The Hindu Business Line : Indian of the Year 2005

Drawing on my long experience of having observed prominent leaders in various walks of life, from Jawaharlal Nehru onwards, at close quarters, I am sure that the choice is well-deserved.

Looking around, among all the leaders of political parties today, she seems to reflect the distinguishing attributes of the luminaries of the Congress Party of the early days of Independence: Simple, austere, secular, not throwing her weight about, earnest in attending to issues and problems needing her attention and competent in playing her triple roles as the Congress President, Chairperson of National Advisory Council and UPA-Left Parties Coordination Committee.

I do not recall any occasion when she has either used an offensive expression, or permitted herself an ill-considered opinion or allowed herself to be tripped by media persons into saying something that she had had to retract or deny later. A patient listener, she approaches issues with an open mind, and although, being in politics, she has her compulsions, she tries her best not to cross `the Lakshman Rekha' of national interest and public weal. That she has been able to steer a national party of great traditions so smoothly and ably is in itself a tribute to her leadership qualities.

Coming from another country, she has shown impressive resilience in adjusting to the complexity and diversity of a country and its politics which are apt to clean bowl even a native Indian.

Her command of the Hindi language and the ease and fluency with which she is able to get her message across in a style that the common villager can understand is indeed commendable.

Mass appeal and charisma are the other characteristics she shares with the Nehru family. It is not simply curiosity that draws large crowds to her meetings; in some undefinable way, they seem to identify themselves with her and she with them. To cap it all, she has left an indelible imprint on the post-Independence history of India by the way she passed on to Dr Manmohan Singh the supreme prize of prime ministership that was hers for the asking and has, ever since, spared no efforts to strengthen his hands.

B. S. Raghavan