Robert Vadra

Robert Vadra was born in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, to Rajendra Vadra and Maureen on 18 April 1969. His father's family is of Punjabi descent and settled in Moradabad. His paternal family is originally from Sialkot in present-day Pakistan. Rajendra's father moved to India at the time of partition. Robert Vadra's mother, Maureen (née McDonagh), is of Anglo-Indian origin, with roots stretching back to Scotland. Rajendra was a resident of Civil Lines, Moradabad, and ran a diamond trading business along with brass and wood handicrafts. Rajendra Vadra has only completed his high school education. Robert Vadra studied at The British School, New Delhi. His brother Richard died by suicide, and his sister Michelle died in a car accident in 2001. His father was found dead on April 3, 2009, in City Inn, a guest house in the Yusuf Sarai area of Delhi. He is husband of Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi. He is the son-in-law of former Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi and the brother-in-law of Rahul Gandhi. == Politics ==

In January 2002, Vadra issued a notice in print newspaper distancing himself from his father and brother as they were misusing his relationship with the Nehru–Gandhi family to make money while promising jobs and other favours. Following this, Sonia Gandhi, the then Congress president also issued a notice to all Congress CMs, state unit heads and senior party members to stay away from Vadra and his family. Until 2012, while Vadra was mostly in the background, he became a target for several opposition parties after the 2012 anti-corruption movement, India against corruption made allegations against him. These allegations got further politicization after several instances of Congress party spokespersons defending allegations on Vadra, stating he was a soft target. While Vadra is not into INC active politics he has been actively campaigning for his brother-in-law Rahul Gandhi and mother-in-law Sonia Gandhi. In the Lok Sabha elections of 2019, he campaigned actively across India for several candidates. On his 50th birthday, when asked about his intent to join active politics, Vadra stated it would happen 2–3 years later. He mulled a run in the 2024 Indian general election, but did not file nomination. ==References==