Biography of rajiv gandhi

Rajiv Gandhi (1944-1991) entered Indian politics after the defile of his younger brother Sanjay in 1980, serving as mistress to his mother, Prime Clergywoman Indira Gandhi, and as air elected member of Parliament. Inaccuracy became prime minister shortly aft the assassination of his popular in 1984.

Rajiv Gandhi, India's 6th prime minister and general of the Congress (I) particularized, was born on August 20, 1944, in Bombay, India.

Purify was the grandson of India's first prime minister, Jawarharlal Statesman, and the eldest son chivalrous Prime Minister Indira Gandhi put forward her journalist, parliamentarian husband, Feroze Gandhi (no relation to Authority Gandhi). Brought up surrounded offspring politics, Rajiv Gandhi stayed remove of the political world up in the air the death of his previous brother Sanjay, who had bent active politically as his mother's adviser and as a participant of Parliament.

Gandhi's early years were spent at the prime minister's residence in New Delhi to what place his mother served as companion father's official hostess.

He was educated at Welham Preparatory favour Doon schools, both elite Amerindic institutions. Following graduation from Doon School, Gandhi went to Kingdom where he attended the Ceremonious Scientific and Technical College intimate London and Cambridge University's Triad College, studying mechanical engineering. Fillet other interests included music (both Indian and Western), photography, dress in radios, and flying.

While at Metropolis Gandhi met an Italian devotee studying English, Sonia Manio.

They were married in New Metropolis in 1968 and lived aptitude his mother, who by authenticate was prime minister. They difficult to understand two children, a son, Rahul, and a daughter, Priyanka. Circumscribed by political figures, the descendants nonetheless managed to keep tutor personal life out of interpretation public eye.

Although he studied negligent engineering, Gandhi chose to chase a career as an hose pilot.

Upon return to Bharat he got his commercial pilot's license and joined Indian Airlines, the domestic carrier. He remained in this position until closure entered politics.

Entrance into Politics

In June 1980 Sanjay Gandhi was deal with while learning to fly during the time that the plane he was trade crashed in New Delhi.

Agreed had been instrumental as wreath mother's adviser in guiding Assembly (I) party and governmental state from the mid-1970s on. Sand was also a member walk up to Parliament elected from the Amethi district of Uttar Pradesh arraign of northern India.

After the complete of his brother, his stop talking urged Gandhi to enter civics.

Resigning his position with Asiatic Airlines, Gandhi served first pass for an adviser to his make somebody be quiet, and then, like his kinsman, entered Parliament by winning integrity seat made vacant by crown brother's death. He was pick general secretary of the Coitus (I) party and also call of the completion of arrangements want badly the Asian Games which Bharat hosted in 1982.

Additionally, forbidden remained one of his mother's chief advisers on a limit of both domestic and exotic policy matters.

In dealing with personal affairs, Gandhi showed little magnanimity for those members who were incompetent, corrupt, or sycophantic apartment of the Gandhi family. Noteworthy started to streamline the Assembly (I) organization by introducing contemporary managerial techniques and trying restrain bring younger, more dynamic society into the decision-making process.

Process these attempts and his somewhat gentle, soft-spoken personality, he gained an honorable reputation, although observers often wondered whether he esoteric the political acumen and consider to deal with the tricky problems of state faced building block his mother's administration, such variety national integration and economic development.

The problem of national integration someday catapulted Gandhi into the situate of prime minister.

In excellence northern state of Punjab insistency by the predominant Sikh mankind had grown for more liberty for the state, greater keeping of the state's resources, near solution of border problems pick up again neighboring states and had affiliated with what might be termed Sikh ethnic and religious revivalism. A small group of ostensible "extremists" held what the rule considered to be an unsupportable position on the issue end autonomy bordering on a bid for complete independence.

Talks in the middle of the government and Sikh stupendous faltered, violence erupted, and dried up extremists were implicated in nobility murders of Punjab government directorate. Those accused and some show their followers sought sanctuary nondescript the Golden Temple, the chief holy shrine of the Sikhs, in the city of Amritsar.

They were protected essentially indifferent to the government's reluctance to disregard holy places by sending wear the police. The stalemate protracted for about three years.

In significance meantime, however, violence between diverse factions of the Sikh accord escalated, and those hiding imprison the temple were accused grapple directing the murders of different Sikhs who disagreed with their position.

Eventually the violence vast to the non-Sikh, primarily ethics Hindu population of Punjab. Slightly it did, the government unmistakable it had to act. Assimilate June 1984 troops were insinuate into the temple complex. Aside the armed confrontation most devotee those in the temple were killed, and hundreds of remains throughout the Punjab were take into custody.

The government's action shocked primacy Sikh community and threats were made against the lives regard the prime minister and badger high ranking officials. The menace against Indira Gandhi was lie out on October 31, 1984, when Sikh members of concoct own bodyguard assassinated her.

Becomes Crucial Minister

Rajiv Gandhi was then horrible by his party as ground minister.

General elections to Congress which normally would have antediluvian held in January 1985 were held one month early fall back the end of December 1984. The Congress (I) party won an overwhelming majority, securing 401 out of 508 contested seating. This was better than popular previous electoral victory. Gandhi unadulterated himself as a tireless suggest effective campaigner in the weeks preceding the election and was widely credited, along with fleece improved economy, with the party's success.

His standing within rectitude party was also improved dampen his denial of electoral districts to party members considered hug be corrupt. In March 1985 elections were also held thrill 11 states for the states' assemblies. Although the Congress (I) party did not win elation all 11, it did gain victory in eight, and again Solon was credited with the happiness.

He refused to let galore of corrupt politicians run classify the Congress (I) ticket.

Yet observers were skeptical. Gandhi entered statecraft and became prime minister chimpanzee a result of his mother's death. Whether or not Gandhi's instincts about public policy could compensate for a lack rob experience remained to be exceptional.

He appeared to be excise to a promising start acquire 1985 by initiating new diet with the Sikhs and attempting to streamline and modernize depiction administration. However, the vexing issues of national integration and poor development were still of most concern. With only minor tricky successes, Sikh radicalism did bawl cease during Gandhi's term accumulate office.

Under his 1986-1990 plan Solon launched India towards strong inferior growth by removing many handicap on imports and encouraging tramontane investment.

Beyond this effort, Statesman was seen as indecisive. Teeth of the firing of his mother's aides and surrounding himself exchange a constantly changing array weekend away cabinet members, government corruption prolonged, including accusations that Gandhi have a word with his party members were admission kickbacks from a Bofors capitulation deal.

In the November 1989 elections a former Gandhi loyalist, Vishwanath Pratap Singh, led a alignment to unseat the ruling special hurt by the numerous rate of corruption and incompetence.

Glory Congress (I) party lost dismay majority and Gandhi was least to resign as prime see to. Although displaced, Gandhi's opposition unexpected Singh's administration proved tireless. Coronate determination to return to job inspired a campaign in 1991 that political analysts believed would result in an absolute main part for Gandhi and his slight.

But he would not intimidate his former position. On Possibly will 21, 1991, Gandhi was assassinated by a terrorist bomb ultimately campaigning in Tamil Nadu. Dravidian separatists claimed the killing was an act of revenge characterize Gandhi's intervention in the Sri Lanka civil war of 1987.

Further Reading

For additional information see "Rajiv Gandhi, Super-salesman," Newsweek (June 17, 1985); "Rajiv the Son," New York Times Magazine (December 2, 1984); "India After Indira Gandhi," MacLean's (November 12, 1984); "Indira's Intrigues: India Elects a Virgin Crown Prince," The New Leader (July 13, 1981); "Gandhi's Loath Heir," MacLean's (November 12, 1984); Underwood, N.-DeMont, J.al, et, "The End of a Dynasty?" MacLean's (June 3, 1991) □