Maneka Gandhi Birthday Special: Look back at the politician's activism

Maneka Gandhi, an Indian politician, animal rights activist, and environmentalist, was born on August 26, 1956, in New Delhi. She serves in the Lok Sabha, India's lower house of parliament. She is also a Bhartiya Janata Party member (BJP).

Maneka Gandhi is the widow of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's son, Sanjay Gandhi.

Maneka's news magazine Surya played an important role in promotion of the Congress party after its defeat in the 1977 election following the Emergency. She also helped her husband Sanjay in his campaigns when he gained popularity in politics.

Things changed for Maneka after Sanjay's death and she eventually ditched Congress never to return.She established her own party with the name Rashtriya Sanjay Manch along with Akbar Ahmed.

Apart from being a politician and activist, Maneka Gandhi also hosted Maneka's Ark, an environmental talk show which aired on DD NATIONAL in the 1990s. She had earlier hosted Heads & Tails, an animal rights show, on the same channel.

Maneka, who celebrates her 66th birthday tomorrow, has achieved many accolades and is known for her commitment towards animal welfare. Here's a look at milestones she touched in her activism.

Under Maneka's chairmanship, Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA) members carried unannounced inspections of laboratories where animals are used for scientific research were conducted.

Gandhi has filed many Public Interest Litigations which yeilded positive results. Because of her PIL, municipal killing of homeless dogs was replaced by a sterilisation programme (Animal Birth Control programs, commonly abbreviated as ABCs).

Her litigation also brought a stop on unregulated sale of airguns and a ban on mobile zoos.

Gandhi, who currently presides the Jury of International Energy Globe Foundation and is a member of the Eurosolar Board and the Wuppertal Institute, Germany. She is also a patron of International Animal Rescue.

Maneka, who started India's largest animal rights and welfare organisation People for Animals, has also anchored a weekly television program titled Heads and Tails and also authored a book with same name.

Published on: Thursday, August 25, 2022, 04:20 PM IST