Indian National Congress Party – Some of the top Congress leaders

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Indian National Congress is one of the leading parties in India. It was founded in 1885 and was the first modern nationalist movement to come into existence in the British Empire in Asia. From India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to India’s First Lady Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the Congress has ruled for many years. Let’s look at some of the top Congress leaders.

Top Congress Leaders

Sonia Gandhi

• Sonia Gandhi is the former President of the Indian National Congress (INC) and current leader of the party’s Parliamentary committee.
• She was born on December 9, 1946, in Louisiana, Veneto, Italy and has an Italian lineage.
• Seven years after her husband Rajiv Ratna Gandhi’s (Former Prime Minister of India) assassination, she joined the Party in 1997 and has been in office since then.
• She has served as:
  • Chair of the National Advisory Council (March 2010 –May 2014)
  • Leader of the Opposition (March 1998 –May 2004)
  • Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha (October 1999 –May 2004)
• She is succeeded by her son Rahul Gandhi, the current (as of March 2019) President of INC.
• She was instrumental in formulating the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and presided advisory councils for formulation and implementation of many welfare schemes like Food security bill, RTI, MNREGA and more.

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Top Congress leaders – Rahul Gandhi

• Rahul Gandhi is the current President (as of March 2019) of the Indian National Congress party of India.
• He was born on 19 June 1970 in New Delhi, India. He has been to St. Stephen’s College, Delhi; Harvard University, then to Rollins College for BA. He completed his MPhil from Trinity College, Cambridge.
• Rahul entered politics in 2004 and contested for 2004 elections from Amethi, Uttar Pradesh in the Lok Sabha.
• He has served as:
  • Chair of Indian Youth Congress (September 2007 –December 2017)
  • General Secretary of Indian National Congress (September 2007 –January 2013)
  • Vice President of the Indian National Congress (January 2013 –December 2017)
  • Chair of National Students’ Union of India when he assumed office in September 2007.
• Rahul Gandhi is also the trustee of Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust and Rajiv Gandhi Foundation.

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Shashi Tharoor

• Shashi Tharoor is currently (as of March 2009) serving as the Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
• He was born on March 9, 1956, in London, England, UK.
• Tharoor is also serving as the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs and All India Professionals Congress.
• He is a writer, a former career international diplomat and is well known for his amazing oratory skills.
• Tharoor has also served as:
  • Minister of State for Human Resource Development (October 2012-May 2014),
  • Minister of State for External Affairs (May 2009- April 2010)
  • Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations for Communications and Public Information (June 2002- February 2007).

Some more top Congress leaders
Manmohan Singh

• Manmohan Singh was the 13^thPrime Minister of India who remained in office from 2004-2014.
• He was born on September 26, 1932 in Gah, Punjab in British India (now in Punjab, Pakistan).
• Manmohan Singh has also served as:
  • Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha (March 1998 –May 2004),
  • Minister of Finance (June 1991 –May 1996),
  • Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission (January 1985 –August 1987),
  • Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (September 1982 –January 1985),
  • 5th Chief Economic Adviser to the Government of India (1972–1976).
• He has been honoured with the Padma Vibhushan in 1987, Adam Smith Prize in 1956 and has many other awards and recognition to his name.

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Sheila Dixit

• Sheila Dixit is the President of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee of India as of March 2019.
• She was born on March 31, 1938, Kapurthala, Punjab, British India.
• She has served as:
  • Governor of Kerala (March 2014 –August 2014),
  • 6th Chief Minister of Delhi (December 1998 –December 2013),
  • Member of Legislative Assembly, Gole Market (December 1998 –December 2008),
  • Member of Legislative Assembly, New Delhi (December 2008 –December 2013),
  • Member of Parliament, Kannauj (1984–1989),
  • Member of Indian delegation, United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (1984–89),
  • Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs (1984–1989).
• She has been awarded ‘Best Chief Minister of India’ by Journalist Association of India in 2008 and ‘Delhi Women of the Decade Achievers Award 2013’ by ALL Ladies League for Outstanding Public Service.

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