Rajiv Gandhi Birth Anniversary: Lesser-known facts about the youngest PM of India

New Delhi: The birth anniversary of India’s sixth prime minister Rajiv Gandhi is observed every year on August 20. Rajiv Gandhi’s birth anniversary is also known as Sadbhavana Diwas as the day is dedicated to the cause of encouraging peace, national integration, and communal harmony among all religions in the country.

The All India Congress Committee established the Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award in 1992 as a tribute to Raji Gandhi’s contribution to promoting communal harmony, national integration and peace. 

Born to former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Feroze Gandhi on August 20, 1944, Rajiv was the youngest PM in the country’s history. Rajiv Gandhi was a reluctant entrant in the political arena and was the last member of the Nehru-Gandhi family to hold the post of prime minister of India. 

Rajiv Gandhi entered politics after the death of his brother Sanjay Gandhi in a plane crash in 1980. He became the youngest Indian PM at the age of 40 after his mother Indira Gnadhi was assassinated in 1984. 

On the occasion of his birth anniversary, here are some lesser-known facts about Rajiv Gandhi: 

- Rajiv Gandhi was employed by Air India in 1970 after he trained as a pilot at the Flying Club in Delhi. 

- Rajiv Gandhi loved driving cars and was perhaps one of the only politician to hold the top post in the country to drive himself during his election campaigns or on other tours.

- It was Shankaracharya Swami Shri Swaroopanand who first suggested that Rajiv Gandhi should enter politics after the sudden death of Sanjay Gandhi. 

- Rajiv Gandhi had a passion for photography. After his death, his wife and Congress intriem president, Sonia Gandhi published the book Rajiv’s world: Photographs by Rajiv Gandhi, in 1995.