In 1973, Maneka and Sanjay met each other 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.