In his short period serving as the youngest Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi put his best efforts to revolutionise the Indian system and bringing about massive development. Apart from the contribution of Rajiv Gandhi to information technology, this article will uncover Rajiv Gandhi Contribution to India as the architect of modern India, towards making our country more empowered and technologically strong. Also, towards the end, this article will throw light on what could have happened if Rajiv Gandhi was not killed. So, read the article till the end to know more about Rajiv Gandhi – an inspiration for the youth.
Rajiv Gandhi – The Man With A Vision
India is going “All Digital” in recent times! However, the actual credit should go to the youngest prime minister of India, Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi as he was the leading force behind the digital revolution. While people might disagree with us, saying that it is our current Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has worked hard to make a new “ Digital India , let us give you a fact check- Rajiv Gandhi was the first Prime Minister of Independent India who fueled the Telecom revolution in India.
Adding feathers to his crown, he is also known for his efforts to modernise the Indian soil! Panchayati Raj, Operation Blackboard, etc. were all outcomes of his efforts towards making India a leader in the information and technological domain.
Rajiv Gandhi Contribution To India
It all started after the death of Rajiv Gandhi. Being a trained pilot and an educationist, Rajiv Gandhi, the brother of Sanjay Gandhi, had no plans for joining Indian politics, let alone being the Prime Minister of India and regulating the country’s internal and external matters. But, when his brother died, Indian politics or specifically, the Congress found a born visionary and leader in their group.
Though uninterested in politics, Rajiv Gandhi joined Indian Politics as a means to help his mother, Indira Gandhi, run the country smoothly. But, the socio-political condition of India changed soon after Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister, was assassinated by her Sikh guards in 1984. The news of the assassination had spread in the country like wildfire and the confused and panicked public wanted someone to take oath as the new Prime Minister of India and control the grim condition. And, who could be a better option than Rajiv Gandhi himself, the educated son of Indira Gandhi?
Soon Rajiv Gandhi saw himself taking oath as the sixth prime minister of India. In his next few years as the Prime Minister of India, he took India to the next level. Being an educationist and a follower of the modernisation policy, he took several decisions which fueled the country’s growth and development. He was a man with a vision, who dreamt of a modern India backed by technological development. In his words, “India is not a stagnant country. We are progressing. We are in a state of flux. Our society, our economy, is developing. Science and technology must be the key to this development.”
Let us take a brief look at some of the greatest Rajiv Gandhi Contribution to India towards the making of a modernised and more empowered India.
Also Read- Interesting & Unknown Facts About Indira Gandhi
The Torchbearer Of Indian Revolution – Contribution Of Rajiv Gandhi
1. Contribution Of Rajiv Gandhi To Information Technology
The son of Indira Gandhi, Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi took oath as the Prime Minister of India in the year of 1984. During his short span in Indian politics as the Prime Minister from 1984-1989, Gandhi took several steps to take India to the 21st century. Among the notable Rajiv Gandhi Contribution to India towards the digitalization and modernisation of India, the contribution of Rajiv Gandhi to information technology still counts itself in the top list of his achievements.
Known as the ‘Father of Information Technology and Telecom Revolution of India’, Gandhi introduced the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) in the Indian technological scenario in 1984. The main aim of this policy was to fuel the growth of state-of-the-art telecommunication technology and to revolutionise the Indian telecommunications domain. Besides development in the telecommunication field, Rajiv Gandhi also took important steps to establish PCO (public call office) on Indian soil. Such booths helped in merging rural India with the more advanced urbanized regions of India which ultimately fueled the overall growth.
His best works are not merely limited to development in the information technology field. Being an educationist and a learner by heart, he knew that computers can bring about massive growth and development in the country. He envisioned that the computer has the potential to take India’s development to the next level. Thus, India soon produced computers and internet systems which further enhanced the growth of Indian industries.
The then Prime Minister of India, reduced tariffs and taxes on computers and the internet and provided subsidies to the software firms for setting up big industries to attract more foreign clients. Soon, MTNL and the VSNL were launched in India which became the largest telecom provider of India till date.
2. Contribution Of Rajiv Gandhi In Indian Politics
Soon after his mother’s death, Gandhi was appointed as the Prime Minister of India. But, unlike his mother, young Rajiv decided to work from the grassroots level. In his mission to empower rural India, he introduced the Panchayati Raj system in India. He knew that to strengthen Indian politics, it is important to take democracy to everyday life.
Although in papers, the Panchayati Raj came to India after the 73rd and the 74th Amendments to the Constitution in 1992, one year later the leader was assassinated.It was only Rajiv Gandhi who initiated the movement during his term as the Prime Minister. Apart from bringing the Panchayati Raj system in India, Rajiv Gandhi also took important steps to empower the youth politically.
Being a youth himself, he realised that to make India more politically and socially stable, the youth of India must have their voice heard in politics. Thus, India saw a massive transition in the voting age from 21 years to 18 years in 1988. EVMs were also introduced into the electoral system to aid in fair and just elections. Though he was criticised by his opponents for his decisions, he was firm in his mission of modernizing his motherland.
3. Contribution Of Rajiv Gandhi To Indian Economy
Apart from the contribution of Rajiv Gandhi to information technology and Indian politics, he did much more for the modernisation of India than any other political leader of recent times. He envisioned the fact that if India is to be modernised and empowered, then the Indian economy should be strong enough to build large industries and attract more foreign clients to gain more foreign currencies.
Thus, the then Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi reduced the taxes and tariffs on certain industrial materials to strengthen the Indian economy. He opposed the system of controlling everything under his rule. He believed that control is the only limiting factor which hinders our development and leads to corruption. Apart from reducing taxes on materials, he also initiated providing incentives to the exporters to strengthen their business.
Achievements Of Rajiv Gandhi’s Government
Rajiv Gandhi, the son of Indira Gandhi and the grandson of Jawaharlal Nehru, also dreamt of a modern India. He would often ideate taking a leap into the 21st century. Thus, to achieve his dreams of a modern India, he introduced several policies into the Indian Government. Some of the achievements of Rajiv Gandhi’s government are:
- Digitalization of India
- Development in the Telecommunication sector
- Computerisation
- Modern Education policy
- Introduction to Panchayati Raj
- Lowering of voting age
- Maintaining good relations with neighbouring countries like China and USA
Also Read- How Rajiv Gandhi Was Assassinated 31 Years Ago And Some Facts About Him
What Could Have Happened If Rajiv Gandhi Was Not Killed?
The year was 1991. Rajiv Gandhi was present at an election rally at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu for the next Lok Sabha elections. But, soon a ghastly bombing took away the life of Rajiv Gandhi and others. The leading force behind this incident was the LTTE members who wanted to assassinate Gandhi due to conflicts over the Tamils in Sri Lanka.
Till date, the tragedy remains as one of the most horrific events in the history of Indian politics. India lost its true gem – a man with a vision who always worked for the growth and development of India. But, have you ever wondered what could have happened if Rajiv Gandhi was not killed? While this has been a topic of debate, there is no definitive answer to this question. Soon after Rajiv Gandhi left for the unknown, his wife, Sonia Gandhi joined Indian politics.
Some people hold the view that if Rajiv Gandhi was not assassinated during the election rally, Sonia Gandhi might not get involved in Indian politics. Others opinionated that if Rajiv Gandhi was alive and could hold his position in politics, India would have become a superpower by now. Additionally, his dream of a modernised India would also become successful.
Conclusion
Though Gandhi was the torchbearer of the Indian revolution in the field of information technology and telecommunications, there are also certain steps taken by him which are criticised today. Such is the case of opening the locks of the temple gate of the Babri Masjid. Again during the 1984 Sikh riots, his remark of “the earth shook” during which several people were killed, angered Indian people and he is criticised by his opponents even today. The Shah Bano case, the Ayodhya conflict and the Bofors Scandal remain some of the worst political decisions in the history of Indian politics. But, whatever is the case, it is true that the contribution of Rajiv Gandhi to India is unmatched and unparalleled!
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