Kato Svanidze was the first wife of Russian dictator Joseph Stalin. Her untimely demise is considered a significant event in world history as some historians believe that it led to Stalin’s ruthlessness and inhumane ways. Kato, a Georgian girl, met Joseph Stalin during his early days as a Bolshevik revolutionary. Their marriage lasted only a year before her sudden death due to acute weakness and typhus. Their love and devotion for each other flourished despite the tumultuous times they lived in. Stalin was an atheist, but agreed to a church marriage just to honour Kato’s wishes. They were married in 1906, and Kato gave birth to Stalin’s eldest son, Yakov, a few months after the marriage. Her untimely death in Dec 1907 had a deep impact on Stalin and he abandoned his son Yakov to be raised by the family of Kato. She remained the only love in his life despite his marriage to Nadezhda Alliluyeva