Sonia Gandhi

Sonia Gandhi (?????? ?????) (born December 9, 1946), is an Italian-born Indian politician, the president of the Indian National Congress (Congress Party) and the widow of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. She is currently the chairwoman of the ruling United Progressive Alliance in the Lok Sabha. She was named the third most powerful woman in the world by Forbes magazine, next to Condoleezza Rice and Wu Yi in the year 2004. She did not find a place in the list for the year 2005.http://www.forbes.com/lists/2004/08/18/04powomland.html.

Early life

Born as Antonia Maino to Stefano and Paola Maino in Orbassano, a town 20 km from Turin, Italy, she spent her adolescence in Orbassano being raised in a conservative Roman Catholic family and attending a Catholic seminary. Her father, a member of the fascist party, and an ardent supporter of Benito Mussolini, was a building contractor, who died in 1983, but her mother and two sisters still live around Orbassano. While doing a certificate course in English in Cambridge, England (but not at the University of Cambridge) she met Rajiv Gandhi, who later became Prime Minister of India. They were married in 1968, after which she took up residence in India. The name Sonia was given by her mother-in-law Indira Gandhi. The couple had two children, Rahul Gandhi (born 1970) and Priyanka Gandhi (born 1971).

Related Topics:
Orbassano - Km - Turin - Italy - Roman Catholic - Seminary - Contractor - 1983 - English - Cambridge, England - University of Cambridge - Rajiv Gandhi - Prime Minister of India - Married - 1968 - Indira Gandhi - Rahul Gandhi - 1970 - Priyanka Gandhi - 1971

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