When was Rajiv Gandhi born?

Rajiv Gandhi was born on 20 August 1944 in Mumbai.

What positions has Rajiv Gandhi held?

Positions held by Rajiv Gandhi include: Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha (1989–1990); Member of the 9th Lok Sabha (1989–1991); Minister of External Affairs (1987–1988); President of the Indian National Congress (1984–1991); Prime Minister of India (1984–1989).

Where did Rajiv Gandhi study?

Rajiv Gandhi was educated at Trinity College, Imperial College London, The Doon School, University of Cambridge.

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Rajiv Gandhi

राजीव गान्धी

Prime Minister of India (1984-1989)

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Rajiv Ratna Gandhi (20 August 1944 – 21 May 1991) was an Indian aircraft pilot, technocrat and statesman who served as the prime minister of India from 1984 to 1989 for two terms. He took office after the assassination of his mother, then–prime minister Indira Gandhi, to become the youngest Indian prime minister at the age of 40. He served until his defeat at the 1989 election, and then became Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, resigning in December 1990, six months before his own assassination.

Quick facts

Born: 20 August 1944 wd
Place of birth: Mumbai wd
Died: 21 May 1991 wd
Place of death: Sriperumbudur wd
Citizenship: India, British Raj wd
Occupation: politician, amateur radio operator wd
Political party: Indian National Congress wd
Education: Trinity College, Imperial College London, The Doon School, University of Cambridge, Welham Boys' School wd
Spouse: Sonia Gandhi wd

Positions held wd

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha (18 December 1989 – 23 December 1990)
Member of the 9th Lok Sabha (2 December 1989 – 13 March 1991)
Minister of External Affairs (25 July 1987 – 25 June 1988)
President of the Indian National Congress (1984–1991)
Prime Minister of India (31 October 1984 – 2 December 1989)
Minister of External Affairs (31 October 1984 – 24 September 1985)
Member of the Lok Sabha (17 August 1981 – 21 May 1991)
Member of the 7th Lok Sabha
Member of the 8th Lok Sabha

Awards wd

Order of Augusto César Sandino
Indira Gandhi Peace Prize (1991)
Bharat Ratna (1991)

About

Gandhi was not related to Mahatma Gandhi. Instead, he was from the politically powerful Nehru–Gandhi family, which had been associated with the Indian National Congress party. For much of his childhood, his maternal grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru was prime minister. Gandhi attended The Doon School, an elite boarding institution, and then the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. He returned to India in 1966 and became a professional pilot for the state-owned Indian Airlines. In 1968, he married Sonia Maino; the couple settled in Delhi for a domestic life with their children Rahul and Priyanka. For much of the 1960s and 1970s, his mother was prime minister and his younger brother Sanjay an MP; despite this, Gandhi remained apolitical.

After Sanjay died in a plane crash in 1980, Gandhi reluctantly entered politics at the behest of his mother. The following year he won his brother's Parliamentary seat of Amethi and became a member of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of India's Parliament. As part of his political grooming, Rajiv was made general secretary of the Congress party and given significant responsibility in organising the 1982 Asian Games.

On the morning of 31 October 1984, his mother (the then prime minister) was assassinated by her two Sikh bodyguards Satwant Singh and Beant Singh in the aftermath of Operation Blue Star, an Indian military action to…

Questions

When was Rajiv Gandhi born?: Rajiv Gandhi was born on 20 August 1944 in Mumbai.
What positions has Rajiv Gandhi held?: Positions held by Rajiv Gandhi include: Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha (1989–1990); Member of the 9th Lok Sabha (1989–1991); Minister of External Affairs (1987–1988); President of the Indian National Congress (1984–1991); Prime Minister of India (1984–1989).
Where did Rajiv Gandhi study?: Rajiv Gandhi was educated at Trinity College, Imperial College London, The Doon School, University of Cambridge.

Sources

Last updated 7 November 2026 · facts checked 7 November 2026

Cite this page

"Rajiv Gandhi". DigiNepal. Last updated 7 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/rajiv-gandhi. Retrieved 7 November 2026.

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Text from the Wikipedia article Rajiv Gandhi, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Rajiv Gandhi (1987).jpg — Bart Molendijk / Anefo, CC BY-SA 3.0 nl.

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