Rajiv Gandhi was born in Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra, and began his political career after the assassination of his mother, Indira Gandhi, in 1984. He was elected as a member of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of India's parliament, from Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, in the same year, and became Prime Minister at the age of 40, the youngest ever in Indian history. He held office during a turbulent period in Indian history, marked by the Bhopal gas tragedy, the rise of Sikh extremism and the ongoing conflict in Sri Lanka.
Rajiv Gandhi is credited with introducing economic and technological modernization in India and his government was responsible for the implementation of the Mandal Commission report, which provided for reservation of jobs for socially and educationally backward classes. He was also known for his efforts to strengthen India's ties with other countries and for his initiatives to promote peace and reconciliation in South Asia. He was assassinated on May 21, 1991, while campaigning for the 1991 Indian general election.
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