New Delhi, Aug 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday paid tributes to former PM Rajiv Gandhi on the occasion of his 81st birth anniversary.

Rajiv Gandhi, who served as India's Prime Minister from 1984 to 1989, assumed office following the assassination of his mother, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. At the age of 40, he became the youngest Prime Minister in Indian history.

Taking to X. PM Modi posted, "On his birth anniversary today, my tributes to former Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi Ji."

Rajiv Gandhi led the country until the 1989 general elections, after which he served as the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. He resigned in December 1990, just six months before he himself was assassinated in a brutal terrorist attack.

According to the PM India website, Rajiv Gandhi, born on August 20, 1944, in Bombay, was just three when India became independent and his grandfather, Jawaharlal Nehru, became the first Prime Minister of the country.

His parents, Indira Gandhi and Feroze Gandhi, moved to New Delhi from Lucknow when his father became an MP.

Earlier in the day, the Congress party paid homage to Rajiv Gandhi, marking the occasion of his birth anniversary, also celebrated as 'Sadbhavana Divas'.

Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and party General Secretary K.C. Venugopal arrived at the Veer Bhumi in New Delhi, along with many party leaders and workers, to pay their solemn respects to the former Prime Minister.

During this occasion, Priyanka Gandhi's husband, businessman Robert Vadra and their son Raihan Vadra also paid floral tributes to Rajiv Gandhi.

Congress took to X and posted, "On the birth anniversary of the architect of modern India, 'Bharat Ratna former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi ji, we offer countless salutations. On this Sadbhavana Divas, remembering Rajiv Gandhi ji's dreams, we reaffirm his resolve."

(IANS)

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