Maneka Gandhi is an Indian politician, animal rights activist, environmentalist, and author. After a brief stint as a model, Gandhi started her career as the founder and editor of a political magazine called ‘Surya.’ She entered politics in 1982 after the demise of her husband Sanjay Gandhi. She founded a political party called ‘Rashtriya Sanjay Manch’ which focused on youth empowerment. In 1988, she joined the Janata Dal party and went on to become its general secretary. She became the minister for environment in November 1989 when she won her first election to Parliament. She currently serves as the Indian Union Cabinet Minister for Women & Child Development.Maneka Gandhi is also famous for her work as an environmentalist and animal rights activist. In 1999, she was honored with Venu Menon Animal Allies Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. She is also a recipient of the prestigious Rukmini Devi Arundale Animal Welfare Award. Maneka Gandhi was born Maneka Anand on August 26, 1956, in Delhi, India, to Amteshwar Anand and Tarlochan Singh Anand. After graduating from Lawrence School she went to ‘Lady Shri Ram College for Women. She also studied German at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi. Maneka was working as a model when she met Sanjay Gandhi at a party organized by Major-General Kapur. She went on to marry Sanjay and accompanied him on his tours and campaigns. She founded a news magazine called ‘Surya’ which helped promote the Congress party following its defeat in the 1977 election. Maneka Gandhi’s relationship with her mother-in-law and the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi deteriorated after the demise of Sanjay Gandhi. She was eventually forced out of the prime minister's residence at Safdarjung Road in New Delhi. She then joined hands with Indian politician Akbar Ahmed Dumpy and formed a political party called Rashtriya Sanjay Manch which focused on empowering youth. During the subsequent elections in the state of Andhra Pradesh, Rashtriya Sanjay Manch won four out of five seats. During the 1984 general election, Gandhi contested the Amethi constituency but lost to Rajiv Gandhi. She then joined the Janata Dal party in 1988 and went on to become its general secretary. She won her first election to Parliament in November 1989 and became the minister for environment. During her three-year tenure, Gandhi came up with a separate department for animal welfare. Also, many bills were passed to protect India’s historical monuments under her leadership. In 1996, she contested the Lok Sabha elections as an independent candidate from Pilibhit and emerged victorious. She became the minister for social justice and empowerment in 1999. Subsequently, laws pertaining to adoption were relaxed and a helpline for homeless children was created. SOURCES - https://www.thefamouspeople.com/ajax/filters.php