Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra pay respects to Rajiv Gandhi on his birth anniversary.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior political leaders across the board paid a tribute to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 73rd birth anniversary today. His memorial, Vir Bhoomi in New Delhi, was buzzing with activity as his family, wife Sonia Gandhi and son Rahul Gandhi and daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra paid respects to the nation's youngest Prime Minister. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's daughter Miraya also attended the ceremony.
Senior Congress leaders including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and former President Pranab Mukherjee also joined the Gandhi family at Vir Bhoomi. Former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar was also present.
Senior Congress leaders paid tribute to Rajiv Gandhi at his memorial, Vir Bhoomi.
Messages poured in from across the political spectrum for Mr Gandhi, who had assumed the position of PM from 1984 to 1989. The day is also celebrated as Sadbhavna Diwas.
Rajiv Gandhi was born on August 20, 1944, in Mumbai, which was called Bombay at the time. It is well known that initially politics did not interest him, and his passion was flying. He entered politics in 1981 after the death of his brother Sanjay Gandhi. After the assassination of his mother and then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, he became the Prime Minister at the age of 40, winning what is said to be the biggest mandate in the nation's history.
Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a suicide bomber in Sri Perumbudur near Madras in 1991.