The Nation pays Tribute to Rajiv Gandhi as it marks his 77th Birth Anniversary.

The country celebrates the 77th Birth anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi. His son Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi pay their tributes to the late Indian Prime Minister. 

Remembering Rajiv Gandhi

Born on 20 August 1944, Rajiv Gandhi served as the sixth Prime Minister of India from 1984-1989. He was the youngest leader at the age of 40 to assume office as the Prime Minister of our country.

He married Sonia Gandhi in 1968, who is the current President of the Congress party. However, India lost the dynamic leader on 21 May 1991, when a suicide bomber from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) assassinated him during one of his election rallies in Sriperambadur, Tamil Nadu.

Ever since his death, India observes 21 May as Anti-Terrorism Day. A state funeral held on 24 May 1991 was broadcast live and had important figures attending from over 60 countries. Rajiv Gandhi was cremated at Veer Bhumi, on the river banks of Yamuna near the sanctums of his grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru, mother Indira Gandhi and brother Sanjay Gandhi.

He is survived by his two children Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, who are prominent political figures. The Government of India awarded him the Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian award posthumously in 1991.

He was also given the Revolutionary Leader of Modern India at the India Leadership Conclave in 2009. 

Reports state that more than 16 government schemes are named after him, like the Rajiv Awas Yojana and Rajiv Gandhi Udyami Mitra Yojana, to name a few.

Haryana Sports Minister Anil Vij in 2015 also exclaimed 226 out of 232 rural states in India are named after Rajiv Gandhi.

Known for creating a “modern India”, Rajive Gandhi was also instrumental in establishing India’s telecommunication network.

Sadbhavna Diwas, the national leader, pay their tributes.

Every year, the Congress party and people across the country observe 20th August as Sadbhavna Diwas in his remembrance. His son Rahul Gandhi and his fellow party members visited the Veer Bhumi Rajiv Gandhi memorial in Delhi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid his tributes on his Twitter account and wrote, “Tributes to our former PM Shri Rajiv Gandhi Ji on his birth anniversary”.

On his birth anniversary today, Vice-president Venkaiah Naidu also tweeted, “My tributes to former Prime Minister, Shri Rajiv Gandhi Ji. His valuable contributions to the IT, telecom and education sector will always be remembered”. 

According to a statement released by the Indian Youth Congress (IYC), plans to organise a special photo exhibition in memory of Rajiv Gandhi will take place in Delhi on Friday.

Along with this, the Congress party will also host a series of programmes across the country from blood donation camps, sports and cultural events to commemorate the 77th birth anniversary of their deceased leader.