"Architect Of 21st Century India": Rajiv Gandhi Remembered On 77th Birth Anniversary

Rajiv Gandhi, India's youngest Prime Minister and a charismatic politicians who took major steps to help India's IT revolution, took charge of the office in 1984 after his mother, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her bodyguards. Rajiv Gandhi was also the president of the Congress party following Indira Gandhi's assassination.

Today marks Rajiv Gandhi's 77th birth anniversary which is marked as Sadbhavana Diwas to emphasize promotion of national integration and peace among various communities in the country. In May, 1991, while campaigning for the general elections during a rally in Tamil Nadu, he was assassinated by a Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) suicide bomber.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi paid tributes to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi at his memorial in New Delhi this morning. Sharing a famous quote by his father, Rahul Gandhi wrote on Facebook, '"A secular India alone is an India that can survive'. Remembering Shri Rajiv Gandhi Ji on his birth anniversary."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid tributes to Rajiv Gandhi on his  77^th birth anniversary.

Tributes to our former PM Shri Rajiv Gandhi Ji on his birth anniversary.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 20, 2021

The Congress party praised Rajiv Gandhi's immense contributions to the nation and called him the "architect of 21st Century India."

India's youngest Prime Minister.
The architect of 21st Century India.
The visionary, the pioneer, the patriot.
Today we pay homage to Bharat Ratna, Rajiv Gandhi and celebrate his immense contributions to the nation. #RememberingRajivGandhi pic.twitter.com/eG2Z93upDN

— Congress (@INCIndia) August 20, 2021

Shri @RahulGandhi offers floral tributes at Vir Bhumi on Shri Rajiv Gandhi ji's birth anniversary. #RememberingRajivGandhi pic.twitter.com/IaI8vKoWB9

— Congress (@INCIndia) August 20, 2021

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu remembered Rajiv Gandhi's efforts to promote and make India an IT, telecom and education hub.

My tributes to former Prime Minister, Shri Rajiv Gandhi Ji on his birth anniversary today. His valuable contributions to the IT, telecom and education sector will always be remembered.

— Vice President of India (@VPSecretariat) August 20, 2021

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that Rajiv Gandhi laid the foundation of information technology in the country and strengthened the Panchayati Raj System. "Let's pay tribute to the 21st-century visionary and his far-reaching ideas," he added.

पूर्व प्रधानमंत्री भारत रत्न स्व. श्री राजीव गांधी जी को जन्मदिवस पर शत्-शत् नमन। उन्होंने देश में संचार क्रांति की नींव रखी, देश का पंचायती राज तंत्र भी उनकी व्यापक सोच से ही मजबूत हुआ है। आईये, इस सद्भावना दिवस पर 21वीं सदी के स्वप्नदृष्टा राजीव जी की दूरगामी सोच को नमन करें। pic.twitter.com/PxtnddPMHp

— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) August 20, 2021

Congress leader Milind Deora shared a throwback image from his childhood days featuring Rajiv Gandhi. Milind Deora said the image was from 1982.

Remembering one of modern India's architects & the country's youngest Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi ji on his birth anniversary.

This ???? is from our Mumbai home — back in 1982.#RememberingRajivGandhi pic.twitter.com/FZgfCr48Ir

— Milind Deora | मिलिंद देवरा ☮️ (@milinddeora) August 20, 2021

Congress leader Praful Patel also paid his tribute to the youngest Prime Minister of India.  He wrote, “Remembering the youngest Prime Minister of India, Bharat Ratna Shri Rajiv Gandhi ji on his birth anniversary. He was the architect of digital India in the true sense. He paved the path of information technology and telecom revolution in India.”

Remembering the youngest Prime Minister of India, Bharat Ratna Shri #RajivGandhi ji on his birth anniversary. He was the architect of digital India in the true sense. He paved the path of information technology and telecom revolution in India.#SadbhavnaDiwas #birthanniversary pic.twitter.com/gKF18cfL5V

— Praful Patel (@praful_patel) August 20, 2021

Take a look at some of the other tweets:

कारखानों, बांधों और सड़कों को विकास नहीं कहते। विकास तो लोगों के बारे में है। इसका लक्ष्य लोगों के लिए सांस्कृतिक और आध्यात्मिक पूर्ति करना है। विकास में मानवीय मूल्यों को प्रथम वरीयता दी जाती है।
- स्व० राजीव गांधी#RememberingRajivGandhi pic.twitter.com/p8DG5qHid3

— Rajasthan Youth Congress (@Rajasthan_PYC) August 20, 2021

Pay my humble tributes to former PM Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi ji on his birth anniversary. A visionary leader, his modern and scientific outlook led India to new heights. He is credited with heralding the telecom revolution in India. pic.twitter.com/pUDOwzQk1f

— Preneet Kaur (@preneet_kaur) August 20, 2021

श्री @RahulGandhi जी ने 'वीर भूमि' पहुंचकर पूर्व प्रधानमंत्री स्व. राजीव गांधी जी जयंती पर श्रद्धांजलि अर्पित किया। #RememberingRajivGandhi pic.twitter.com/LCITVLTGxO

— Ajay Kumar Lallu (@AjayLalluINC) August 20, 2021

Shri Rajiv Gandhi Ji was responsible almost single-handedly for changing the structure of our polity by the Constitutional empowerment of panchayats and nagarpalikas.#RememberingRajivGandhi pic.twitter.com/5R7vE5Duxl

— Goa Youth Congress (@IYCGoa) August 20, 2021

My tribute to Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister, the visionary who shaped India's destiny for 21st century on his 77th birth anniversary. pic.twitter.com/AQR3KkTM5J

— Abdul Khaleque (@MPAbdulKhaleque) August 20, 2021

August 20 is also celebrated as Sadbhavana Diwas or Harmony Day – to promote national integration and peace among communities.