Rasheed Kidwai's Article on Sonia and Rajiv Gandhi's 58th Wedding Anniversary
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Sonia-Rajiv Gandhi: 58 Years of Marriage, Father's Unique Condition & Bachchan Connection
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News18•25-02-2026, 13:32
Sonia-Rajiv Gandhi: 58 Years of Marriage, Father's Unique Condition & Bachchan Connection
•Sonia Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi celebrate 58 years of marriage on February 25, 1968, marking Sonia's journey from 'Cenerentola' to a prominent Indian political figure.
•Sonia's father, Stefano Maino, initially opposed the marriage due to concerns about her adapting to Indian life and set a unique condition: a year of separation to test their resolve.
•The couple first met in Cambridge, where Rajiv was a student and Sonia was studying English; their first movie together was Satyajit Ray's 'Pather Panchali'.
•Indira Gandhi met Sonia in London and, conversing in French, decided she would be a suitable daughter-in-law for the family.
•Before their wedding, Sonia stayed with the Bachchan family in India, where a brief Mehndi ceremony was held, and Amitabh Bachchan became her first friend in India.
