Sonia Gandhi becomes president of India's Congress party in 1998

On 14 March 1998, Sonia Gandhi became president of the Indian National Congress, India's oldest major political party. She took over from Sitaram Kesri, a veteran leader, at a time when the party had lost power at the centre and was struggling with internal divisions.

Gandhi, born in Italy, was the widow of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, who was assassinated in 1991. She had stayed away from politics for years after his death, but formally joined Congress in 1997 and began campaigning for it. Her move to the top post was welcomed by many party workers, who hoped the Nehru-Gandhi family name would revive the organisation.

She went on to lead Congress for about two decades, longer than any other president in its history. Under her leadership the party headed the United Progressive Alliance coalition that governed India from 2004 to 2014. She handed the presidency to her son Rahul Gandhi in 2017 and returned as interim president from 2019 to 2022. Her long role is central to the story of her memoir.