Today, 21st May 2009 marks 18th death anniversary of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. I still remember that black night, it was around 11PM the news of Rajiv Gandhi assassination flown in. There was panic all around, a feeling of disbelief and everyone in the family was glued to Television(doordarshan days) to get any little updates what they can get.

President Pratibha Patil, Vice-president Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Rajiv’s widow and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi accompanied by Children of Gandhis, Congress MP Rahul, Priyanka along with her husband Robert Vadra were among the first to pay floral tributes to the late leader at “Veer Bhumi” the memorial of Gandhi.

The Rajiv Gandhi Memorial at Sriperumbudur.

Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated at a public meeting held at Sriperumbudur on 21st May 1991 while campaigning for the Lok Sabha Candidate. The assassination was carried out by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) suicide bomber Thenmozhi Rajaratnam also known as Gayatri and Dhanu.