He was originally an Indian public official born in Bombay the son of Indira Gandhi. His mother persuaded him to leave his jet pilot career to enter politics and he became a representative from Amethi constituency in Uttar Pradesh in special elections in 1981. He then became one of the Congress party's 4 general secretaries 1983 and was installed as party leader and prime minister after his mother's assassination in 1984. He was praised for liberal economic programs, but later accused of government corruption and lost reelection in 1989. He was assassinated at the climax of a campaign to regain his prime minister position in 1991.