Gopalkrishna Gandhi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gopalkrishna Gandhi
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| 18th Governor of West Bengal | |
| In office 14 December 2004 – 14 December 2009 |
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| Preceded by | Viren J. Shah |
| Succeeded by | Devanand Konwar (additional charge) |
| Governor of Bihar (additional charge) |
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| In office 31 January 2006 – 21 June 2006 |
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| Preceded by | Buta Singh |
| Succeeded by | R. S. Gavai |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Gopalkrishna Devadas Gandhi
22 April 1945 Delhi, British India |
| Political party | Independent |
| Other political affiliations |
NIL |
| Spouse | Tara Gandhi |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent |
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| Relatives | Ramchandra Gandhi (brother) Rajmohan Gandhi (brother) Mahatma Gandhi (paternal grandfather) Kasturba Gandhi (paternal grandmother) C. Rajagopalachari (maternal grandfather) |
| Alma mater | University of Delhi |
| Occupation | Professor of History and Politics at Ashoka University |
Gopalkrishna Devadas Gandhi was born on April 22, 1945. He is a well-known former government official and diplomat from India. He served as the 22nd Governor of West Bengal from 2004 to 2009.
He is the grandson of two very important figures in Indian history: Mahatma Gandhi and C. Rajagopalachari. Gopalkrishna Gandhi was also an IAS officer. This means he worked in high-level government jobs. He served as Secretary to the President of India and as a High Commissioner (a top diplomat) to countries like South Africa and Sri Lanka. In 2017, he was a candidate for the Vice President of India.
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Early Life and Education
Gopalkrishna Devadas Gandhi was born in Delhi, India. His father, Devdas Gandhi, was a journalist. His mother was Lakshmi Gandhi.
He went to St. Stephen's College, which is part of Delhi University. There, he earned a master's degree in English literature.
A Career in Public Service
Gopalkrishna Gandhi had a long and important career serving the public. He worked in many different roles both in India and in other countries.
Starting in Government
In 1968, he joined the IAS. This is a very competitive service for top government jobs in India. He worked in the state of Tamil Nadu until 1985.
After that, he worked closely with India's top leaders. From 1985 to 1987, he was the secretary to the Vice President of India. Then, from 1987 to 1992, he was the joint secretary to the President of India.
Diplomatic Roles Abroad
In 1992, Gopalkrishna Gandhi decided to leave the IAS voluntarily. He then took on international roles. He became a minister for culture at the High Commission of India in the UK. He also directed The Nehru Centre, London, which promotes Indian culture.
He continued to serve as a diplomat in various countries. He was the High Commissioner of India to South Africa and Lesotho in 1996. From 2000, he was the High Commissioner of India in Sri Lanka. Later, in 2002, he became India's Ambassador to Norway and Iceland.
Serving as Governor
On December 14, 2004, Gopalkrishna Gandhi was appointed the Governor of West Bengal. This is a very important position in an Indian state. He served in this role for five years, until December 14, 2009.
For a few months in 2006, he also took on extra duties as the Governor of Bihar. This meant he was in charge of two states at once for a short period.
Later Work and Contributions
After his time as Governor, Gopalkrishna Gandhi continued to be involved in important organizations. From 2011 to 2014, he was the chairman of the Kalakshetra Foundation in Chennai. This foundation promotes traditional Indian arts and culture.
He also served as the chairman of the governing body of the Indian Institute of Advanced Study. This institute is a center for advanced research in humanities and social sciences.
In 2015, he translated a famous Tamil classic called the Tirukkural into English. Today, he teaches history and politics as a professor at Ashoka University.
Family Connections
Gopalkrishna Gandhi comes from a very famous family. His paternal grandfather was Mahatma Gandhi, who led India's freedom movement. His paternal grandmother was Kasturba Gandhi.
His maternal grandfather was C. Rajagopalachari, also known as Rajaji. Rajaji was another important leader in India's independence movement and the first Indian Governor-General.
Gopalkrishna Gandhi is the son of Devdas Gandhi and Lakshmi Gandhi. He has two brothers, Rajmohan Gandhi and Ramchandra Gandhi. He is married to Tara Gandhi, and they have two daughters.
