Sanjay Gandhi

14 December 1946–23 June 1980

Sanjay Gandhi

14 December 1946–23 June 1980

Sanjay Gandhi was a dynamic leader, who fought for the eradication of casteism, end of dowry, tree planting and promoting literacy. As a leader of the Youth Congress, he helped energise the Good Samaritan service programme. He asked all the youth leaders of the Congress to go to the masses and do service for the poor. Some of the programmes which he had asked them to do were to maintain the civic services, try and get jobs for the unemployed and hold literacy classes.

Sanjay Gandhi believed in the power of the Youth, and he realised that in their hands lay the destiny of the nation. It was his leadership which gave the Youth Congress a new hope and new direction. He made his political debut as a member of the National Council of the Youth Congress. This led to a resurgence amongst the youth of the Nation. In almost every state the Youth Congress began to organise campaigns in line with the programme set about by Sanjay Gandhi.

As Raj Kaushik, then of the Delhi Congress said, “Sanjay Gandhi has become the rallying symbol for youth. His rise on the national scene has given us a new sense of self-respect and a purposeful sense of participation in national affairs…He has given us a simple but effective programme to pursue, and the responsibility to implement it.” He shifted the emphasis away from debates and conferences to a new direction of constructive work.

Sanjay Gandhi was born in 1946, and was the younger son of Smt Indira Gandhi and Sh Feroze Gandhi. After graduating from Doon School, Dehradun, he underwent an apprenticeship with Rolls-Royce in Crewe for three years. He was also a licensed pilot.