PM Modi Pays Tribute to Former PM Rajiv Gandhi on His Birth Anniversary
Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays homage to the late Congress leader, who became India’s youngest prime minister at 40 and served from 1984 to 1989.
New Delhi, Aug 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid tribute to former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi on his birth anniversary, remembering the Congress leader who played a significant role in shaping India’s political landscape during the 1980s.
Modi posted a brief message on social media on the occasion, paying homage to the former prime minister.
Born on August 20, 1944, in Bombay, now Mumbai, Rajiv Gandhi entered national politics following the death of his younger brother Sanjay Gandhi in a plane crash in 1980. He initially had little interest in pursuing a political career and was working as a commercial pilot with Indian Airlines.
Rajiv Gandhi’s entry into electoral politics came after Sanjay Gandhi’s death. He contested the Amethi Lok Sabha by-election and won by a substantial margin, marking the beginning of his active political career.
His political journey took a dramatic turn after the assassination of his mother and then prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984. Rajiv Gandhi succeeded her as prime minister and also took charge as Congress president.
At the age of 40, he became the youngest person to hold the office of prime minister of India. Under his leadership, the Congress secured a historic mandate in the 1984 Lok Sabha elections, winning 404 seats in the 514-member House.
During his tenure, Rajiv Gandhi was associated with efforts to modernise India’s technology and communications sectors. His government also focused on expanding the use of computers and telecommunications and promoting greater technological development.
Before entering politics, his interests included engineering, photography, music and amateur radio, while flying remained one of his strongest passions. He obtained a commercial pilot’s licence after returning to India and worked with Indian Airlines.
Rajiv Gandhi married Sonia Maino, whom he met while studying in Cambridge, in 1968. The couple had two children, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi.
The Congress suffered defeat in the 1989 general elections, after which Rajiv Gandhi served as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. He remained a prominent figure in national politics and returned to campaigning during the 1991 general election.
His political career was cut short on May 21, 1991, when he was assassinated in a bomb blast at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu while campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections.
His birth anniversary is observed every year as an occasion to remember his contribution to Indian public life and his emphasis on technological modernisation.
