‘Papa, I will fulfil your dream of strong India’: Rahul Gandhi remembers Rajiv Gandhi on death anniversary
Rahul Gandhi paid tribute to Rajiv Gandhi on his 35th death anniversary and vowed to realise his vision of a skilled, prosperous and strong India. Congress leaders gathered at Vir Bhumi as Mallikarjun Kharge and others recalled Rajiv Gandhi's reforms and legacy.
- May 21, 2026,
- Updated May 21, 2026, 10:48 AM IST
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on May 21 paid tribute to his father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 35th death anniversary, pledging to work towards fulfilling his vision of a “skilled, prosperous and strong India”.
In a message posted on X, Rahul Gandhi said he would continue to uphold the ideals and responsibilities envisioned by the late Congress leader.
“Papa, I will fully fulfil the responsibility of realising the dream of a skilled, prosperous, and strong India that you envisioned,” he wrote. “Your teachings, your values, and your memories will always remain with me.”
Senior Congress leaders, including Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, visited Vir Bhumi in New Delhi to offer floral tributes to the former Prime Minister. Priyanka Gandhi’s children, Miraya and Raihan Vadra, were also present during the homage ceremony.
Several senior Congress figures, including Ashok Gehlot, P. Chidambaram, Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Mukul Wasnik, paid their respects at the memorial.
Kharge described Rajiv Gandhi as a “remarkable son of India” and credited him with several key reforms that shaped modern India. He highlighted measures such as reducing the voting age to 18, strengthening Panchayati Raj institutions, promoting the telecom and information technology sectors, and introducing a forward-looking education policy.
Quoting Rajiv Gandhi, Kharge wrote: “India is an old country but a young nation... I dream of India — strong, independent, self-reliant and in the front rank of the nations of the world, in the service of mankind.”
Bhupinder Singh Hooda called Rajiv Gandhi a “symbol of hope” for the youth, while Ashok Gehlot praised his focus on science, technology and youth empowerment, saying he was among the earliest leaders to prepare India for the 21st century.
Rajiv Gandhi became India’s youngest Prime Minister at the age of 40 after taking office in October 1984 following the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Born on August 20, 1944, Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on May 21, 1991, during an election rally at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu in a suicide bombing carried out by the LTTE.