9 hours agoWriter: Rajesh Sahu
Can someone fall in love at first sight? This was the question Sonia was asking herself on the day Rajiv held her hand while walking on the lawn of a church in Cambridge. Sonia would come to the room that day and sometimes look at the mirror and sometimes that hand. If friends asked something, they would just smile.
Today’s story Rajiv and Sonia will meet for the first time in this series of characters and stories of politics. Let’s know from the beginning.
Sonia’s father used to say that daughters should do whatever they want.
In 1965, at the age of 21, Rajiv Gandhi reached Trinity College, Cambridge University for studies. In the same year, Antonia Albina Maino i.e. Sonia Gandhi came from Italy to learn English at Lenox Cook School of Cambridge University. Sonia’s builder father wanted the three daughters to do whatever is best for them. Therefore, he got Sonia admitted to the best and most expensive language school in Cambridge.
Sonia Gandhi’s builder father wanted his three daughters to do whatever they could to make a career.
When we met for the first time, Rajiv could not introduce himself
Sonia and Rajiv had separate campuses. Sonia was tired of eating boiled cabbage, potatoes, omelettes and bread with tomato sauce, so she ate at the university restaurant. One day Sonia was sitting with her friend when her friend Christian Van Stegelitz reached inside the restaurant with Rajiv Gandhi. Christian said to Sonia, “Today I want to introduce you to my friend, he has come from India and his name is Rajiv.”
When Rajiv extended his hand, Sonia shook hands shyly. Nobody said anything to anyone. Rajiv and Christian started having lunch sitting at a separate table. Rajiv was looking at Sonia more than the plate. After lunch, Christian asked, do you like him? Is he an Italian? Rajiv said, “Yes, first introduce me.”
Rajiv had gone for a walk for the first time in a dilapidated car
Javier Moreau writes in Sonia Gandhi’s biography ‘The Red Sari’, “Rajiv had decided on the same day that Sonia would be his life partner. He decided in the afternoon of the same day that today all Eli would go to the city. There Benedictine There was a beautiful cathedral inside the monastery. Sonia wanted to refuse, but could not find any reason to refuse. So she agreed.”
As soon as Sonia and Rajiv got free time from studies, they used to go out for a walk. This is a photo of his outing at India Gate.
Took the same car that had been overturned twice
Christian had a Volkswagen car. Her condition had worsened as Rajiv had turned her twice in the last one month. There was no money to repair and paint the pitched car, so it was thrashed and corrected. It looked as if the car had smallpox stains. Good thing she was walking.
Rajiv and Sonia did not talk directly to each other when they went on Eli’s walk. The main reason for this was that Rajiv spoke very simple English, Sonia was still in the learning period. Walking through the ancient walls of the cathedral, Rajiv grabbed Sonia’s hand. Sonia did not have enough strength to pull that hand back. That warm and soft hand was giving satisfaction, protection and joy.
Sonia’s mind changed when she reached the room
When Sonia reached the room, the whole day was spinning in her mind. She could not forget Rajiv’s smile. She used to ask herself time and again that can there be love like this at first sight? Then she herself would reply, “No-no how can this happen! A girl should not fall in love with such a boy.”
The next day the two met again. Rajiv asked Sonia, would you like to go to the garden with me tonight? Sonia replied; “no not today.” “Just for a while, we’ll be back soon,” Rajeev requested. While speaking this, Rajiv was constantly looking at Sonia and Sonia was looking at the ground with folded hands. She did not want to disappoint Rajiv, so agreed to go to the garden.
Sonia Gandhi had started liking Rajiv, but in the name of India, she was afraid about the customs here.
Sonia decided never to meet again
After the second meeting, Sonia got tensed about the future. Javier Moro writes, “It was going on in Sonia’s mind that Rajiv is neither from Europe nor America. He is from India. Where the customs are completely different. How will I be able to live there?” In the midst of all these questions, Sonia was unable to forget Rajiv’s smile. As a result, Sonia started meeting him unwillingly and the two fell in love.
Rajiv did not have enough money to take Sonia to the night club
Rajiv Gandhi wanted to take Sonia to the coolest nightclub named La Flaw Du Mall. He didn’t have that much money for it. This was because the Indian government was placing limits on the purchase of foreign currency by its citizens, allowing foreign exchange to be carried no more than £650 on a foreign trip. This rule was also applicable to Rajiv Gandhi.
When proposed to Sonia
Rajeev could not go to the nightclub, so one day he went to Christian’s lounge. Been sitting here together for a long time. danced. It’s 11 o’clock in the night. Sonia did not come by cycle. It had rained too. Rajiv decided that he would leave on foot. The two went on foot together. This is where Rajiv opened his heart. Proposed. Sonia accepted the proposal with a smile.
This story ends here. In tomorrow’s story, we will know that when Rajiv wrote a letter to his mother Indira Gandhi regarding Sonia, why did she say that what she got is not necessarily true.