Birthday Special: When Mahatma Gandhi held him in his lap and said Sun-Moon, unheard things related to the life of Mani Shankar Aiyar

Mani Shankar Aiyar Birthday Special: Senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar was born on 10 April 1941 in Lahore (Pakistan). As an accomplished politician, former diplomat and writer, his identity has been multifaceted. Iyer, one of the prominent faces of the Indian National Congress, made significant contributions in both the fields of diplomacy and politics in his life.

His life was not limited to just posts, but was also deeply connected to ideologies and experiences. The life of Mani Shankar Iyer exemplifies how ideas, experiences, and leadership deeply shape a person’s identity.

Journey from diplomat to politician

Very few people know that Mani Shankar Aiyar was an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer and represented India in many countries. During his diplomatic career, he became recognized as an influential officer. However, the big turn in his life came when he grew close to Rajiv Gandhi. It is said that it was on the insistence of Rajiv Gandhi that he left the foreign service and entered active politics. After this, he made his own identity in the country’s politics by joining the Congress Party.

Mani Shankar Aiyar with Rajiv Gandhi

Experience related to Pakistan

Mani Shankar Aiyar served as a diplomat in Pakistan during the tenure of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. His comment became a topic of much discussion amid the general elections 2024 in Pakistan. Mani Shankar Aiyar had highly appreciated the hospitality of Pakistan. He had said that in no other country had he been welcomed with such an open heart. Let us tell you that Iyer had served as a diplomat in Pakistan during the tenure of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

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Impact of Gandhi-Nehru-Rajiv ideology

Mani Shankar Aiyar’s political thinking has been deeply influenced by the thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Rajiv Gandhi. While sharing an interesting anecdote from his childhood, he had told that when he was six years old, Mahatma Gandhi took him and his brother in his lap and wrote ‘Sun and Moon of my eyes’. Said. He also said that he was deeply influenced by Nehruvian ideology while growing up, while the experience of working with Rajiv Gandhi greatly inspired him.