Sachin Pilot - A leader waiting in the wings

He holds the distinction of being the youngest MP in Indian Parliament and widely respected as a popular mass leader in Rajasthan.

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Jitesh Surjiani | 06 Nov '21

A charming and well-spoken mass leader, Sachin Pilot is a minister in the Rajasthan Assembly since 2018, representing the Tonk constituency. After contesting and winning the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, Sachin Pilot became the youngest citizen of India to become a Member of Parliament.

In his forties and helped by his boyish looks, Sachin Pilot comprises the ‘young brigade’ of politics in India, where the average age of a politician is 55 years.

Family and personal life

Sachin Pilot was born to Rajesh and Rama Pilot on 7 Sep 1977. His father, Rajesh Pilot was a tall leader of the Indian National Congress and served as a Union minister of India until his untimely death in 2000. Though settled in Rajasthan, Sachin Pilot’s ancestral village is Vaidpura in Uttar Pradesh.

Sachin Pilot married Sara Abdullah on 15 Jan 2004. Sara Abdullah is the daughter of Farooq Abdullah, chairman of Jammu & Kashmir National Conference, and ex-Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. Their marriage was initially fraught with the challenges of overcoming religious and cultural barriers as Sachin was a Hindu and Sara was a Kashmiri Muslim. Together they have two sons, Aaran and Vehaan.

Sachin Pilot counts flying light aircraft, watching movies & plays, and traveling amongst his favorite pastimes. His choice of sports includes shooting (rifle and pistol), squash & cricket. His special interests lie in news and current affairs, and international trade and economics.

He also co-published a book “Rajesh Pilot: In Spirit Forever” in Jan 2001 along with his sister Sarika Pilot.

Education and career

Sachin Pilot studied at the Air Force Bal Bharati School in Delhi and completed his graduation in Arts (B.A.) from St. Stephens College, Delhi. He later earned a diploma in marketing from I.M.T. Ghaziabad.  Sachin also pursued an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, USA. Upon returning from the USA, he was employed with the Delhi Bureau of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). He quit BBC and did a short stint of 2 years with General Motors.

Following in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps to be in the armed forces, Sachin Pilot enlisted in the Indian Army in 2012 and became the first Union Minister of India to be commissioned as an officer in the Territorial Army. He is thereafter also regarded as Lieutenant Sachin Pilot. Unlike many celebrities and sportspersons, Sachin Pilot is not an “honorary member” and cleared the tough exams before getting commissioned.

Journey into politics

With both his parents in politics and serving in the government, politics was a natural calling for Sachin Pilot.

All of 24, he joined the Indian National Congress at a Kisan rally in Jaipur and within 2 years built a credible reputation as a leader of the masses. At the age of 26, he successfully contested the 2004 Lok Sabha elections and was elected from the Dausa constituency, becoming the youngest MP in India at that time. He again contested the 2009 Lok Sabha elections and won the seat of Ajmer after defeating his nearest rival by over 75 thousand votes. During this tenure in the Lok Sabha, Sachin Pilot was a member of the Lok Sabha's Standing Committee on Home Affairs and a member of the Consultative Committee in the Ministry of Civil Aviation. In 2012, he became the Union Minister of State for Corporate Affairs.

Sachin was unsuccessful the third time round when he was defeated by a margin of over 1.7 lakh votes in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Immediately thereafter, he was appointed the President of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee.

In the 2018 Rajasthan Legislative Assembly elections, Sachin Pilot won from the Tonk seat and was sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan under Ashok Gehlot.

Key highlights of political life

  • As Minister of State for Corporate Affairs, Sachin Pilot played a key role in drafting and passing The Companies Act, 2013 to replace a nearly six-decade-old legislation. He called it a 21st-century legislation that has the potential to unleash huge economic and social value.
  • Ever since his appointment as the Dy. CM under Ashok Gehlot in 2018, relations between them have been cold and tense due to differences in opinions and competing political ambitions. On 13 July 2020, Pilot's office issued a statement saying that the government of chief minister Ashok Gehlot was in a minority, sparking rumors that he was about to join BJP. The Indian National Congress on 14 July 2020, sacked Sachin Pilot as the Deputy Chief Minister and Rajasthan Congress President for his revolt against the party and its leadership. His possible resignation from the Congress Party was averted by the intervention of Rahul Gandhi who convinced him to stay on.

Sachin Pilot on Twitter

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Jitesh Surjiani

Jitesh Surjiani

Jitesh Surjiani is passionate about progressive change for India and its citizens. He writes about issues that are roadblocks in improving quality of life and interpersonal interactions as well as areas of public governance that fall short in intent and action.

Sachin Pilot - A leader waiting in the wings Sachin Pilot - A leader waiting in the wings
Sachin Pilot - A leader waiting in the wings
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