At a glance: Rajasthan's tranquil chief minister Ashok Gehlot

New Delhi: Amidst the brouhaha and mudslinging in Indian politics, Ashok Gehlot has almost always managed to wear a smile on his face and carry tranquility in his personality. Popularly known for being a people's man, Gehlot keeps meeting the general public in person to share their grievances and complaints.His obedience to Gandhian values has also gained him wide popularity amongst masses. Not many know that Ashok Gehlot also knows how to perform magic. His father was a popular magician and he learnt the tricks of the trade from him.Born in Jodhpur in 1951, Gehlot is a graduate in Science and Law and attained his post-graduate degree in Economics.Although Gehlot entered mainstream politics with winning a seat in the 7th Lok Sabha from Jodhpur in 1980, he had laid the foundation of his political career since his college days. His appealing magnetism bagged him seat in the 8th, 10th, 11th and 12th Lok Sabha.His dedication towards the upliftment of the downtrodden made leaders like Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and P V Narasimha Rao pick him up and place him in the Union cabinet. He served as the Union Deputy Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation under Indira Gandhi's rule after which he was given the charge of Sports Ministry. He was handed over the profile of Deputy Minister of Sports.Gehlot's outstanding work was acknowledged by his colleagues in the higher echelons of Congress. Gehlot became the General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee in 2004. He also became a member of the Congress working committee and was given charge of states like Himachal Pradesh and Chattisgarh. Gehlot played an important role in assisting Bangladesh refugees during the 1971 war. He served at the refugee camps in Bangaon and 24 Parganas districts in West Bengal. Gehlot became the founder president of Bharat Seva Sansthan, an organization dedicated to educate the poor by providing free books to students through Rajiv Gandhi Book Memorial Bank.Gehlot's developmental strategies during his first tenure as Rajasthan chief minister have been commendable. Drought management, employment generation and infrastructure development have few of his major achievements during his first tenure.His first term witnessed the worst famine ever but the relief work provided by his government was exceptional. He personally visited the famine-hit areas and shared the grief of the victims.