Rajiv Gandhi (1944-1991) entered Indian politics after the death of his
younger brother Sanjay in 1980, serving as adviser to his mother, Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi, and as an elected member of Parliament. He
became prime minister shortly after the assassination of his mother in
1984.
Rajiv Gandhi, India's sixth prime minister and general secretary of the
Congress (I) party, was born on August 20, 1944, in Bombay, India. He
was the grandson of India's first prime minister, Jawarharlal Nehru, and
the eldest son of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her journalist,
parliamentarian husband, Feroze Gandhi (no relation to Mahatma Gandhi).
Brought up surrounded by politics, Rajiv Gandhi stayed out of the
political world until the death of his younger brother Sanjay, who had
been active politically as his mother's adviser and as a member of
Parliament.
Gandhi's early years were spent at the prime minister's residence in
New Delhi where his mother served as her father's official hostess. He
was educated at Welham Preparatory and Doon schools, both elite Indian
institutions. Following graduation from Doon School, Gandhi went to
Britain where he attended the Imperial Scientific and Technical College
in London and Cambridge University's Trinity College, studying
mechanical engineering. His other interests included music (both Indian
and Western), photography, ham radios, and flying.
While at Cambridge Gandhi met an Italian student studying
English, Sonia Manio. They were married in New Delhi in 1968 and lived
with his mother, who by then was prime minister. They had two children, a
son, Rahul, and a daughter, Priyanka. Surrounded by political figures,
the family nonetheless managed to keep its personal life out of the
public eye.
Although he studied mechanical engineering, Gandhi chose to
pursue a career as an airline pilot. Upon return to India he got his
commercial pilot's license and joined Indian Airlines, the domestic
carrier. He remained in this position until he entered politics.
Entrance into Politics
In June 1980 Sanjay Gandhi was killed while learning to fly when
the plane he was piloting crashed in New Delhi. He had been instrumental
as his mother's adviser in guiding Congress (I) party and governmental
affairs from the mid-1970s on. He was also a member of Parliament
elected from the Amethi district of Uttar Pradesh state of northern
India.
After the death of his brother, his mother urged Gandhi to enter
politics. Resigning his position with Indian Airlines, Gandhi served
first as an adviser to his mother, and then, like his brother, entered
Parliament by winning the seat made vacant by his brother's death. He
was elected general secretary of the Congress (I) party and also
supervised the completion of arrangements for the Asian Games which
India hosted in 1982. Additionally, he remained one of his mother's
chief advisers on a range of both domestic and foreign policy matters.
In dealing with party affairs, Gandhi showed little tolerance for
those members who were incompetent, corrupt, or sycophantic followers
of the Gandhi family. He started to streamline the Congress (I)
organization by introducing modern managerial techniques and trying to
bring younger, more dynamic people into the decision-making process.
With these attempts and his rather gentle, soft-spoken personality, he
gained an honorable reputation, although observers often wondered
whether he had the political acumen and experience to deal with the
knotty problems of state faced by his mother's administration, such as
national integration and economic development.
The problem of national integration eventually catapulted Gandhi
into the position of prime minister. In the northern state of Punjab
demands by the predominant Sikh community had grown for more autonomy
for the state, greater retention of the state's resources, and solution
of border problems with neighboring states and had combined with what
might be termed Sikh ethnic and religious revivalism. A small group of
so-called "extremists" held what the government considered to be an
untenable position on the issue of autonomy bordering on a call for
complete independence. Talks between the government and Sikh leaders
faltered, violence erupted, and some extremists were implicated in the
murders of Punjab government officials. Those accused and some of their
followers sought sanctuary in the Golden Temple, the most holy shrine of
the Sikhs, in the city of Amritsar. They were protected essentially by
the government's reluctance to violate holy places by sending in the
police. The stalemate continued for about three years.
In the meantime, however, violence between various factions of
the Sikh community escalated, and those hiding in the temple were
accused of directing the murders of other Sikhs who disagreed with their
position. Eventually the violence spread to the non-Sikh, primarily the
Hindu population of Punjab. As it did, the government decided it had to
act. In June 1984 troops were sent into the temple complex. During the
armed confrontation most of those in the temple were killed, and
hundreds of others throughout the Punjab were arrested. The government's
action shocked the Sikh community and threats were made against the
lives of the prime minister and other high ranking officials. The threat
against Indira Gandhi was carried out on October 31, 1984, when Sikh
members of her own bodyguard assassinated her.
Becomes Prime Minister
Rajiv Gandhi was then chosen by his party as prime minister.
General elections to Parliament which normally would have been held in
January 1985 were held one month early at the end of December 1984. The
Congress (I) party won an overwhelming majority, securing 401 out of 508
contested seats. This was better than any previous electoral victory.
Gandhi proved himself as a tireless and effective campaigner in the
weeks preceding the election and was widely credited, along with an
improved economy, with the party's success. His standing within the
party was also improved by his denial of electoral districts to party
members considered to be corrupt. In March 1985 elections were also held
in 11 states for the states' assemblies. Although the Congress (I)
party did not win in all 11, it did win in eight, and again Gandhi was
credited with the success. He refused to let numbers of corrupt
politicians run on the Congress (I) ticket.
Yet observers were skeptical. Gandhi entered politics and became
prime minister as a result of his mother's death. Whether or not
Gandhi's instincts about public policy could compensate for a lack of
experience remained to be seen. He appeared to be off to a promising
start in 1985 by initiating new talks with the Sikhs and attempting to
streamline and modernize the administration. However, the vexing issues
of national integration and economic development were still of paramount
concern. With only minor diplomatic successes, Sikh radicalism did not
cease during Gandhi's term in office.
Under his 1986-1990 plan Gandhi launched India towards strong
economic growth by removing many restrictions on imports and encouraging
foreign investment. Beyond this effort, Gandhi was seen as indecisive.
Despite the firing of his mother's aides and surrounding himself with a
constantly changing array of cabinet members, government corruption
continued, including accusations that Gandhi and his party members were
receiving kickbacks from a Bofors arms deal.
In the November 1989 elections a former Gandhi loyalist,
Vishwanath Pratap Singh, led a coalition to unseat the ruling party hurt
by the numerous charges of corruption and incompetence. The Congress
(I) party lost its majority and Gandhi was forced to resign as prime
minister. Although displaced, Gandhi's opposition to Singh's
administration proved tireless. His determination to return to office
inspired a campaign in 1991 that political analysts believed would
result in an absolute majority for Gandhi and his party. But he would
not resume his former position. On May 21, 1991, Gandhi was assassinated
by a terrorist bomb while campaigning in Tamil Nadu. Tamil separatists
claimed the killing was an act of revenge for Gandhi's intervention in
the Sri Lanka civil war of 1987.