Sanjay Gandhi (December 14, 1946 –- June 23, 1980) was an Indian politician, the younger son of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and politician Feroze Gandhi. A controversial figure, he was accused of abuses during the Emergency and died in an aeroplane crash shortly after his mothers return to power. He had been elected to the Parliament of India five months before his death.
Maneka and Sanjay first met each other in 1973 at a cocktail party given by her uncle Major-General Kapur to celebrate their son Veenu Kapurs forthcoming marriage. As Sanjay was Veenus school friend, he was present to meet his destined love. Those days he was engaged in trying to make a career in an automobile industry. Maneka was then 17 years old, a fine featured beautiful lady who had even won a college beauty contest and modelled for a firm of towel manufacturers.
Daughter of Lt. Col. T.S. Anand and Amteshwar Anand
Children: 1 son,
1. Varun GANDHI, b.13 Mar.1980 Delhi, India
She has been a Minister in four governments, and has authored a number of books in the areas of etymology, law, animal welfare,
A former model and editor of Surya India magazine, Gandhi entered politics in 1982 after her husbands death in a plane crash. She had a public falling out with Indira Gandhi, "after [Maneka] signalled her intention to step into her late husbands shoes in the Congress".