Sheikh Hasina Meets Advani, Sonia

IMAGE: Sheikh Hasina with Advaniji and his daughter Pratibha Advani. All photographs: ANI Photo

IMAGE: Sheikh Hasina greets Advaniji, who is 96.

IMAGE: On the wall over Advaniji's left shoulder is the Bharat Ratna citation. The nation's highest civilian honour was conferred on Advaniji this year.

IMAGE: Sonia Gandhi hugs Sheikh Hasina, here and below.

After Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, Bangladesh's first president and Sheikh Hasina's father, was murdered on August 15, 1975 along with his wife, three sons, two daughters-in-law and relatives (daughters Hasina and Rehana who were abroad), then prime minister Indira Gandhi -- Sonia's mother-in-law -- arranged for Sheikh Hasina and her family to stay at Pandara Road in New Delhi, close to where Advaniji lives.
Sheikh Hasina lived in New Delhi for six years before it was deemed safe for her to return to Dhaka.

IMAGE: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra embraces Sheikh Hasina as Sonia and Rahul Gandhi look on.

IMAGE: Rahul embraces Sheikh Hasina.
It is possible that Sheikh Hasina met Rahul and Priyanka at Indira Gandhi's home when they were children.

IMAGE: Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka with Sheikh Hasina.

IMAGE: Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who is India's new agriculture minister, meets with Advaniji, his political mentor.

IMAGE: Mamaji -- as Shivraj Singh is known in his native Madhya Pradesh -- seeks Advaniji's blessings.

IMAGE: Mamaji, Sadhana Chouhan and their sons Kartikey and Kunal with Advaniji and Pratibha Advani.