“Just a loving person who’s intelligent”: Rahul Gandhi shares his thought about marriage, partner
New Delhi: Often described as India’s most eligible bachelor, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is open to marriage “when the right girl comes along” and is not fussy about food apart from peas and jackfruit.
Taking time off from his busy schedule in the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul spoke candidly about food, travel, marriage plans, first paycheck & other facets of his life in an interview with Kamya Jani, Editor-in-chief of the food and travel platform, Curly Tales, over dinner.
While the Bharat Jodo Yatra is in its final week in Jammu and Kashmir at the moment, the interview was conducted in December when the walkathon was in Dausa, Rajasthan.
Jani mentions in the interview video that the ‘Brunch’ from where her flagship show ‘Sunday Brunch’ gets its name from couldn’t be organised due to Rahul’s tight schedule and that they had to settle for dinner outside his container at the Yatra campsite. The duo are served their meal on a round table with white covers by an uniformed waiter.
“Just a loving person who’s intelligent,” Rahul says when asked what kind of girl he’d like to marry.
During the course of the interview, Rahul further talks about his solo biking trip across Spain, and being a scuba diver. He also talks about his schooling, early life, ‘fights’ with his sister and more. He reveals that he meditates while walking during the Yatra which began in September.
A social media influencer, Jani is recognised for her YouTube show ‘Sunday Brunch’. Her platform Curly Tales has a YouTube channel with about 2 million subscribers, own website and an Instagram page. It largely produces content around food and travel, along with other lifestyle content.
‘Hate Jackfruit & Peas’
The interview begins with Jani asking what he likes to eat and Rahul says that he eats “jo bhi mil jata hai (have anything that is served)” during the Yatra but hates “matar and kathal” (peas and jackfruit).
He clarifies that he’s “very strict” with his food at home and doesn’t eat a lot of things. He calls his diet “boring” and “controlled”. “But here I don’t have much choice.” Rahul says Telangana, for example, was a “little bit spicy” for his palate. “The chillies were a bit over the top. I don’t eat that much chillies.”
Rahul also says that he “tends to be non-vegetarian” and likes all kinds of meat including chicken, mutton and seafood. At home, he has desi food for lunch and dinner is “some sort of continental stuff”.
In Delhi, his favourite restaurants are Moti Mahal, Sagar and Sarvana Bhavan. He also likes tandoori food and a “good omelette”, does not like rice or roti and usually drinks just one cup of coffee in the morning.
Homeschooled after Indira’s death
While explaining where he comes from, Rahul says that he’s a “Kashmiri Pandit who moved to Uttar Pradesh.”
“Our family was from Kashmir but they moved to Allahabad. My grandfather-papa’s papa- was Parsi. So I’m a complete mix,” he says.
He then says that he had to be homeschooled after his grandmother, former PM Indira Gandhi, was assassinated and he was taken out of boarding school due to security concerns.
“It was a big shock to me as I was in boarding school. Then one day before Dadi’s (Indira’s) death, we were taken out of there. When Dadi died, they didn’t allow us to go back.”
In school, Rahul reminisces, some teachers were “overly nice” to him while some were “really nasty”, because of the family he came from.
“The political position that my family used to take was quite a pro-poor position. And so a lot of the people who were teachers, I don’t think they appreciated that. But there were others who were sort of nice. So it was a balance,” he says.
Jani then says that there are a lot of colleges listed against his name on the Internet and asks him for details.
Rahul says that he went to St. Stephen’s for a year and studied history, and then entered Harvard University where he studied international relations and politics. After that, he says, he had to transfer from there following his father’s death, again due to security concerns. Thereafter, he went to a college in Florida, Rollins College, where he studied international relations and economics. He also has a Masters degree in development economics from Cambridge University, UK.
Unlike in school, Rahul says, he received a “neutral perspective” in college.
Giving details of his first paycheck, he says that he had a corporate job in London at the age of 24-25 with a strategic consulting company called Monitor. He got paid about 2,500-3,000 pounds a month, Rahul said, adding that he felt “strange” about it since it was “a lot” of money.
Apart from his college life, Rahul says that the death of his father also changed his relationship with his younger sister, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, now Congress general secretary.
“We grew up with a whole bunch of violence around us. A lot of that was internally causing stress and stuff. So, we used to fight a lot. Then after Papa died, it just stopped.”
The Beard
Jani also goes on to ask Rahul a question about his “new look” that everyone has been seeking an answer to. She was referring to Rahul’s beard that has been a political and comical talking point since the Yatra began.
“I just felt like I shouldn’t shave my beard or cut my hair during the Yatra. It’s nice. It’s a bit big now, it’s getting bigger. It makes life a little complicated when you’re eating,” Rahul jokes.
He also says that many within the party have asked him to shave it off but he’s not relented. “It’ll change,” he says when asked if he likes the look.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
Courtesy: theprint.in
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India, Ethiopia elevate ties to strategic partnership as PM Modi holds talks with his counterpart
Addis Ababa (PTI): India and Ethiopia on Tuesday elevated their historical ties to a strategic partnership, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali during which they discussed issues of bilateral and mutual interest.
Modi, who arrived here from Jordan on his maiden bilateral visit, was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the National Palace ahead of the bilateral talks, reflecting the vibrant India-Ethiopia relations rooted in shared history and a promising future.
"We are elevating India and Ethiopia relations to a strategic partnership. This step will provide new energy, new momentum and new depth to our ties," Prime Minister Modi said during the delegation-level talks.
He thanked PM Ali for his support in India's fight against terrorism. "The support of friendly countries in this struggle against terrorism holds great significance," Modi said.
"Today, we got the opportunity to deliberate on the key aspects of our cooperation, such as economy, innovation, technology, defence, health, capacity-building and multilateral cooperation. I am pleased that today, we have decided to double the student scholarship for Ethiopia in India," Modi said.
Modi said that India and Ethiopia have shared contact, dialogue, and exchange for thousands of years. The two countries, which are rich in languages and traditions, are symbols of unity in diversity, he added.
"Both countries are democratic powers committed to peace and the welfare of humanity. We are co-travellers and partners of the Global South. On international platforms, we have stood shoulder-to-shoulder," he said.
The two sides signed eight MoUs/agreements, including upgrading ties to 'Strategic Partnership', customs cooperation, establishing data center at the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry, UN Peacekeeping training cooperation, debt restructuring under G20, more ICCR scholarships and AI short courses for Ethiopians, and support for maternal and neonatal healthcare.
Modi said the African Union's headquarters in Ethiopia makes the country a meeting point of African diplomacy. "Inspired by the common vision of an inclusive world, in 2023, India ensured that the African Union became a G20 member," he said.
In 2023, during India’s G20 Presidency, the African Union was admitted as a permanent member of the G20.
Modi said that though this is his first visit, he felt a deep sense of belonging and warmth, reflecting the thousands of years of connection between the two countries.
On his part, Prime Minister Ali said the two countries share over thousands of years of connection through trade, diplomacy, education, culture and even in our food and traditions. "These ties continue to shape a deep friendship, collaboration and mutual respect between our people," he said.
"We also appreciate your consistent message that Africa's priorities must lead the partnership. These kinds of dignified, respectful messages for Africa are very important. Mr Prime Minister, keep pushing. That is the type of message we are expecting from all our trusted friends," Ali said.
He said this aligned fully with Ethiopia's development plan - African-owned, African-led, and African-defined.
"Today, we meet with a clear focus to shape a modern partnership, grounded in sovereignty, self-reliance and practical cooperation. Our cooperation is rooted in equality and South-South solidarity," he said.
"Our economy is performing strongly. Last year, we grew 9.2% and this year we are expecting 10.3% GDP growth. Besides GDP growth, our FDI inflow is also rising big time. India is the leading source for our FDI," he said.
"We have more than 615 Indian companies which are investing in Ethiopia. This all gives our cooperation a strong foundation of trust. I think our decision today that we elevate our historic relationship to a strategic relationship is the right decision," he added.
Ethiopia also conferred its highest award - The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia - on PM Modi. He is the first global head of state to receive this award.
Prime Minister Modi also went to the Friendship Park and Friendship Square in Addis Ababa with PM Ali.
In a warm and special gesture, PM Modi was earlier received by his Ethiopian counterpart at the airport and accorded a warm and colourful welcome.
"Ethiopia is a nation with great history and vibrant culture," Modi said.
PM Ali informed his Indian counterpart about the varieties of Ethiopian coffee during informal talks.
"At Addis Ababa airport, took part in a traditional Coffee Ceremony with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. The ceremony beautifully highlights Ethiopia’s rich heritage," Modi said.
In a unique gesture, the Ethiopian Prime Minister drove Modi to the hotel.
On the way, he took a special initiative of taking PM Modi to the Science Museum and Friendship Park, which was not in the itinerary.
"Gratitude to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali for showing me glimpses of Ethiopian history and culture at the National Palace Museum in Addis Ababa. It was a powerful reminder of Ethiopia’s rich traditions," Modi said in a post on X.
The Nobel Peace Prize-winning Ethiopian PM’s special gestures show remarkable respect for Modi, sources said.
"Thank you Ethiopia for a welcome that was unforgettable. The Indian community showed remarkable warmth and affection. India-Ethiopia friendship is going to get even more robust in the times to come," Modi said.
When Modi arrived at the hotel, he was warmly welcomed by the members of the Indian community. Local artists performed dances. Some of them danced on the theme of the popular Hindi song 'Aisa Des Hai Mera' to welcome him.
On Wednesday, Modi will address the Joint Session of Parliament and share his thoughts on India's journey as the "Mother of Democracy" and the value that the India-Ethiopia partnership can bring to the Global South.
PM Modi arrived in Ethiopia from Jordan, where he held a one-on-one meeting with King Abdullah II at the Husseiniya Palace on Monday before the delegation-level talks.
India and Jordan also inked MoUs in the fields of culture, renewable energy, water management, digital public infrastructure and twinning arrangement between Petra and Ellora, aimed at giving a major boost to bilateral ties and friendship.
From Ethiopia, Modi will visit Oman on the final leg of this three-nation tour.
