Rajiv Gandhi, who served as the prime minister from 1984 to 1989, was born on August 20 in 1944.
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 77th birth anniversary.
The Congress party praised Rajiv Gandhi's immense contributions to the nation and called him the "architect of 21st Century India."
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu remembered Rajiv Gandhi's efforts to promote and make India an IT, telecom and education hub.
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.
Congress leader Milind Deora shared a throwback image from his childhood days featuring Rajiv Gandhi. Milind Deora said the image was from 1982.
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.”
Take a look at some of the other tweets:
August 20 is also celebrated as Sadbhavana Diwas or Harmony Day – to promote national integration and peace among communities.