Sadbhavana Diwas 2022: Why Rajiv Gandhi's birth anniversary is celebrated as Harmony Day

New Delhi, Aug 20: The birth anniversary of India's Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi is celebrated as 'Sadbhavana Diwas' or Harmony Day' on 20 August.

Sadbhavana Diwas or Sadbhavna Day means a day dedicated to promotion of social peace and harmony. The day is observed on 20 August - birthday of our former PM Rajiv Gandhi - every year commemorating his contribution to society and the nation.

Rajiv Gandhi, who served as the prime minister of the country from 1984 to 1989, was born on August 20 in 1944. He was assassinated by the LTTE during an election campaign in 1991.

Why do we celebrate Sadbhavana Diwas?
The celebration aims to encourage national integration through building long-lasting peace and communal harmony among people of various castes, sects and religions of India.

Important facts about Rajiv Gandhi:
Rajiv Gandhi was a pilot before he had joined politics and hardly showed interest in following the footsteps of his mother (Indira Gandhi) and grandfather (Jawaharlal Nehru). He remained apolitical till his brother Sanjay Gandhi's death in 1980.

He became the Prime Minister of India when he was 40. He became the youngest Prime Minister of the country and sworn-in on October 31, 1984, the same day his mother was assassinated by her own bodyguards.

He is the third and so far the last PM from the politically significant Gandhi Family; the first two being his grandfather JL Nehru - and his mother Indira Gandhi.

Rajiv Gandhi Achievements:

• Announced a National Policy on Education in 1986 to modernise and expand higher education programs
• Founder of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya System - providing free, quality, and residential education across rural india from 6th till 12 class.
• Played a key role in establishing MTNL in 1986.
• For those of you who have seen PCOs (Telephone Booth) in their childhood, should know that it was Rajiv Gandhi behind this. It connected rural India with telephone service.
• He brought down age of voting rights from 21 to 18 as a message to the nation that he believes in the power of the youth to change the nation for the better.
• He pioneered Panchayati Raj System in India, decentralising power of decision making to villages across India.
• It was he who launched the ambitious Jawahar Rozgar Yojana in 1989, giving employment opportunities to poor people across India.

Rajiv Gandhi National 'Sadbhavana' Award

In 1992, the Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana award was introduced by the All India Congress Committee of the Indian National Congress in the memory of the leader.

This award is given to those who have spent their lives promoting social harmony. A citation and a cash Prize of Rs 10 lakh is given to the people as a part of the award.