Rajiv Gandhi remembered on his 74th birth anniversary

Congress President Rahul Gandhi and his mother, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, paid tribute to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi at his memorial in Delhi on Monday, marking his 74th birth anniversary.

Rahul Gandhi was accompanied by his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and her husband Robert Vadra at Veer Bhumi, where several senior Congress leaders and other political figures also gathered to remember the former Prime Minister.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was among those who paid homage at Rajiv Gandhi’s memorial.

In an emotional message on Twitter, Rahul Gandhi remembered his father as a “kind, gentle and affectionate man” and spoke about the lasting impact of his death on his life.

He recalled the birthdays the family had celebrated together while Rajiv Gandhi was alive and said that although his father was deeply missed, his memory continued to live on.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid tribute to Rajiv Gandhi on his birth anniversary.

“Tributes to our former Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi Ji on his birth anniversary. We remember his efforts towards the nation,” Modi tweeted.

Senior Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Ashok Gehlot also visited Veer Bhumi and paid their respects.

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee remembered Rajiv Gandhi in a separate message, saying she fondly recalled the former Prime Minister on his birth anniversary.

Born on August 20, 1944, Rajiv Gandhi became India’s seventh Prime Minister in 1984 following the assassination of his mother, Indira Gandhi. At the age of 40, he became the youngest person to hold the office of Prime Minister in India.

Rajiv Gandhi served as Prime Minister from 1984 to 1989 and was closely associated with efforts to modernise India’s economy and administration, particularly through a greater emphasis on technology and telecommunications.

His political career was cut short when he was assassinated by a suicide bomber in 1991 at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu while campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections.

His birth anniversary continues to be observed by political leaders and supporters across the country, with tributes often focusing on his contributions to India’s modernisation as well as his relatively brief but consequential tenure as Prime Minister.