Read The Diplomat, Know The Asia-Pacific
From being mocked for being inexperienced and incompetent, he is now emerging a sought-after leader of India’s youth.
A screengrab of an Indian National Congress video of Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi addressing youth at the Chhatron ki Goonj event in Pune, India, Aug. 22, 2026.
When Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi addressed women students at the Chhatron ki Goonj (Voice of Students) event in Pune last week, he urged them to “Smash the Patriarchy,” a message that resonated not just with his audience at the Pune event but with youth across the country.
“India’s biggest strength, its asset,” Gandhi said, “is its 70 crore (700 million) women.”
