In the name of the father

"No one understands mypredicament," says Robert Vadra, the nation’s most famous son-in-law (theother one, Ranjan Bhattacharya, is only, after all, a foster son-in-law). The31-year-old Vadra isn’t referring to his "extremely private life" as hecalls it but the requests that would come his way. It provoked him into issuinga legal notice distancing himself from his brother, Richard, and his father,Rajendra. While his family may be upset with him, he thinks it’s beenworth it. "During these elections, not a single person came to me with anyrequests. It’s been appreciated by everyone," he says. Certainly not byhis father. "Time can’t heal what has been done to me," says a bitter,62-year-old Rajendra Vadra, who is separated from his wife, Maureen (neeMcDonagh), and lives apart in a pokey second floor barsati in New Delhi. The twohaven’t spoken to each other in over two months, but Robert ascribes thisto the fact that he was travelling, shifting office, and attending a trade fairin Delhi. And then, of course, there’s the new baby he and Priyanka areexpecting in June. Their first child, Rehaan Rajiv, was born in September 2000.Upstanding proprietor of Artex Exports (where he sells costume jewellery atprices ranging from 20 cents to $5) and accessories such as bead bags andpashmina stoles? Or a not-so-bright party boy who got lucky when he managed towoo one of the nation’s prettiest but most cloistered women? Who is RobertVadra? Robert Vadra himself is not in the business of analysing his life inpublic. How does he deal with speculation about his private life? "Well,it’s no one’s business. Most of the people I move around with werepart of my life even before Priyanka came into it. So they don’t reallyask questions." Not even the Big Question: what did Priyanka see in him? Hisreply is smooth, unruffled: "You’ll have to ask Priyanka that." Yet,he’s polite when he meets people at his thrice-a-week gym routine at afive-star hotel or at yet another party for his fashion/mini-industrialistfriends. He says being Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law has never helped him."How can it? Mine is an international business. The only people I deal with inthe domestic market are suppliers who are from villages and no way do they knowwho I am. It’s not a big business but it supports my family. I’mproud of that," he states. As for politics, he’s careful: "How can I saywhat’s going to happen? You never know. I don’t want to make astatement that will be held against me 10 years from now. Right now, I’mreally like an outsider looking in." Clearly, some of his politician wife hasrubbed off on him.