In Remembrance of Rajiv Gandhi

Rajiv Gandhi's life ended abruptly on May 21, 1991 in Siriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu, a life that continues to linger in the collective memory of the nation.

The same tragedy after assassination of his mother Indira Gandhi, the then prime minister of India, which brought Rajiv Gandhi into politics also became the reason of his early exit from this world. But his charismatic personality made him the leader which is still deep rooted in the heart of millions of Indian.

Today, when nation pay homage on his 17th death anniversary by signifying “Anti-Terrorism Day” to wean away the youth from terrorism and cult of violence by highlighting the sufferings of common people and showing how it is as prejudicial to national interest. India still awaits for the awakening.

After Priyanka Gandhi's meeting with Nalini, in Vellore Jail, the only surviving member of the assassination squad that killed her father and the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on May 21, 1991 to make peace with violence in her life; Rajiv's assassination got a revival with a message to make the world peaceful and inhabitable.

With a political lineage of Nehru family, Rajiv Gandhi became the youngest Prime Minister at the age of 40 with 80% seats in Lok Sabha and credited for improving bilateral relations with US with expansion of economic and scientific cooperation. He was the one who blew the wind of change in India and paved the way for modern India with introduction of computer in our education system; a visionary, who could foresee the revolution of information technology in India in 21 century.

He weaved a fabric that was full of promises and dreams for India, his speech in US still vibrates today in which he said, “I am young, and I too have a dream. I dream of an India--strong, independent, self-reliant and in the front rank of the nations of the world in the service of mankind.”

Education system in India got a fillip in his regime with national education policy that stresses on the need of expansion of higher educations programme across India. But Rajiv's policy towards Sri Lanka and his alleged involvement in the payoffs by the Swedish Bofors arms company maligned his name. The peace accord signed by India and Sri Lanka to disarm LTTE rebel in the Sri Lanka became the dark spot of Rajiv's diplomacy which broke when mistrust rose followed by open fighting between the LTTE militants and Indian soldiers.

Thousands of Indian soldiers as well as rebels died and the peace treaty came to an end, the same LTTE became the one which planned and executed his assassination and later regretted it as a monumental tragedy and apologised for the same.

India is still fighting against terrorism which has paralysed nation as a whole and it is time to take a pledge again to fight terrorism on this particular day, when we lost our beloved mentor.