Yes, she was. She perhaps had a sense of what’s coming. One thing was that they had a very good, happy, comfortable, togetherly life, and she knew once the politics business began all that would change. And it did.

• And she paid a very heavy price for it.

She paid a very heavy price for it. Her children paid a price.

• And could you have then imagined, or could Rajiv have imagined, that she would join politics?

I could not have imagined. I don’t know if Rajiv ever thought about these things. I doubt very much if he could have imagined it either.

• But you’ve never had any communication with the family since you left?

We have met a couple of times, and whenever we have met it has been very pleasant, there has been no rancour. But there is that distance which hurts.

• Can anything bridge that?

I don’t think it can now. It could have been bridged if Rajiv was there, if Rajiv had bridged it. But for her to bridge it would be something of a betrayal on her own part to Rajiv.

• It is intriguing because you came back thrice. And each time you came back there were these inventive designations for you: Minister of State for the Defence Research & Development Organisation, Chairman of the Committee on Defence Expenditure, Security Adviser to the Defence Minister. You have come back in three capacities, and each time you came right back here. Why? Did you again get disillusioned?

... contd.