10 facts to know about Maneka Gandhi

Union Minister for Women and Child development, Maneka Gandhi is the wife of late Sanjay Gandhi. Despite her relations with the politically famous ‘Gandhi' family, she has been successful in creating a separate identity for herself.Maneka Gandhi is a woman with a strong will power who has her own field of thoughts that she is always willing to share with the people.Maneka's vision is that mankind should deliver justice to animals and people alike. She wants to be a contributor towards saving the environment. She has tirelessly worked towards her goal and succeeded on several occasions.Maneka's sincerity and efficiency got her a position in Modi's cabinet. Maneka is an active politician who has worked hard for her constituency – Pilibhit (UP).Here are 10 facts about Maneka Gandhi 1. Maneka Gandhi was born to Amteshwar Kaur Anand and Lt. Col. Tarlochan Singh Anand in New Delhi on 26th August, 1956.She was born to a Khatri Sikh family. Her mother claimed to be a distant relative of Lt Khushwant Singh. Maneka Gandhi and her mother started an NGO for animals called Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care centre. For Maneka her mother was her strength and helped her through all the rough patches of life.After Maneka Gandhi had left her in-laws house she returned to her maternal home where she was welcomed back with love. Her father served in the Indian Army and retired as Colonel. 2. Maneka Gandhi is very well read. She has sound grasp over subjects of her interest. Maneka did her primary schooling from Lawrence School, Sanawar. Following this, she completed her college from Lady Shri Ram College for Women.It is said that after she had completed graduation she studied German from Jawaharlal Nehru University. But according to an affidavit filed by her during nomination for Lok Sabha elections, she is only 12th passed (ISC).Apparently she had married Sanjay Gandhi while she was still pursuing graduation and had to quit studies after her marriage.Yet she can easily fit into the category of intellectuals. Her subjects of interests are wildlife, animals and environment. 3. Maneka Gandhi was extremely attractive when she was young. During her days in Lady Shri Ram College, she won several beauty pageants, due to her extremely beautiful features and an impressionable personality. Gandhi was indeed a model.Apart from being a model, she was also a journalist. Maneka founded the magazine, Surya in 1977, which eventually helped to rebuild Congress party's image among the public by carrying out regular interviews of Sanjay and Indira Gandhi.Maneka Gandhi enjoys writing and her writing skills are remarkable. She often writes on Animal welfare.Maneka has clear concepts hence she is able to portray her thoughts in the right manner. 4. Maneka Gandhi met Sanjay in 1973 at a cocktail party thrown by Maneka's uncle Major-General Kapur to celebrate the forthcoming marriage of his son Veenu Kapur. It was love at first sight. The meeting turned out to be a memorable one for both of them.They spent the evening talking. The two developed an instant liking and felt connected; they both agreed to meet again.After a year, the two got married. Sanjay's involvement in politics was increasing with time and Maneka was seen with him almost every time on his tours.She helped him in campaigns. Maneka Gandhi's love for her husband led her to join politics too. She wanted to support him even after his death. 5. Maneka made a wonderful daughter-in-law. She was always supportive of her grand mother and helped her in every way possible.But Sanjay's death built an atmosphere of animosity and hatred between the two ladies. Though Maneka was obedient, she wasn't going to take any injustice rendered to her.Sanjay Gandhi was to shoulder political responsibility, whereas his brother Rajiv (Former Prime Minster) stayed far away from it and worked with Indian Airlines as a pilot.Maneka presumed that after her husband's death, Indira would hand over the mantle to her. But instead Indira chose her second son – Rajiv Gandhi. This incident hurt Maneka and from then onwards, hostility increased between the two and remained till the end. 6. Maneka and Sanjay gave birth to a son Varun Feroze Gadnhi. He had been named Feroze after his grandfather and later Indira added the name Varun.Maneka's husband died of plane crash when Varun was merely 100 days old. Hence the celebration of having been blessed with a beautiful child could not last long. Maneka had to bring up her child alone.She moulded him to eventually join politics.Varun Gandhi is presently Member of Parliament representing Sultanpur constituency in UP. Maneka recently called him the most eligible candidate for the Chief Minister's position in Uttar Pradesh, at a public meeting. 7. Maneka Gandhi is very fond of animals. Maneka Gandhi is a self-described environmentalist and animal rights leader in India. In 1989, Maneka won her first ever election to Parliament and joined V.P. Singh's cabinet as Minister for Environment.It was during this period that Maneka Gandhi took several significant steps to protect environment and ecology, and cracked her whip against people engaged in cruelty to animals.She created India's Animal Welfare Ministry and became its first Minister.It was by then the only Ministry dedicated to Animals in the world. As a Minister she banned the use of animals for public performances.Through her initiative, it was made compulsory for all cosmetic and edible products to be labeled as green (for vegetarian) and red (for non- vegetarian) depending on the ingredients.Maneka Gandhi awards and books written by her 8. Her spectacular writing skills are displayed in her books like Plant Mythology, Animal Activism and Laws and many others.A prominent member of the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF), she is also a trustee of Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Shelter and Hospital.Through her project Old Age Social and Income Security (OASIS) she introduced significant reforms in the India Pension system.Maneka Gandhi founded People for Animals (PFA) in 1992.Maneka Gandhi has been given international recognition because of her commitment to animals and environment. Some of the awards bestowed on her include – Lord Erskine Award from the RSPCA, 1992, Environmentalist and Vegetarian of the year 1994, Prani Mitra Award, 1996, Venu Menon Animal Allies Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award, 1999, International Women's Association Woman of the Year Award, Chennai, 2001. 9. As her husband grew increasingly active in politics, she accompanied him everywhere. It was from there that she grasped political sense. She helped Sanjay in campaigning. Through a magazine – Surya, she used the medium of journalism to promote the Congress party.After Sanjay's death in 1983 she formed her own party- Rashtriya Sanjay Manch. She filed her own nomination from his seat, Amethi. But Rajiv defeated her. Later she merged her party with Janata Dal and became its General Secretary. At the age of 33 she became India's youngest Minister.Contesting as an Independent candidate from Pilibhit, Maneka was re-elected in 1996 and again in 1998 with among the highest margins of victory in the country. She has won 5 out of the 6 times she has contested from Pilibhit. In 2004 she again joined the BJP. 10. Maneka Gandhi is a vegetarian and promotes vegetarianism on grounds of health, humanity, compassion, karmic reasons, spirituality and ecology.She also anchored a weekly Television program named “Heads and Tails” highlighting sufferings meted out to animals due to their commercial exploitation. Atal Behari Vajpayee's vision of linking rivers was taken up the BJP during election campaigns. But Maneka Gandhi strongly distanced herself from the project on environmental concerns.She understands the hazardous environmental consequences that river- linking could cause. She primary concern is the eco-system that could get destroyed.Maneka Gandhi is currently the Union Minister for Women and child development. She constantly rakes up issues that concern women welfare.