New Delhi, Aug 20 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid tribute to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his birth anniversary, remembering the Congress leader who served as India’s prime minister from 1984 to 1989.
In a post on social media platform X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “On his birth anniversary today, my tributes to former Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi Ji.”
Born on August 20, 1944, Rajiv Gandhi became India’s youngest prime minister at the age of 40 after the assassination of his mother and then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in October 1984. He subsequently led the Congress and the country until the party’s defeat in the 1989 Lok Sabha elections.
Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure was marked by a strong emphasis on modernisation and the use of technology. His government pushed computerisation and the expansion of telecommunications, besides introducing initiatives in areas such as education and Panchayati Raj. His government also lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.
After the Congress lost power in 1989, Rajiv Gandhi became the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. He was assassinated on May 21, 1991, in a bomb blast at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu while campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections.
The Congress observes his birth anniversary as Sadbhavana Diwas, with party leaders and workers paying homage to him at Veer Bhumi, his memorial in New Delhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has regularly paid tribute to Rajiv Gandhi on his birth anniversary. In 2024, he had posted, “Tributes to our former Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi Ji on his birth anniversary.”
The tribute comes as Rajiv Gandhi’s political legacy remains closely associated with the Nehru-Gandhi family and the Congress. His son, Rahul Gandhi, is currently the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and remains one of the principal leaders of the party.
