Those whom the Gods love...
Madhavrao Scindia
Born: March 26, 1945
Died: September 30, 2001
Age: 56
The charismatic Madhavrao Scindia died in a plane crash along with seven others in Mainpuri district in Uttar Pradesh on a Sunday, September 30, 2001.
He was on his way to address a political rally in Kanpur that evening.
The son of the last maharaja of Gwalior, Scindia entered Parliament at 26 and served as an MP for nine terms. Educated at Oxford, he was one of the Congress party's most dependable leaders and held key ministerial portfolios like railways, civil aviation and sports.
His political career achieved impressive heights under then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. While his mother, the revered Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia, and his sisters Vasundhara Raje, currently the chief minister of Rajasthan, and Yashodhara Raje, currently, a Bharatiya Janata Party MLA in Madhya Pradesh, were members of the BJP, Madhavrao remained one of the Congress' most prominent leaders till his tragic end.
Political and media observers thought of him as someone who would be prime minister one day, but Madhavrao's end came much too early.
His son Jyotiraditya resigned his corporate job to take on his father's mantle. He is said to be an impressive politician in the making.
Photograph: Jewella C Miranda