 in a traditional Hindu ceremony.[8] They have two children, Raihan and Miraya. Priyanka Gandhi is a follower of Buddhist philosophy and a practitioner of Vipassanā as taught by S. N. Goenka[9]
See also
- Political Families of The World
- Nehru-Gandhi family
References
- ↑ Mike Wooldridge, BBC News, Priyanka: Daughter of the dynasty, 1 October 1999
- ↑ Rediff On The NeT: The Rediff Election Interview/ Priyanka Vadra
- ↑ Purnima S. Tripathi (Volume 19 – Issue 26, 21 December 2002 – 3 January 2003). "A flutter in Amethi". Frontline (magazine). Retrieved 2007-08-15.
- ↑ Sanjay K Jha (2004). "Priyanka says, I am already in politics". The Pioneer (daily), Sultanpur. Retrieved 2008-08-15. "She has dedicated herself to managing the election of her mother in Rae Bareli, doing everything from handling small details of the campaign to addressing public meetings herself."
- ↑ Atiq Khan (2007-04-14). "Priyanka campaigns in Amethi". The Hindu.
- ↑ UP Assembly Election Results, Election Commission Website
- ↑ "Gandhi siblings' magic worked in Rae Bareli, Amethi". 11 May 2007. Retrieved 2008-08-16.
- ↑ http://www.rediff.in/news/feb/10gandhi.htm
- ↑ "Priyanka Gandhi Vadra". The Outlook. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
External links
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