‘The Dreams You Had For India…’: Tributes Flow In For Rajiv Gandhi On His 79th Birth Anniv; Some Interesting Facts

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday paid tributes Rajiv Gandhi as the nation remembered the last Prime Minister from Gandhi-Nehruvian family on his 79th birth anniversary.

Rajiv Gandhi, who served as the 7th Prime Minister of India from 1984 to 1989, was born on August 20, 1944.

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Robert Vadra and several other leaders also visited Veer Bhumi in Delhi to pay homage to India’s youngest Prime Minister to date. Kharge also penned a tribute to Rajiv on X, calling him “a leader who inspired hope among millions of Indians.”

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi took a bike ride to Pangong Lake in Ladakh and attended a prayer meeting was held at its banks of to mark the birth anniversary of former prime minister and his father. “Papa, the dreams you had for India overflow from these priceless memories,” Rahul posted on X in Hindi.

Notably, Rajiv Gandhi’s birthday is observed as Sadbhavana Diwas, a day dedicated to promoting national integration and peace among various communities. Here are some lesser-known facts about him.

1. Rajiv Gandhi became the youngest Prime Minister of India at the age of 40 in the year 1984. He was nicknamed “Mr. Clean” due to his commitment to combating corruption in the country.

2. A reluctant novice in politics, Rajiv Gandhi was never set out to become a politician. But only after the death of his younger brother Sanjay Gandhi in a plane crash (1980) did he enter politics and contested from the former’s seat in Amethi and became the president of the Indian Youth Congress in 1981.

3. Before his political endeavour, Rajiv Gandhi pursued a career as a pilot and joined Indian Airlines in 1970. Flying was his passion and also his desired career until he was compelled by responsibilities to join politics.

4. Rajiv Gandhi’s government in 1985 introduced, The Constitution (Fifty-second Amendment) Act, to tackle the politics of defection. It prohibited elected Members of Parliament from joining an opposition party until the next election. He also played a pivotal role in ushering in India’s IT revolution.

5. Rajiv Gandhi also had a passion for photography. His wife Sonia Gandhi, after his death, came out with a book ‘Rajiv’s World: Photographs by Rajiv Gandhi,’ in 1995, which was a collection of photographs clicked by him, of all his interests and especially – family. He also had a passion for music, particularly Western and Hindustani classical music.

5. Rajiv Gandhi was conferred the highest civilian award Bharat Ratna in 1991 posthumously.