Rajiv Gandhi's 77th Birth Anniversary: Youth Congress Plans Blood Donation Camps, Cultural Events

A slew of programmes, including blood donation camps, sports and cultural events, will be organised across the country to mark the 77th birth anniversary of former prime minister late Rajiv Gandhi, Indian Youth Congress said today.

A special photo exhibition paying tribute to the late prime minister will also be organised in the national capital on the occasion, according to a statement by the Indian Youth Congress (IYC).

Rajiv Gandhi, who served as the prime minister from 1984 to 1989, was born on August 20 in 1944. He was assassinated by the LTTE during an election campaign in 1991.

The birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi is observed as 'Sadbhavana Diwas' by the Congress.

"The Indian Youth Congress workers across the country will be paying tributes to former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi on 'Sadhbhavana Diwas'. Many programmes like photo exhibitions, cultural and sports events, 'run for nation'', blood donation camps, among others, will be held at the state, district, assembly and block levels," the statement stated.

IYC national president Srinivas B V remembered Rajiv Gandhi for his vision of modern India and called him the "father of information technology and telecommunication revolution in the country".

"Rajiv Gandhi, who became the PM at the age of 40, created modern India. On his initiative, the Indian telecommunication network was established. The network of telecommunications started from city to villages so that people of villages could also connect with the country and the world in terms of communication," he said in a statement.