Maneka Gandhi

Maneka Gandhi is an Indian politician, an ardent animal rights activist, and also a former journalist. In her political career she has been Minister in four governments, and has authored a number of books in the areas of etymology, law and animal welfare. Maneka Gandhi is an estranged member of the Nehru-Gandhi family. She came to the prominence from her mariage with Sanjay Gandhi, the youngest son of the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. She is also a fomer model and the editor of Surya India magazine. She entered the arena of politics in the year 1982 following the death of her husband in a plane crash. In her personal life, she had a falling out with Indira Gandhi, after she expressed her intention to step into her late husband's shoes in the Congress.

Maneka Gandhi is a born politician. However, before joining politics, she was a magazine editor and columnist. But her passion to help animals and poor people brought her to politics. She was elected to Parliament in November 1989 and was appointed the Minister of State for Environment and Forests from 1989 to 1991. She returned to Parliament in 1998 as the Minister of Welfare and was appointed as the Chairperson of the Committee for the purpose of control and supervision of experiments on Animals. It was she, who persuaded the Coca Cola company to cancel its sponsorship of bullfights in Mexico.