The power couple of Indian politics, Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, had a love story which is no less than a fairy tale. Their love saga included two different countries, two different cultures and two different family backgrounds but it had a shared destiny as well. Rajiv, who experienced love at first sight, fell completely in love with the Italian beauty at a Greek Restaurant in London. Their love grew with time and the couple decided to get married soon. Eventually, Rajiv and Sonia tied the Knot on 25 February 1968 at the 1 Safdarjung road residence of Indira Gandhi. The love story that started back in 1965 ended at a devastating note following the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in 1991. On the occasion of 'Sadbhavna Divas', let's rewind the time when the two souls became one for the lifetime :
Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi,or Edvige Antonia Albina Maino first met each other in London. Rajiv Gandhi went to London with his friends while Sonia was studying at the Lennox Cook School of Languages, the most expensive and reputed school in Cambridge.
How Rajiv expressed his feelings to Sonia, will surprise you. He took a napkin and wrote a sweet poem for Sonia Gandhi and asked Charles Antoni, owner of the restaurant to pass the same with the best wine, to Sonia Gandhi.
First, they were friends and later lovers. The couple now had a task to convince their parents, while Indira Gandhi a liberal lady, agreed to his son's choice, Sonia's father was reluctant to send his daughter into a political family. Eventually he agreed too.
Very few people know that Rajiv Gandhi and Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan were close friends. And with this reason, Amitabh Bachchan played a crucial role in the marriage of Rajiv and Sonia.
Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi got engaged by the end of January 1968. The couple's mehendi ceremony took place at the Bachchan's house in Willingdon Crescent in New Delhi.
Eventually, Rajiv and Sonia married each other on 25 February 1968. The couple exchanged vows, completed the varmala ceremony, signed the register and later celebrated their wedding by cutting a cake.
Their elite wedding was attended by many famous politicians, businessmen, and celebrities. There were flowers, rangolis, a lavish buffet and music. A grand reception was organised at the Hyderabad House on the following day.
Purely, Rajiv Gandhi was first a family man and then anything else. Sonia and Rajiv welcomed their son, Rahul Gandhi on June 19, 1970 and their daughter, Priyanka Gandhi on January 12, 1972.
After the sudden demise of Indira Gandhi, Rajiv had to join politics, something that Sonia didn't like initially, but eventually understood the fate.
However, the love story of the power couple ended with a tragic incident, when Rajiv was assassinated in 1991, which gave his family and the entire country a big shock.
