| Robert Vadra | |
| Birth Name: | Robert Vadra |
| Birth Date: | 1969 4, df=y |
| Birth Place: | Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, India |
| Nationality: | Indian |
| Occupation: | Businessman |
| Children: | 2 |
| Relations: | See Nehru–Gandhi family |
Robert Vadra (born 18 April 1969) is an Indian entrepreneur, and the husband of Priyanka Gandhi.[1] [2] He is the son-in-law of Sonia Gandhi and the brother-in-law of Rahul Gandhi.
Robert Vadra was born to Rajendra and Maureen Vadra on 18 April 1969. His father's family is of Punjabi descent settled in Moradabad district, Uttar Pradesh.[3] His paternal family is originally from Sialkot in present-day Pakistan. Rajendra's father moved to India at the time of partition.[4] His 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 along with brass and wood handicrafts business. Rajendra Vadra has only completed his high school education.[5]
Robert Vadra's brother Richard died by suicide and his sister Michelle died in a car accident in 2001.[6] [7] His father was found dead on April 3, 2009 in City Inn, a guest house in the Yusuf Sarai area of Delhi.
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.[8] 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.[9]
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.[10] These allegations got further politicization after several instances of Congress party spokespersons defending allegations on Vadra, stating he was a soft target.[11]
While Vadra is not into 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.[12] Recently on his 50th birthday, when asked about his intent to join active politics, Vadra stated it would happen 2–3 years later.[13]