Nehrus and Gandhis

First Online: May 19, 2004
Page Last Updated: February 17, 2024

The following family tree illustrates the five generations of leadership of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty.

Motilal Nehru (1861-1931)
Motilal Nehru
Congress  Party President

Nehru
Swaroop Rani

Motilal Nehru was an eminent Indian leader of his time and served the the  President of the Indian National Congress in 1919.

Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru
Congress Party President, Prime-Minister

Picture of Kamala Nehru
Kamala Nehru

 Jawaharlal Nehru served as the first Prime-Minster of India. His wife Kamala was a freedom fighter. Nehru is revered as a great statesman and a follower of Mahatma Gandhi. Nehru' sister Vijayalakshmi Pandit also was an active member of Congress.

Portrait of Indira Gandhi
India Gandhi
Congress Party President, Prime Minister


Indira Gandhi (not related to Mahatma Gandhi) ruled India for fifteen years during 1966-77 and 1980-84, when she was assassinated by bodyguards. She portrayed herself as the benefactor of the poor, and ruled with a dictatorial hand.

Rajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Gandhi
Congress Party President, Prime Minister


Sanjay Gandhi
Member of Parliment

Indira's heir apparent Sanjay Gandhi abused this position and power and was responsible for much of excesses during the Emergency in '76-77. After Sanjay was killed in a plane accident, Rajiv was inducted into politics. Rajiv  was made Prime-Minister after the assassination of India, and subsequently won a sympathy vote in a landslide. Rajiv was killed during an election campaign by a Tamil suicide bomber.


Rahul, Rajiv's son has been elected to the Indian parliament, along with Rajiv's wife Sonia (2004)

Caricature of Rahul Gandhi
Rahul Gandhi
Member of Parliment

See Also: