Rahul Gandhi Family Details

Jawaharlal Nehru

Jawaharlal Nehru (14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964) was India’s first Prime Minister and a key leader in the Indian independence movement. A secular humanist and social democrat, he served as PM from 1947 until his death in 1964. Nehru promoted democracy, scientific progress, secularism, and non-alignment during the Cold War. Born in Allahabad to Motilal Nehru, a prominent lawyer and Congress leader, Nehru was educated at Harrow, Cambridge, and the Inner Temple in London. He returned to India as a barrister but soon joined the Indian National Congress and became a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi. As Congress president in 1929, he called for complete independence from British rule. He played a major role in shaping modern India through reforms in education, industry, and foreign policy, and helped found the Non-Aligned Movement. A respected writer, Nehru authored The Discovery of India, An Autobiography, and Letters from a Father to His Daughter. He died in office in 1964, and his birthday is celebrated as Children’s Day in India.

Kamala Nehru

Kamala Nehru (1 August 1899 – 28 February 1936) was an Indian independence activist and the wife of Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister. She was the mother of Indira Gandhi, India’s first woman Prime Minister. Born into a Kashmiri Pandit family in Delhi, she married Jawaharlal Nehru at age 16 in 1916. She actively participated in the Indian freedom struggle, especially during the Non-Cooperation Movement of 1921, organizing women’s protests and picketing against British goods. She was arrested multiple times for her activism. Kamala also set up a dispensary at their home, Swaraj Bhavan, to treat injured freedom fighters. After her death in 1936 from illness, a hospital was established in her memory—Kamla Nehru Memorial Hospital. She is remembered as a brave and influential figure in India's fight for independence.

Indira Gandhi

Indira Gandhi (1917–1984) was India’s first and only female Prime Minister, serving from 1966 to 1977 and again from 1980 until her assassination in 1984. Daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, she became a key figure in Indian politics and the leader of the Indian National Congress. Known for her strong leadership, she led India to victory in the 1971 war with Pakistan, which led to the creation of Bangladesh. She also oversaw India’s first nuclear test in 1974 and strengthened ties with the Soviet Union. Her tenure included both major achievements and controversies—most notably the Emergency (1975–77), during which civil liberties were suspended. In 1984, she ordered Operation Blue Star to remove Sikh militants from the Golden Temple, leading to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Despite criticism for authoritarianism, she is remembered as one of the most powerful women in Indian history and was named “Woman of the Millennium” by the BBC in 1999.

Feroze Gandhi

Feroze Jehangir Gandhi (12 September 1912 – 8 September 1960) was an Indian freedom fighter, politician, and journalist. Born into a Parsi family in Bombay, he later moved to Allahabad and studied at Ewing Christian College and the London School of Economics.Originally named Feroze Ghandy, he changed his surname to Gandhi as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. He joined the Indian independence movement in the 1930s and was jailed multiple times. He grew close to the Nehru family and married Indira Nehru in 1942. They had two sons, Rajiv and Sanjay. After independence, Feroze became managing director of The National Herald and was elected to the Lok Sabha from Rae Bareli in 1952 and again in 1957. A vocal parliamentarian, he exposed several corruption scandals, including the Mundhra scandal, which led to the resignation of the Finance Minister. He played a key role in nationalizing LIC and questioned corporate malpractices. Known for his integrity, he was respected across party lines. Feroze died of a heart attack in 1960. His political legacy was carried on by his wife Indira Gandhi, his son Rajiv, and later, his daughter-in-law Sonia Gandhi.

Rajiv Gandhi

Rajiv Gandhi (1944–1991) was India’s youngest Prime Minister, serving from 1984 to 1989 after the assassination of his mother, Indira Gandhi. A former pilot, he entered politics reluctantly following the death of his brother Sanjay Gandhi. During his tenure, he won a record mandate in the 1984 election, but his time in office saw major controversies, including the Bhopal gas tragedy, the Bofors scandal, and communal tensions. He also sent peacekeeping forces to Sri Lanka, which led to conflict with the LTTE. After losing the 1989 election, he continued as Congress president. In 1991, while campaigning, he was assassinated by an LTTE suicide bomber. He was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honor

Sonia Gandhi

Sonia Gandhi (born 9 December 1946) is an Indian politician and the longest-serving president of the Indian National Congress. Originally from Italy, she moved to India after marrying Rajiv Gandhi in 1968. She remained away from politics until after Rajiv's assassination in 1991, eventually entering politics in 1997. She became Congress president in 1998 and led the party to power in 2004 and 2009 by forming the UPA coalition, though she declined the post of Prime Minister. As head of the National Advisory Council, she played a key role in major social welfare schemes like the RTI Act, MGNREGA, and Food Security Bill. Despite health issues and controversies such as the National Herald case and debates over her foreign origin, she has remained a powerful political figure. She stepped down as president in 2017 but returned as interim president from 2019 to 2022.

Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi (born 19 June 1970) is an Indian politician and member of the Indian National Congress (INC). He currently serves as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and represents Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh. Previously, he served as MP from Amethi (2004–2019) and Wayanad (2019–2024). He was Congress President from 2017 to 2019. Born into the Nehru–Gandhi family, Rahul studied at The Doon School, Harvard, and earned his M.Phil. from Cambridge. After working as a consultant in London, he returned to India and started a tech firm. He formally entered politics in the early 2000s, leading the Indian Youth Congress and contesting elections. Despite leading Congress during its defeats in 2014 and 2019, he played a key role in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, helping the party improve its performance in the 2024 elections. Known for his advocacy on social justice and democracy, he continues to be a major political figure in India.

Priyanka Gandhi

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (born 12 January 1972) is an Indian politician and member of the Indian National Congress (INC). Since November 2024, she serves as MP from Wayanad, Kerala, and is a General Secretary of the AICC. She belongs to the Nehru–Gandhi family, daughter of Rajiv and Sonia Gandhi, and sister to Rahul Gandhi. Educated in Delhi and Dehradun, she earned a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s in Buddhist studies. Married to businessman Robert Vadra, she has two children. Though active in family election campaigns for years, she officially entered politics in 2019. She managed campaigns in Uttar Pradesh and launched the "Ladki Hoon, Lad Sakti Hoon" campaign to promote women’s participation. Despite her efforts, Congress performed poorly in the 2022 UP elections, winning only 2 seats. She remains a prominent party leader and has taken part in various protests and political movements.

Robert Vadra

Robert Vadra (born 18 April 1969) is an Indian entrepreneur and the husband of Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi. He is the son-in-law of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, and the brother-in-law of Rahul Gandhi. Born in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, to a Punjabi father and Anglo-Indian mother, Vadra studied at The British School, New Delhi. He faced family tragedies with the deaths of his father, brother, and sister. Vadra stayed out of active politics but gained attention due to allegations during the 2012 anti-corruption movement. He has supported Congress campaigns and campaigned for family members during elections, though he hasn't formally entered politics..

Raihan Vadra

Raihan Vadra (born 29 November 2000) is the elder child of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Robert Vadra. He has largely stayed out of the public eye, focusing on his education and personal interests, but occasionally appears at family and public events

Miraya Vadra

Miraya Vadra (born 24 June 2002) is the younger child of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Robert Vadra. Like her brother, she maintains a private life and is rarely seen in the media, with her parents shielding her from the political limelight

Sanjay Gandhi

Sanjay Gandhi (14 December 1946 – 23 June 1980) was an Indian politician and the younger son of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Though he never held an official position during the Emergency (1975–77), he wielded immense influence in government affairs, often directing ministers and officials without being elected. He led controversial initiatives such as forced sterilizations under a family planning drive and large-scale slum demolitions near Delhi’s Jama Masjid, which led to numerous deaths and mass displacement. Sanjay also headed the Maruti car project aimed at producing affordable Indian cars, but it faced criticism due to lack of progress and allegations of nepotism. He later won a seat in the Lok Sabha from Amethi in 1980 and was appointed Congress general secretary shortly before his death in a plane crash. He was widely seen as Indira Gandhi’s political heir until his untimely demise. His wife, Maneka Gandhi, and son, Varun Gandhi, later entered politics with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Maneka Gandhi

Maneka Gandhi (born 26 August 1956) is an Indian politician, animal rights activist, and environmentalist. She is the widow of Sanjay Gandhi and a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), having served multiple terms as a Member of Parliament and held ministerial roles, most recently in Narendra Modi’s cabinet (2014–2019). Born in Delhi to a Sikh family, she studied at The Lawrence School, Sanawar, Lady Shri Ram College, and Jawaharlal Nehru University. After marrying Sanjay Gandhi in 1974, she gained political visibility during the Emergency and launched Surya magazine. Following Sanjay's death in 1980, she had a fallout with Indira Gandhi and was asked to leave the PM’s residence. In 1983, she co-founded the Rashtriya Sanjay Manch, later joined Janata Dal, and entered Parliament in 1989. She is also an author of books on names, law, and animal rights, and is known for winning the landmark Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India case on personal liberty.

Varun Gandhi

Feroze Varun Gandhi, born on 13 March 1980, is an Indian politician and three-time Member of Parliament from Pilibhit, representing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The son of Sanjay and Maneka Gandhi, and great-grandson of Jawaharlal Nehru, he belongs to the influential Nehru-Gandhi family. After joining BJP in 2004, he gained prominence for his active campaigning and was elected to Parliament in 2009 with a record margin. Known for supporting the Jan Lokpal movement and using his MPLAD funds effectively, he served as BJP’s youngest national general secretary in 2013 and managed party affairs in West Bengal. He later won elections in Sultanpur (2014) and Pilibhit (2019). In recent years, his relationship with BJP leadership strained due to his criticism of party policies, particularly after he condemned the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in 2021.

Yamini Gandhi

Yamini Gandhi is the wife of Varun Gandhi, and little is publicly known about her as she maintains a private life, rarely appearing in the media

Anasuya Gandhi

Anasuya Gandhi (born 2020) is the daughter of Varun and Yamini Gandhi and is the youngest known member of the extended Nehru-Gandhi family