Rahul Gandhi is an Indian Politician hailing from a family of political importance,” Nehru-Gandhi family. He is the president of the Indian National Congress and also serves as the chairperson of the Indian Youth Congress and the National Students Union of India. A Member of Parliament, Rahul represents Amethi Constituency in Lok Sabha. Lets us have a look at the age, family and biography of the politician.
Biography/Wiki
Rahul Gandhi was born on 19 June 1970 (aged 48; as in 2018) in New Delhi, India. He attended St. Columba’s School in Delhi before entering The Doon School, The Mall Dehradun, Uttarakhand. Later on, Gandhi was home-schooled, along with his sister, Priyanka, due to the Sikh extremism after Indira Gandhi’s assassination.
Rahul Gandhi in his Childhood
He joined St. Stephen’s College, Delhi to attain his graduate degree but moved to Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S after giving the first-year examination. In 1991, when Rahul’s father, Rajiv Gandhi, was assassinated by the Tamil Tigers, he shifted to Rollins College, Florida due to security reasons; used the name “Raul Vinci” to keep his identity a secret. He obtained his Bachelors of Arts from Rollins College in 1994. Gandhi further went on to obtain M.Phil from Trinity College, Cambridge, England.
Rahul Gandhi during his college days
Rahul burning the pyre of his father
After completing his graduation, Rahul worked at a management consulting firm, Monitor Group, in London. Later, in 2002, he became one of the directors of the Mumbai-based technology outsourcing firm, Backops Services Private Ltd.
Family, Girlfriend & Caste
Rahul Gandhi was born in a Hindu Dattatreya family and identifies himself as a Kashmiri Brahmin. He is the son of Late Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India and Italy-born Sonia Gandhi, former UPA President. Rahul is the grandson of Indira Gandhi, so and so and Feroze Gandhi. His paternal uncle, Late Sanjay Gandhi, was also a politician. His aunt, Maneka Gandhi, and cousin, Varun Gandhi, are leading politicians in the Bhartiya Janta Party.
Rahul Gandhi with his parents
Rahul Gandhi sitting beside his grandmother Indira Gandhi and mother Sonia Gandhi and sister Priyanka Gandhi
He is an elder brother to Priyanka Vadra who is married to Robert Vadra (a businessman).
Rahul Gandhi with his sister Priyanka
Rahul dated a Spanish architect, Veronique Cartelli, from Venezuela; whom he met while studying in England.
Rahul Gandhi with his girlfriend Veronique Cartelli
Later, he was reported to be dating Noal Zaher, the princess of Afgan.
Rahul Gandhi and Noal Zaher
Career
In March 2014, Rahul marked his entry into politics by contesting the 2004 Lok Sabha elections for the first time from Amethi Constituency, Uttar Pradesh. He portrayed himself as the uniter of the country in his first interview with the foreign media. Rahul won the Lok Sabha elections with a victory margin of over 100,000 votes.
On 24 September 2007, Rahul was appointed as the General Secretary of All India Congress Committee; later, gained the charge of National Student Union of India and Indian Youth Congress.
In 2009 Lok Sabha elections, Rahul retained his Amethi seat by defeating his rival by a huge margin. Then, in January 2013, Gandhi was appointed as the vice-president of the Indian National Congress. In 2014 General Elections, Rahul again defeated his opponent, Smriti Irani, to retain his Lok Sabha seat from the Amethi Constituency.
On 11 December 2017, Rahul was elected as the President of the Indian National Congress.
Controversies
- Rahul landed in a controversy regarding his M Phil degree from Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S. He faced severe criticism when his name did not match with the one mentioned in the official documents.
- He was strongly condemned for his comment- Hindu extremism is more dangerous than Islamic militancy.
- Rahul, along with his friends, has faced allegations for raping a girl in Uttar Pradesh. However, the charges were later dropped by the Supreme Court.
- Rahul, during a rally in Allahabad, said that poverty was only a state of mind. He was deeply criticised for his statement.
- He got arrested on 11 May 2011 for protesting against a highway project along with farmers at Bhatta Parsaul village.
- Gandhi was also charged with corruption in the National Herald Case.
Salary/Net Worth
With a net worth of around ₹2 Crore (as in 2014), Rahul Gandhi gets paid around ₹1 Lakh as a Member of Parliament and is also entitled to various other allowances.
Property/Assets
Rahul Gandhi owns movable assets in form of Bonds, Debentures and Shares in companies worth around ₹83 Lakh. He also has an agricultural land worth more than ₹1 Crore to his name.
Facts
- Rahul Gandhi follows a non-vegetarian diet. Noodles, Cold Drinks and Coastal Indian Dishes are his favourite dishes.
- Rahul is the great-grandson of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India.
- He resides at 12, Tughlak Lane, New Delhi.
- His blood group is B (-ve).
- Reading and travelling are his hobbies.
- He is profoundly inspired by his father, Rajiv Gandhi and great-grandfather, Jawaharlal Nehru.
Rahul Gandhi with his father Rajiv Gandhi
- Rahul is often trolled on the Social Media by the name Pappu. The former cabinet minister Venkaiah Naidu once addressed him “Pappu Ji”.
- Rahul was elected as the President of the Indian National Congress in December 2017. Interestingly, he remained unopposed.
- Once, while he was on a visit to Singapore in 2018, a journalist questioned him about the developments in India during the Congress’ regime.
- On 21 July 2018. he left everyone surprised when, after fiercely criticizing the BJP government, he walked across the treasury bench and hugged PM Narendra Modi. Moreover, a few moments later, Rahul even winked at one of his party colleagues.
- Here’s his signatures
