The Hindu Business Line : Like father, like son

Sachin Pilot, son of the late Rajesh Pilot, feels that unless you deliver as a politician, people won't have time for you when you seek re-election.

A bunch of young, highly educated Congressmen from political families got elected to the Lok Sabha in the May 2004 general elections. They are dynamic and enthusiastic, and don't want to rest on their parents' laurels. At 26, Sachin Pilot, son of the late Rajesh Pilot, is the youngest member of the Lok Sabha. He represents the Dausa constituency in Rajasthan. A product of New Delhi's Air Force School, he graduated from St. Stephen's College. During this period, he took part in many extra-curricular activities, besides being the captain of the college shooting team. He also did an internship with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in news and current affairs at its New Delhi bureau.

He then worked with General Motors for two-and-a-half years, and went on to do his MBA (finance) from the prestigious Wharton Business School in the US. Pilot was inducted into the Congress party on February 10, 2002, which happened to be the birthday of his father, whose promising career as a national leader ended abruptly following a car accident a few years ago.

His father had served as union minister under Rajiv Gandhi and P.V. Narasimha Rao. He took a keen interest in the affairs of Kashmir and the North-East, and also wanted to improve the lot of the farming community and the downtrodden. Now Pilot Jr wants to take up causes that were dear to his father, and realise his dreams.

He travels extensively, especially to remote areas of Rajasthan, spreading the message of communal harmony, social justice and empowerment of the farming community. Besides, he wants to inculcate a sense of social and political responsibility amongst the youth in rural and the semi-urban areas.

"Being elected to Parliament is a humbling experience. I feel it is the biggest panchayat in the country from where I can work for my constituency and my people on a much larger scale," says Pilot. He says circumstances — especially his father's death — made him join active politics. "Politics was not thrust upon me. Since both my parents have a political background, I was mentally prepared to be in active politics, though not so early. But now, I will not shy away from any challenges that come my way."

As an MP, he has a three-point programme. He wants to create opportunities for youth by strengthening the rural economy, implement policies, and improve the delivery mechanisms so that benefits reach the people they are intended for. "I do not see politics as an end. Rather, it is a means to serve the needy. I see politics as a profession, where one can reach out to a lot of people. This is just not possible in any other profession," he says. As for politics offering adequate opportunities to young people to make a difference, Pilot says it's a good platform to serve one's country. "It does offer you a chance to take the initiative. You can change many things, but it all depends on how much time you can devote to politics."

He adds that he would "like to ensure that policies are made clear to people at the grassroots level. Secondly, one should work cohesively. Young people who are educated and wish to serve the people should be encouraged to enter politics."

After his father's death, his mother Rama got elected from Dausa. She now helps and guides him.

Pilot is married to Sara Abdullah, daughter of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah. "I am happily married and there are no ill-feelings between our families," he says, in an obvious reference to the opposition from their respective families to this inter-religious marriage.

A firm believer in the ideology of the Congress party, Pilot says, "This has been the only party representing all sections, communities and religions of the country. I have been brought up in an atmosphere where politics and Congress were one, and not two different things."

He is delighted that his party has provided an opportunity for young and well-educated people to enter Parliament and also realise their potential in the political field. Referring to his young colleagues like Rahul Gandhi, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Milind Deora and Navin Jindal, he says, "We tend to interact a lot and work together. We also think alike."

He agrees that being a well-known politician's son helps. But high expectations are scary sometimes, he concedes. "While being a politician's son helps you gain entry into politics, it all depends on what you make of it. You have to work hard and deliver to prove your worth. Otherwise, the voters will have no time for you when you go back to them to seek re-election."

He adds that Dausa's voters elected him not just because he was Rajesh Pilot's son, but for the work he had done there in the past. Though he is clearly in politics to do "something positive and establish an identity of my own," this is not his only priority. He is also involved in the charitable trust his father had established — Jai Jawan Jai Kisan. The trust provides monthly pension to physically and mentally challenged people, war widows and orphans. The trust has also set up student hostels, especially for girls in rural areas to enable them continue their higher education. A hospital has also been set up in Western Uttar Pradesh for the underprivileged people in the area.

Like his father, he too is fond of flying; he got his private pilot's licence (PPL) from New York in 1995. He is also a keen sportsman and has represented Delhi in a number of national shooting championships.

Picture by Shanker Chakravarty

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