The Rajiv Gandhi Foundation will distribute awards to recognise the excellence achieved by Indians in different fields.

Rajiv Gandhi, the elder son of Indira and Feroze Gandhi, was the seventh prime minister of India. He took office on Oct 31, 1984 after his mother's assassination and resigned on Dec 2, 1989 following a defeat in the general elections. He became the youngest prime minister of the country at the age of 40.

Rajiv Gandhi had led the Congress party to a major election victory in 1984, amassing the largest majority ever in Indian Parliament. The party won 411 seats out of 542. He began dismantling the Licence Raj -- government quotas, tariffs and permit regulations on economic activity -- modernised the telecommunications industry, expanded science and technology initiatives and improved relations with the US.