18 years ago

18 years have passed but I still remember that date very well. The date which gave a big shock to our Nation and its countrymen.

We had been to our native to enjoy our summer vacations. I was happy to get first rank and promotion to next class-3^rd Std. There was mixed response for one more thing- Dad’s transfer to Assam which wasn’t considered very safe place (then and now too). It was mixed coz we were excited to explore new place but at the same time there was fear too.

And in the amidst of all these, this news was broken and whole of my village and Nation mourned.
“Rajeev Gandhi has been assassinated” spread like fire in the forest. Very few people had TV in my native 18 years back. Radio and newspaper were best source of communication. He had gone to Sriperumbudur for campaigning. For the first time suicide bombing was used for a great loss to our country.

Whole village mourned so do I. But their reasons were different from mine. For an innocent child like me, we lost Rajeev Gandhi who was our PM and very handsome person whom I admired. But later as years passed, I realized what we lost. We lost a gem. We lost an icon, politician who believed in bringing reforms.

I always hated LTTE who were mastermind behind his assassination. Few days back when news of LTTE chief Prabhakaran’s death was broken, I felt bit good. I paid my homage to Rajeev for the final justice. Today I do the same again on his 18^th death Anniversary. May his soul rest in peace (Amen).