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Rajiv Gandhi
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Rajiv Gandhi

Sixth Prime Minister of India (1984–1989)

20 August 1944 – 21 May 1991 India Verified by our editors
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46 yrs
1944 – 1991
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Rajiv Gandhi became India’s youngest Prime Minister at 40 after the assassination of his mother, Indira Gandhi, in 1984. His government pushed telecommunications and computerisation and lowered the voting age to 18. He was assassinated while campaigning in 1991.

Biography

Early life

Rajiv Gandhi was the elder son of Indira and Feroze Gandhi. He studied at The Doon School and later at Trinity College, Cambridge, and Imperial College London, without completing a degree. He became a commercial pilot with Indian Airlines and in 1968 married Sonia Maino, whom he had met in Cambridge.

Entry into politics

Rajiv showed little interest in politics until his younger brother Sanjay died in a plane crash in 1980. He won Sanjay’s Amethi seat in 1981 and became a general secretary of the Congress. When Indira Gandhi was assassinated on 31 October 1984, he was sworn in as Prime Minister the same day, and in the December 1984 election the Congress won the largest majority in India’s parliamentary history.

Prime Minister

His government encouraged computers and telecommunications, set up the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), expanded technology missions and passed the constitutional amendment lowering the voting age from 21 to 18. It also signed peace accords in Punjab, Assam and Mizoram.

His tenure was clouded by the Bofors arms-deal controversy and by the Indian Peace Keeping Force’s costly intervention in Sri Lanka. The Congress lost its majority in the 1989 election.

Modernising agenda

Rajiv Gandhi promoted liberalisation of imports for computers and electronics, encouraged software exports and set up technology missions on drinking water, literacy, immunisation, oilseeds, telecom and dairy. His government introduced the National Policy on Education (1986), which created Navodaya Vidyalayas, and proposed giving constitutional status to panchayati raj institutions, enacted after his death.

Assassination and legacy

On 21 May 1991, while campaigning at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu, he was killed by a suicide bomber from the Sri Lankan Tamil militant group LTTE. He was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1991. His widow Sonia Gandhi and children Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi later took leading roles in the Congress.

Controversies

His government faced criticism for its handling of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi, for overturning the Supreme Court’s Shah Bano judgment through legislation in 1986, and for allegations of kickbacks in the purchase of Bofors guns, which damaged his reputation for clean government.

Timeline

  1. 1944

    Born in Bombay (Mumbai), Bombay Presidency

  2. 1968

    Marries Sonia Maino

    Works as an Indian Airlines pilot.

  3. 1980

    Brother Sanjay dies in a plane crash

  4. 1981

    Elected MP from Amethi

    Enters politics after his brother Sanjay’s death.

  5. 1984

    Becomes Prime Minister

    Sworn in on 31 October; wins a landslide in December.

  6. 1985

    Punjab and Assam accords

    Peace agreements signed.

  7. 1986

    National Policy on Education

    Navodaya Vidyalayas created.

  8. 1987

    India–Sri Lanka Accord

    Indian Peace Keeping Force deployed.

  9. 1988

    61st Amendment lowers the voting age to 18

    Takes effect in 1989.

  10. 1989

    Voting age lowered to 18

    Congress loses its majority in the general election.

  11. 1991

    Assassinated at Sriperumbudur

    Killed on 21 May; awarded the Bharat Ratna posthumously.

  12. 1991

    Died, aged 46

Awards and honours

  • Bharat Ratna

    1991 · Awarded posthumously.

Did you know?

  1. 1

    At 40 he remains the youngest person to become Prime Minister of India.

  2. 2

    He flew commercial aircraft for Indian Airlines before entering politics.

  3. 3

    His memorial in Delhi is called Vir Bhumi.

  4. 4

    He is the youngest person to have become Prime Minister of India.

  5. 5

    Navodaya Vidyalaya schools began under his education policy.

  6. 6

    He met his wife Sonia at a restaurant in Cambridge.

Connections

Related people

Also born on 20 August

Frequently asked

Who is Rajiv Gandhi?

Rajiv Gandhi became India’s youngest Prime Minister at 40 after the assassination of his mother, Indira Gandhi, in 1984. His government pushed telecommunications and computerisation and lowered the voting age to 18. He was assassinated while campaigning in 1991.

When did Rajiv Gandhi die?

Rajiv Gandhi died on 21 May 1991 at the age of 46.

Where is Rajiv Gandhi from?

Rajiv Gandhi was born in Bombay (Mumbai), Bombay Presidency.

What is Rajiv Gandhi known for?

Rajiv Gandhi is best known for Youngest Prime Minister of India; telecom and computer modernisation; lowering the voting age to 18.

What awards has Rajiv Gandhi received?

Notable honours include Bharat Ratna (1991).

Who is Rajiv Gandhi married to?

Spouse: Sonia Gandhi (m. 1968).

References

  1. Rajiv Gandhi — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  2. Rajiv Gandhi — Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  3. Rajiv Gandhi — IMDb. IMDb. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  4. Rajiv Gandhi — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  5. Rajiv Gandhi (Q4593) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 26 October 2026.

External links

Wikipedia
Filed under Bharat RatnaIndian National CongressNehru–Gandhi familyPrime Ministers of India PilotPoliticianStatesman

About this profile

  • Researched by the TrackFame editors; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal
  • First published 26 October 2026
  • Last updated

Cite this page

“Rajiv Gandhi.” TrackFame, last updated 26 October 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/rajiv-gandhi

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