Sonia Gandhi recounts chance encounter that led to Rajiv romance

Sonia Gandhi has opened up about the serendipitous moment when she first met Rajiv Gandhi, recounting how a chance encounter at a Greek eatery blossomed into a life-altering relationship. The former Congress president's account offers rare personal insight into the circumstances that eventually led to her marriage with the late Prime Minister and her subsequent entry into Indian politics.

The meeting, which Gandhi has characterized as love at first sight, occurred when both were present at the restaurant, leading to an immediate and profound connection between them. This chance encounter would set the trajectory for Gandhi's remarkable journey from a foreigner to one of India's most influential political figures.

Gandhi's revelation comes as part of broader reflections on her personal life and the transformative role that chance has played in shaping her destiny. Her account underscores how a simple moment in an unremarkable setting became the foundation for decades of involvement in Indian public life, first as Rajiv Gandhi's spouse and later as a prominent political leader in her own right.

The narrative provides context to understanding how Sonia Gandhi, born in Italy, eventually became deeply embedded in India's political establishment through her marriage to Rajiv Gandhi and her subsequent leadership of the Indian National Congress party.