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Atal Bihari Vajpayee

June 19, 2023

"Vajpayee" redirects here. For other uses, see Bajpai.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Hindustani pronunciation: [əʈəl bɪɦaːɾiː ʋaːdʒpai]; 25 December 1924 – 16 August 2018) was an Indian politician who served three terms as the 10th Prime Minister of India, first for a term of 13 days in 1996, then for a period of 13 months from 1998 to 1999, followed by a full term from 1999 to 2004. Vajpayee was one of the co-founders and a senior leader of the BJP. He was a member of the RSS, a Hindu nationalist volunteer organisation. He was the first Indian prime minister not of the INC to serve a full term in office. He was also a renowned poet and a writer.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Official portrait
10th Prime Minister of India
In office
19 March 1998 – 22 May 2004
President
DeputyL. K. Advani (starting in 2002)
Preceded byInder Kumar Gujral
Succeeded byManmohan Singh
In office
16 May 1996 – 1 June 1996
PresidentShankar Dayal Sharma
Vice PresidentK. R. Narayanan
Preceded byP. V. Narasimha Rao
Succeeded byH. D. Deve Gowda
Minister of External Affairs
In office
26 March 1977 – 28 July 1979
Prime MinisterMorarji Desai
Preceded byYashwantrao Chavan
Succeeded byShyam Nandan Prasad Mishra
Minister of Statistics and Programme Implementation
In office
1 July 2002 – 22 May 2004
Preceded byManeka Gandhi
Succeeded byOscar Fernandes
In office
13 October 1999 – 1 September 2001
Preceded byministry opened
Succeeded byJagmohan
Parliamentary offices
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office
1991–2009
Preceded byMandhata Singh
Succeeded byLalji Tandon
ConstituencyLucknow
In office
1977–1984
Preceded byMukul Banerjee
Succeeded byK. C. Pant
ConstituencyNew Delhi
In office
1971–1977
Preceded byRam Awtar Sharma
Succeeded byN. K. Shejwalkar
ConstituencyGwalior
In office
1967–1971
Preceded bySubhadra Joshi
Succeeded byChandra Bhal Mani Tiwari
ConstituencyBalrampur
In office
1957–1962
Succeeded bySubhadra Joshi
ConstituencyBalrampur
Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
In office
1986–1991
ConstituencyMadhya Pradesh
In office
1962–1967
ConstituencyUttar Pradesh
Party political offices
President of the Bharatiya Janata Party
In office
1980–1986
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byL. K. Advani
11th President of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh
In office
1968–1972
Preceded byDeendayal Upadhyaya
Succeeded byL. K. Advani
Personal details
Born(1924-12-25)25 December 1924
Gwalior, Gwalior State, British India (present-day Madhya Pradesh, India)
Died16 August 2018(2018-08-16) (aged 93)
New Delhi, Delhi, India
MonumentsSadaiv Atal
Political partyBharatiya Janata Party (from 1980)
Other political
affiliations
Alma mater
Occupation
  • Poet
  • politician
  • writer
Awards
Signature
a. ^ At the time of graduation, both were affiliated with Agra University.

He was a member of the Indian Parliament for over five decades, having been elected ten times to the Lok Sabha, the lower house, and twice to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house. He served as the MP (LS) for Lucknow, retiring from active politics in 2009 due to health concerns. He was among the founding members of the BJS, of which he was president from 1968 to 1972. The BJS merged with several other parties to form the JP, which won the 1977 general election. In March 1977, Vajpayee became the Minister of External Affairs in the cabinet of Prime Minister Morarji Desai. He resigned in 1979, and the Janata alliance collapsed soon after. Former members of the BJS formed the BJP in 1980, with Vajpayee its first president.

During his tenure as prime minister, India carried out the Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998. Vajpayee sought to improve diplomatic relations with Pakistan, travelling to Lahore by bus to meet with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. After the 1999 Kargil War with Pakistan, he sought to restore relations through engagement with President Pervez Musharraf, inviting him to India for a summit at Agra. Vajpayee's government introduced many domestic economic and infrastructural reforms, including encouraging the private sector and foreign investments, reducing governmental waste, encouraging research and development and privatisation of some government owned corporations.[1] Among Vajpayee's projects were the National Highways Development Project, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana[2][3] and the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan campaign, aimed at improving the quality of education in primary and secondary schools.[4][5]

Vajpayee is considered one of the most respected prime ministers of India, receiving praise from the opposition as well. He scores high on India's top ranked prime ministers and is regarded as one of the best prime ministers in Indian history.[6][7][8][9][10] The administration of Narendra Modi declared in 2014 that Vajpayee's birthday, 25 December, would be marked as Good Governance Day. In 2015, he was conferred India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, by the president of India, Pranab Mukherjee. He died in 2018 of age-related illness.

Early life and education

Vajpayee was born into a Hindu Brahmin family on 25 December 1924 in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.[11] His mother was Krishna Devi and his father was Krishna Bihari Vajpayee.[12] His father was a school teacher in their home town.[13] His grandfather, Shyam Lal Vajpayee, had migrated to Morena near Gwalior from his ancestral village of Bateshwar in the Agra district of Uttar Pradesh.[12]

Vajpayee did his schooling at the Saraswati Shishu Mandir in Gwalior. In 1934, he was admitted to the Anglo-Vernacular Middle (AVM) School in Barnagar, Ujjain district, after his father joined as headmaster. He subsequently attended Gwalior's Victoria College, Agra University (now Maharani Laxmi Bai Govt. College of Excellence) where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Hindi, English and Sanskrit. He completed his post-graduation with a Master of Arts in political science from DAV College, Kanpur, Agra University.[11][14]

Early works as activist

His activism started in Gwalior with Arya Kumar Sabha, the youth wing of the Arya Samaj movement, of which he became the general secretary in 1944. He also joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in 1939 as a swayamsevak, or volunteer. Influenced by Babasaheb Apte, he attended the Officers Training Camp of the RSS during 1940 to 1944, becoming a pracharak (RSS terminology for a full-time worker) in 1947. He gave up studying law due to the partition riots. He was sent to Uttar Pradesh as a vistarak (a probationary pracharak) and soon began working for the newspapers of Deendayal Upadhyaya: Rashtradharma (a Hindi monthly), Panchjanya (a Hindi weekly), and the dailies Swadesh and Veer Arjun.[14][15][16]

By 1942, at the age of 16 years, Vajpayee became an active member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Although the RSS had chosen not to participate in the Quit India Movement, in August 1942, Vajpayee and his elder brother Prem were arrested for 24 days during the Quit India Movement. He was released after giving a written statement that while he was a part of the crowd, he did not participate in the militant events in Bateshwar on 27 August 1942. Throughout his life, including after he became prime minister, Vajpayee has labelled the allegation of participation in the Quit India Movement to be a false rumour.[17]

Early political career (1947–1975)

In 1951, Vajpayee was seconded by the RSS, along with Deendayal Upadhyaya, to work for the newly formed Bharatiya Jana Sangh, a Hindu right-wing political party associated with the RSS. He was appointed as a national secretary of the party in charge of the Northern region, based in Delhi. He soon became a follower and aide of party leader Syama Prasad Mukherjee. In the 1957 Indian general election, Vajpayee contested elections to the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament. He lost to Raja Mahendra Pratap in Mathura, but was elected from Balrampur. In the Lok Sabha his oratorial skills so impressed Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru that he predicted that Vajpayee would someday become the prime minister of India.[18][19][20]

Vajpayee's oratorial skills won him the reputation of being the most eloquent defender of the Jana Sangh's policies.[21] After the death of Deendayal Upadhyaya, the leadership of the Jana Sangh passed to Vajpayee.[22] He became the national president of the Jana Sangh in 1968,[23] running the party along with Nanaji Deshmukh, Balraj Madhok, and L. K. Advani.[22]

Janata and the BJP (1975–1995)

 
Vajpayee addressing a political rally in 1977.

Vajpayee was arrested along with several other opposition leaders during the Internal Emergency imposed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975.[13][24] Initially interned in Bangalore, Vajpayee appealed his imprisonment on the grounds of bad health, and was moved to a hospital in Delhi.[25] In December 1976, Vajpayee ordered the student activists of the ABVP to tender an unconditional apology to Indira Gandhi for perpetrating violence and disorder.[26][27] The ABVP student leaders refused to obey his order.[26][28]

Gandhi ended the state of emergency in 1977. A coalition of parties, including the BJS, came together to form the Janata Party, which won the 1977 general elections.[29] Morarji Desai, the chosen leader of the alliance, became the prime minister. Vajpayee served as the minister of external affairs, or foreign minister, in Desai's cabinet.[30] As foreign minister, Vajpayee became the first person in 1977 to deliver a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in Hindi.[30]

 
Foreign Minister Vajpayee (far right) and Prime Minister Morarji Desai (third from right, front row) with US President Jimmy Carter during his 1978 visit to India.

In 1979, Desai and Vajpayee resigned, triggering the collapse of the Janata Party.[25][31] The erstwhile members of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh came together to form the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 1980, with Vajpayee as its first President.[32]

Leading up to Operation Bluestar, there were several protests by Sangh Parivar, including a march led by LK Advani and Vajpayee of the Bhartiya Janta Party to protest against the lack of government action and to demand that the Indian Army be sent into the Golden Temple.[33][34][35][36]

The 1984 general elections were held in the wake of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. While he had won the 1977 and the 1980 elections from New Delhi, Vajpayee shifted to his home town Gwalior for the election.[37]

Vidya Razdan was initially tipped to be the Congress (I) candidate. Instead, Madhavrao Scindia, scion of the Gwalior royal family, was brought in on the last day of filing nominations.[38] Vajpayee lost to Scindia, managing to secure only 29% of the votes.[37]

Under Vajpayee, the BJP moderated the Hindu-nationalist position of the Jana Sangh, emphasising its connection to the Janata Party and expressing support for Gandhian Socialism.[39] The ideological shift did not bring it success: Indira Gandhi's assassination generated sympathy for the Congress, leading to a massive victory at the polls. The BJP won only two seats in parliament.[39] Vajpayee offered to quit as party president following BJP's dismal performance in the election,[40] but stayed in the post until 1986.[41] He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1986 from Madhya Pradesh,[42] and was briefly the leader of the BJP in Parliament.[43]

In 1986, L. K. Advani took office as president of the BJP.[44] Under him, the BJP returned to a policy of hardline Hindu nationalism.[39] It became the political voice of the Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir Movement, which sought to build a temple dedicated to the Hindu deity Rama in Ayodhya. The temple would be built at a site believed to be the birthplace of Rama after demolishing a 16th-century mosque, called the Babri Masjid, which then stood there.[45] The strategy paid off for the BJP; it won 86 seats in the Lok Sabha in the 1989 general election, making its support crucial to the government of V. P. Singh.[39] In December 1992, a group of religious volunteers led by members of the BJP, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), tore down the mosque.[46][21]

He served as Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, for various terms starting at Balrampur from 1957–1962. He served again from Balrampur from 1967–1971, then from Gwalior from 1971–1977, and then from New Delhi from 1977–1984. Finally, he served from Lucknow from 1991–2009.[47]

Terms as prime minister (1996–2004)

See also: Premiership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee

First term: May 1996

See also: First Vajpayee ministry

During a BJP conference in Mumbai in November 1995, BJP President Advani declared that Vajpayee would be the party's prime ministerial candidate in the forthcoming elections. Vajpayee himself was reported to be unhappy with the announcement, responding by saying that the party needed to win the election first.[48] The BJP became the single largest party in Parliament in the 1996 general election, helped by religious polarisation across the country as a result of the demolition of the Babri Masjid.[49][50] Indian president Shankar Dayal Sharma invited Vajpayee to form the government.[51] Vajpayee was sworn in as the 10th prime minister of India,[52] but the BJP failed to muster a majority among members of the Lok Sabha. Vajpayee resigned after 16 days, when it became clear that he did not have enough support to form a government.[52][53] In this short period, he also created and administered the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.

Second term: 1998–1999

See also: Second Vajpayee ministry

After the fall of the two United Front governments between 1996 and 1998, the Lok Sabha was dissolved and fresh elections were held. The 1998 general elections again put the BJP ahead of others. A number of political parties joined the BJP to form the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), and Vajpayee was sworn in as the prime minister.[54] The coalition was an uneasy one,[29] as apart from the Shiv Sena, none of the other parties espoused the BJP's Hindu-nationalist ideology.[55] Vajpayee has been credited for managing this coalition successfully, while facing ideological pressure from the hardline wing of the party and from the RSS.[25] Vajpayee's government lasted 13 months until mid-1999 when the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) under J. Jayalalithaa withdrew its support.[56] The government lost the ensuing vote of confidence motion in the Lok Sabha by a single vote on 17 April 1999.[57] As the opposition was unable to come up with the numbers to form the new government, the Lok Sabha was again dissolved and fresh elections were held.[58]

Nuclear tests

See also: Pokhran-II

In May 1998, India conducted five underground nuclear tests in the Pokhran desert in Rajasthan, 24 years after its first nuclear test (Smiling Buddha) in 1974. Two weeks later, Pakistan responded with its own nuclear tests making it the newest nation with declared nuclear capability.[59] While some nations, such as France, endorsed India's right to defensive nuclear power,[60] others including the United States, Canada, Japan, Britain and the European Union imposed sanctions on information, resources and technology to India. In spite of intense international criticism and steady decline in foreign investment and trade, the nuclear tests were popular domestically. In effect, the international sanctions imposed failed to sway India from weaponising its nuclear capability. US sanctions against India and Pakistan were eventually lifted after just six months.[61]

Lahore summit

In late 1998 and early 1999, Vajpayee began a push for a full-scale diplomatic peace process with Pakistan. With the historic inauguration of the Delhi-Lahore bus service in February 1999, Vajpayee initiated a new peace process aimed towards permanently resolving the Kashmir dispute and other conflicts with Pakistan. The resultant Lahore Declaration espoused a commitment to dialogue, expanded trade relations and mutual friendship and envisaged a goal of denuclearised South Asia. This eased the tension created by the 1998 nuclear tests, not only within the two nations but also in South Asia and the rest of the world.[62][63]

AIADMK's withdrawal from coalition

The AIADMK had continually threatened to withdraw from the coalition and national leaders repeatedly flew down from Delhi to Chennai to pacify the AIADMK general secretary J. Jayalalithaa. However, in May 1999, the AIADMK did pull the plug on the NDA, and the Vajpayee administration was reduced to a caretaker status pending fresh elections scheduled for October 1999.[64]

Kargil War

 
Prime Minister Vajpayee with Indian troops and other dignitaries at Kargil after the war in 1999
Further information: Kargil War

In May 1999 some Kashmiri shepherds discovered the presence of militants and non-uniformed Pakistani soldiers (many with official identifications and Pakistan Army's custom weaponry) in the Kashmir Valley, where they had taken control of border hilltops and unmanned border posts. The incursion was centred around the town of Kargil, but also included the Batalik and Akhnoor sectors and artillery exchanges at the Siachen Glacier.[65][66]

The Indian army responded with Operation Vijay, which launched on 26 May 1999. This saw the Indian military fighting thousands of militants and soldiers in the midst of heavy artillery shelling and while facing extremely cold weather, snow and treacherous terrain at the high altitude.[67] Over 500 Indian soldiers were killed in the three-month-long Kargil War, and it is estimated around 600–4,000 Pakistani militants and soldiers died as well.[68][69][70][71] India pushed back the Pakistani militants and Northern Light Infantry soldiers. Almost 70% of the territory was recaptured by India.[67] Vajpayee sent a "secret letter" to U.S. President Bill Clinton that if Pakistani infiltrators did not withdraw from the Indian territory, "we will get them out, one way or the other" - meaning he did not rule out crossing the Line of Control (LoC), or was the use of nuclear weapons.[72]

After Pakistan suffered heavy losses, and with both the United States and China refusing to condone the incursion or threaten India to stop its military operations, General Pervez Musharraf was recalcitrant and Nawaz Sharif asked the remaining militants to stop and withdraw to positions along the LoC.[73] The militants were not willing to accept orders from Sharif but the NLI soldiers withdrew.[73] The militants were killed by the Indian army or forced to withdraw in skirmishes which continued even after the announcement of withdrawal by Pakistan.[73]

Third term: 1999–2004

See also: Third Vajpayee ministry

1999–2002

The 1999 general elections were held in the aftermath of the Kargil operations. The BJP-led NDA won 303 seats out of the 543 seats in the Lok Sabha, securing a comfortable and stable majority.[74] On 13 October 1999, Vajpayee took oath as the prime minister of India for the third time.[75]

A national crisis emerged in December 1999, when Indian Airlines flight IC 814 from Kathmandu to New Delhi was hijacked by five terrorists and flown to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.[76] The hijackers made several demands including the release of certain terrorists like Masood Azhar from prison. Under pressure, the government ultimately caved in. Jaswant Singh, the minister of external affairs at the time, flew with the terrorists to Afghanistan and exchanged them for the passengers.[77]

 
Vajpayee with Russian president Vladimir Putin on 6 November 2001
 
Vajpayee meeting U.S. president Bill Clinton at the Hyderabad House
on 21 March 2000

In March 2000, Bill Clinton, the President of the United States, paid a state visit to India.[78] This was the first state visit to India by a U.S. president in 22 years, since President Jimmy Carter's visit in 1978.[79] President Clinton's visit was hailed as a significant milestone in relations between the two nations.[78] Vajpayee and Clinton had wide-ranging discussions on bilateral, regional and international developments.[80] The visit led to expansion in trade and economic ties between India and the United States.[81] A vision document on the future course of Indo-U.S. relations was signed during the visit.[82]

Domestically, the BJP-led government was influenced by the RSS, but owing to its dependence on coalition support, it was impossible for the BJP to push items like building the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya, repealing Article 370 which gave a special status to the state of Kashmir, or enacting a uniform civil code applicable to adherents of all religions. On 17 January 2000, there were reports of the RSS and some BJP hard-liners threatening to restart the Jan Sangh, the precursor to the BJP, because of their discontent over Vajpayee's rule. Former president of the Jan Sangh Balraj Madhok had written a letter to the then-RSS chief Rajendra Singh for support.[83] The BJP was, however, accused of "saffronising" the official state education curriculum and apparatus, saffron being the colour of the RSS flag of the RSS, and a symbol of the Hindu nationalism movement.[84] Home Minister L. K. Advani and the Human Resource Development Minister (now called Education Minister)[85] Murli Manohar Joshi were indicted in the 1992 Babri Mosque demolition case for inciting a mob of activists. Vajpayee himself came under public scrutiny owing to his controversial speech one day prior to the mosque demolition.[86]

These years were accompanied by infighting in the administration and confusion regarding the direction of government.[87][88] Vajpayee's weakening health was also a subject of public interest, and he underwent a major knee-replacement surgery at the Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai to relieve intense pressure upon his legs.[89]

In March 2001, the Tehelka group released a sting operation video named Operation West End which showed BJP president Bangaru Laxman, senior army officers and NDA members accepting bribes from journalists posing as agents and businessmen.[90][91] The Defence Minister George Fernandes was forced to resign following the Barak Missile scandal involving the botched supplies of coffins for the soldiers killed in Kargil, and the findings of an inquiry commission that the government could have prevented the Kargil invasion.[92]

Vajpayee initiated talks with Pakistan, and invited Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf to Agra for a joint summit. President Musharraf was believed to be the principal architect of the Kargil War in India.[93] By accepting him as the President of Pakistan, Vajpayee chose to move forward leaving behind the Kargil War. But after three days of much fanfare, which included Musharraf visiting his birthplace in Delhi, the summit failed to achieve a breakthrough as President Musharraf declined to leave aside the issue of Kashmir.[94]

2001 attack on Parliament

Main article: 2001 Indian Parliament attack

On 13 December 2001, a group of masked, armed men with fake IDs stormed Parliament House in Delhi.[95] The terrorists managed to kill several security guards, but the building was sealed off swiftly and security forces cornered and killed the men who were later proven to be Pakistan nationals.[96] Vajpayee ordered Indian troops to mobilise for war, leading to an estimated 500,000[97] to 750,000[98] Indian soldiers positioned along the international border between India and Pakistan. Pakistan responded by mobilising its own troops along the border.[97] A terrorist attack on an army garrison in Kashmir in May 2002 further escalated the situation. As the threat of war between two nuclear capable countries and the consequent possibility of a nuclear exchange loomed large, international diplomatic mediation focused on defusing the situation.[99] In October 2002, both India and Pakistan announced that they would withdraw their troops from the border.[98]

The Vajpayee administration brought in the Prevention of Terrorism Act in 2002. The act was aimed at curbing terrorist threats by strengthening powers of government authorities to investigate and act against suspects.[100][101] It was passed in a joint session of the parliament, amidst concerns that the law would be misused.[102]

Another political disaster hit his government between December 2001 and March 2002: the VHP held the Government hostage in a major standoff in Ayodhya over the Ram temple. On the 10th anniversary of the destruction of the Babri mosque, the VHP wanted to perform a shila daan, or a ceremony laying the foundation stone of the cherished temple at the disputed site.[103] Thousands of VHP activists amassed and threatened to overrun the site and forcibly perform the ceremony.[104][105] A grave threat of not only communal violence, but an outright breakdown of law and order owing to the defiance of the government by a religious organisation hung over the nation. The incident, however, ended peacefully with a symbolic handover of a stone at a different location 1 km away from the disputed site.[106]

2002 Gujarat violence

Main article: 2002 Gujarat riots

In February 2002, a train filled with Hindu pilgrims returning to Gujarat from Ayodhya stopped in the town of Godhra. A scuffle broke out between Hindu activists and Muslim residents, and the train was set on fire, leading to the deaths of 59 people. The charred bodies of the victims were displayed in public in the city of Ahmedabad, and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad called for a statewide strike in Gujarat. These decisions stoked anti-Muslim sentiments.[107] Blaming Muslims for the deaths, rampaging Hindu mobs killed thousands of Muslim men and women, destroying Muslim homes and places of worship. The violence raged for more than two months, and more than 1,000 people died.[108] Gujarat was being ruled by a BJP government, with Narendra Modi as the chief minister. The state government was criticised for mishandling the situation.[109] It was accused of doing little to stop the violence, and even being complicit in encouraging it.[110][108]

Vajpayee reportedly wanted to remove Modi, but was eventually prevailed upon by party members to not act against him.[111][112] He travelled to Gujarat, visiting Godhra, and Ahmedabad, the site of the most violent riots. He announced financial aid for victims, and urged an end to the violence.[113] While he condemned the violence,[114] he did not chastise Modi directly in public. When asked as to what would be his message to the chief minister in the event of the riots having taking place, Vajpayee responded that Modi must follow raj dharma, Hindi for ethical governance.[113]

At the meeting of the BJP national executive in Goa in April 2002, Vajpayee's speech generated controversy for its contents which included him saying: "Wherever Muslims live, they don't like to live in co-existence with others."[115][116] The Prime Minister's Office stated that these remarks had been taken out of context.[117] Vajpayee was accused of doing nothing to stop the violence, and later admitted mistakes in handling the events.[118] K. R. Narayanan, then president of India, also blamed Vajpayee's government for failing to quell the violence.[119] After the BJP's defeat in the 2004 general elections, Vajpayee admitted that not removing Modi had been a mistake.[120]

2002–2004

 
Prime Minister Vajpayee speaking at a special session to commorate 200th session of Rajya Sabha in 2003.

In late 2002 and 2003 the government pushed through economic reforms.[121] The country's GDP growth exceeded 7% every year from 2003 to 2007, following three years of sub-5% growth.[122] Increasing foreign investment,[121] modernisation of public and industrial infrastructure, the creation of jobs, a rising high-tech and IT industry and urban modernisation and expansion improved the nation's international image. Good crop harvests and strong industrial expansion also helped the economy.[123]

In May 2003, he announced before the parliament that he would make one last effort to achieve peace with Pakistan. The announcement ended a period of 16 months, following the 2001 attack on the Indian parliament, during which India had severed diplomatic ties with Pakistan.[124] Although diplomatic relations did not pick up immediately, visits were exchanged by high-level officials and the military standoff ended. The Pakistani President and Pakistani politicians, civil and religious leaders hailed this initiative as did the leaders of the United States, Europe and much of the world. In July 2003, Prime Minister Vajpayee visited China, and met with various Chinese leaders. He recognised Tibet as a part of China, which was welcomed by the Chinese leadership, and which, in the following year, recognised Sikkim as part of India. China–India relations improved greatly in the following years.[125]

Policies

Vajpayee's government introduced many domestic economic and infrastructural reforms, including encouraging the private sector and foreign investments, reducing governmental waste, encouraging research and development and privatisation of some government owned corporations.[126] Among Vajpayee's projects were the National Highways Development Project and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.[127][128] In 2001, the Vajpayee government launched the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan campaign, aimed at improving the quality of education in primary and secondary schools.[129][130]

2004 general election

 
Prime Minister Vajpayee casting his vote at a polling booth in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, during the 2004 general election.

In 2003, news reports suggested a tussle within the BJP with regard to sharing of leadership between Vajpayee and Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani.[131][132] BJP president Venkaiah Naidu had suggested that Advani must lead the party politically at the 2004 general elections, referring to Vajpayee as vikas purush, Hindi for development man, and Advani as loh purush, iron man.[133] When Vajpayee subsequently threatened retirement, Naidu backtracked, announcing that the party would contest the elections under the twin leadership of Vajpayee and Advani.[134]

The NDA was widely expected to retain power after the 2004 general election. It announced elections six months ahead of schedule, hoping to capitalise on economic growth, and Vajpayee's peace initiative with Pakistan.[135][136] The 13th Lok Sabha was dissolved before the completion of its term. The BJP hoped to capitalise on a perceived 'feel-good factor' and BJP's recent successes in the Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Under the "India Shining" campaign, it released ads proclaiming the economic growth of the nation under the government.[137][138]

However, the BJP could only win 138 seats in the 543-seat parliament,[139] with several prominent cabinet ministers being defeated.[136] The NDA coalition won 185 seats. The Indian National Congress, led by Sonia Gandhi, emerged as the single largest party, winning 145 seats in the election. The Congress and its allies, comprising many smaller parties, formed the United Progressive Alliance, accounting for 220 seats in the parliament.[139] Vajpayee resigned as prime minister.[140] The UPA, with the outside support of communist parties, formed the next government with Manmohan Singh as the prime minister.[141]

Post-premiership

 
Vajpayee and Rajnath Singh (left) during the voting for 2007 Indian Presidential election

In December 2005, Vajpayee announced his retirement from active politics, declaring that he would not contest in the next general election. In a famous statement at the BJP's silver jubilee rally at Mumbai's Shivaji Park, Vajpayee announced that "Henceforth, Lal Krishna Advani and Pramod Mahajan will be the Ram-Lakshman [the two godly brothers much revered and worshipped by Hindus] of the BJP."[142]

Vajpayee was referred to as the Bhishma Pitamah of Indian politics by former prime minister Manmohan Singh during a speech in the Rajya Sabha, a reference to the character in the Hindu epic Mahabharata who was held in respect by two warring sides.[143]

Vajpayee was hospitalised at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi (AIIMS) for a chest infection and fever on 6 February 2009. He was put on ventilator support as his condition worsened but he eventually recuperated and was later discharged.[144] Unable to participate in the campaign for the 2009 general election due to his poor health, he wrote a letter urging voters to back the BJP.[145] His protege Lalji Tandon was able to retain the Lucknow seat in that election even though the NDA suffered electoral reverses all over the country. It was speculated that Vajpayee's non-partisan appeal contributed to Lalji's success in Lucknow in contrast to that BJP's poor performance elsewhere in Uttar Pradesh.[146]

Positions held

Further information: Electoral history of Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Year Position Place Party Remark
1951 Founding-Member Bharatiya Jana Sangh Bharatiya Jana Sangh
1957–1962 MP, Balrampur (Lok Sabha constituency) 2nd Lok Sabha Bharatiya Jana Sangh 1st Term
1957–1977 Leader Bharatiya Jana Sangh Parliamentary Party Bharatiya Jana Sangh
1962–1968 MP, Uttar Pradesh, Rajya Sabha Rajya Sabha Bharatiya Jana Sangh 1st Term (Resigned on 25 February 1967) Elected to Lok Sabha
1966–1967 Chairman Committee on Government Assurances Rajya Sabha
1967 MP, Balrampur (Lok Sabha constituency) 4th Lok Sabha Bharatiya Jana Sangh 2nd Term
1967–70 Chairman, Public Accounts Committee Bharatiya Jana Sangh
1968–1973 President Bharatiya Jana Sangh Bharatiya Jana Sangh
1971 MP, Gwalior (Lok Sabha constituency) 5th Lok Sabha Bharatiya Jana Sangh 3rd Term
1977 MP, New Delhi (Lok Sabha constituency) 6th Lok Sabha (4th term) Janata Party (4th term)
1977–1979 Union Cabinet Minister, External Affairs Janata Party
1977–1980 Founding Member Janata Party Janata Party
1980 MP, New Delhi (Lok Sabha constituency) 7th Lok Sabha Bharatiya Janata Party (5th term)
1980–1986 President, Bharatiya Janata Party Bharatiya Janata Party
1980–1984, 1986 and 1993–1996 Leader Parliamentary Party Bharatiya Janata Party
1986 MP, Madhya Pradesh, Rajya Sabha Rajya Sabha Bharatiya Janata Party 2nd Term
1988–1989 Member, General Purposes Committee Rajya Sabha
1988–1990 Member, House Committee

Member, Business Advisory Committee

Rajya Sabha
1990–1991 Chairman, Committee on Petitions Rajya Sabha
1991 MP, Lucknow (Lok Sabha constituency) 10th Lok Sabha Bharatiya Janata Party (6th term)
1991–1993 Chairman, Public Accounts Committee Lok Sabha
1993–1996 Chairman, Committee on External Affairs Lok Sabha
1993–1996 Leader of Opposition, Lok Sabha Bharatiya Janata Party
1996 MP, Lucknow (Lok Sabha constituency) 11th Lok Sabha Bharatiya Janata Party 7th Term
16 May 1996 – 31 May 1996 Prime Minister of India; and in charge of other subjects not allocated to any other Cabinet Minister Bharatiya Janata Party Bharatiya Janata Party
1996–1997 Leader of Opposition, Lok Sabha Bharatiya Janata Party
1997–1998 Chairman, Committee on External Affairs Lok Sabha
1998 MP, Lucknow (Lok Sabha constituency) 12th Lok Sabha Bharatiya Janata Party 8th Term
1998–1999 Prime Minister of India; Minister of External Affairs; and also incharge of Ministries/Departments not specifically allocated to the charge of any Minister Bharatiya Janata Party Bharatiya Janata Party
1999 MP, Lucknow (Lok Sabha constituency) 13th Lok Sabha Bharatiya Janata Party 9th Term
1999 Leader, Parliamentary Party, Lok Sabha Bharatiya Janata Party
13 Oct.1999- May 2004 Prime Minister of India and also in charge of the Ministries/Departments not specifically allocated to the charge of any Minister Bharatiya Janata Party Bharatiya Janata Party
2004 MP, Lucknow (Lok Sabha constituency) 14th Lok Sabha Bharatiya Janata Party 10th Term
2004 Chairman, Parliamentary Party Bharatiya Janata Party &

National Democratic Alliance (India)

Personal life

Vajpayee remained a bachelor for his entire life.[147] He adopted and raised Namita Bhattacharya as his own child, the daughter of longtime friend Rajkumari Kaul and her husband B. N. Kaul. His adopted family lived with him.[148]

Unlike purist Brahmins who shun meat and alcohol, Vajpayee was known to be fond of whisky and meat.[149][150] He was a noted poet, writing in Hindi. His published works include Kaidi Kaviraj Ki Kundalian, a collection of poems written during the 1975–1977 emergency, and Amar aag hai.[151] With regard to his poetry he wrote, "My poetry is a declaration of war, not an exordium to defeat. It is not the defeated soldier's drumbeat of despair, but the fighting warrior's will to win. It is not the despirited voice of dejection but the stirring shout of victory."[152]

Death

 
Vajpayee's funeral procession moving to Smriti Sthal near Raj Ghat for last rites

Vajpayee had a stroke in 2009 which impaired his speech.[153] His health had been a major source of concern; reports said he was reliant on a wheelchair and failed to recognise people. He also had dementia and long-term diabetes. For many years, he had not attended any public engagements and rarely ventured out of the house, except for checkups at the All India Institutes of Medical Sciences.[153][154]

On 11 June 2018, Vajpayee was admitted to AIIMS in critical condition following a kidney infection.[155][156] He was officially declared dead there at 5:05 pm IST on 16 August 2018 at the age of 93.[157][158] Some sources claim that he had died on the previous day.[159][160] On the morning of 17 August, Vajpayee's body, draped with the Indian flag, was taken to the Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters where party workers paid their tributes until 1 pm. Later that afternoon at 4 pm, Vajpayee was cremated with full state honours at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal near Raj Ghat, and his pyre was lit by his foster daughter Namita Kaul Bhattacharya.[161][162] Thousands of people and many dignitaries attended his funeral procession, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind.[163][164] On 19 August, his ashes were immersed in Ganga river at Haridwar by Kaul.[165][166]

Reactions and tributes

India reacted to Vajpayee's death with grief and thousands of tributes poured in through social media platforms. Thousands of people paid their respects during his funeral procession.[167] A seven-day state mourning was announced by the central government throughout India. The national flag flew half-mast during this period.[168]

  • Afghanistan: Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai was among several foreign dignitaries present at former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's funeral in New Delhi. He recalled that the departed leader was "the first to offer us civilian planes, Airbuses at the time we were starting out".[169]
  • Bangladesh: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed "deep shock" at the demise of former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and said it is a day of great sadness for the people of Bangladesh. Paying tribute to Vajpayee, Hasina termed him as "one of the most famous sons of India" and a highly respected person in Bangladesh.[170]
  • Bhutan: Bhutan king Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck attended the funeral ceremony in New Delhi.[171]
  • China: In a statement, the ministry of foreign affairs said the Indian leader was an "outstanding Indian statesman and had made outstanding contributions to the development of Sino-Indian relations"."China expresses its deep condolences on his death and sincere condolences to the Indian government and people and the relatives of Mr Vajpayee. Premier Li Keqiang has sent a condolence message to the leaders of India," the statement said.[172]
  • Israel: Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu conveyed his condolences calling Vajpayee "a true friend of Israel". Foreign Ministry of Israel also extended its condolences on the passing of Vajpayee and in a statement described him as "a genuine friend of Israel".[173]
  • Japan: Remembering Vajpayee's visit to Japan in 2001, the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe said, "On behalf of the Government and people of Japan, I would like to convey my sincerest condolences to the Government and people of India and the bereaved family. His Excellency Vajpayee visited Japan in 2001 as the then-Prime Minister and made significant contributions to the friendship between our two countries as a good friend of Japan. It is him who established the cornerstone of Japan-India relations today". Terming Vajpayee as an eminent leader of India, Abe added, "I pray from the bottom of my heart that his soul may rest in peace".[174]
  • Mauritius: On 17 August, the government of Mauritius announced that both Mauritian and Indian flags would fly at half mast in the honour of Vajpayee.[175][176] During the World Hindi Conference in Mauritius, PM Pravind Jugnauth announced that the cyber tower towards which Vajpayee contributed to be set up in Mauritius would be henceforth named as Atal Bihari Vajpayee tower.[177]
  • Pakistan: Pakistan's interim Minister for Law and Information Syed Ali Zafar met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and extended Pakistan's condolence on the death of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Zafar was among the foreign dignitaries who attended Vajpayee's funeral in New Delhi.[178] Former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf mourned the demise of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, calling him a great man. He said that Vajpayee's demise was a great loss for both India as well as Pakistan.[179]
  • Russia: Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a message of condolences to President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the demise of Vajpayee. Putin termed the former prime minister as "outstanding statesman". "Atal Bihari Vajpayee rightly commanded great respect around the world. He will be remembered as a politician who made a major personal contribution to the friendly relations and privileged strategic partnership between our countries. The President of Russia conveyed words of sincere sympathy and support to the family of the deceased, the Government and the people of India", the message read.[180]
  • Sri Lanka: Various Sri Lankan leaders paid rich tribute to the three-time PM, hailing him as a "friend of Sri Lanka". In a tweet President Maithripala Sirisena said: "Today, we have lost a great humanist and a true friend of Sri Lanka. Former Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a visionary leader and an ardent defender of democracy. My condolences to his family and millions of his admirers around the world". Leader of Opposition R. Sampanthan said that India has lost one of its "most regarded intellectual[s] and [statesmen]". "He served the great country of India with humility and honesty, and he was much loved and respected by millions of people across the world. Former three-time Prime Minister Vajpayee is also an exceptional orator and a leader with a great sense of humour, his speeches within the Indian parliament and outside will always be remembered", he said in a statement, extending his condolences on behalf of the Tamil people of Sri Lanka.[181]
  • United States: U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said Vajpayee recognised early on that the US-India partnership would contribute to the world's economic prosperity and security and the two democracies would continue to benefit from his vision. "On behalf of the people of the United States of America, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the people of India on the recent passing of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee", Pompeo said in a statement yesterday. He recalled Vajpayee's address to the Congress in 2000, when he had famously characterised US-India ties as a "natural partnership of shared endeavours". "Today, our two countries and our bilateral relationship continue to benefit from Prime Minister Vajpayee vision, which helped promote expanded cooperation", Pompeo said. He said the American people stand with the people of India "as we mourn Prime Minister Vajpayee's passing".[182]

Honours, awards and international recognition

Awards

State honours

Decoration Country Date Note Ref.
  Padma Vibhushan   India 1992 The second-highest civilian award of India
  Order of Ouissam Alaouite   Morocco 13 February 1999 Grand Cordon of the Order of Ouissam Alaouite [183]
  Bharat Ratna   India 27 March 2015 The highest civilian award of India [184]
  Bangladesh Liberation War honour   Bangladesh 7 June 2015 Friends of Bangladesh Liberation War honour [185][186]

Other achievements

Published works

Vajpayee authored several works of both prose and poetry. Some of his major publications are listed below. In addition to these, various collections were made of his speeches, articles, and slogans.[191][192][193]

Prose

  • National Integration (1961)[194]
  • New Dimensions of India's Foreign Policy (1979)[191]
  • Gathbandhan Ki Rajneeti[195]
  • Kucha Lekha, Kucha Bhashana (1996)[196]
  • Bindu-Bindu Vicara (1997)[197]
  • Decisive Days (1999)[198]
  • Sankalp-Kaal (1999)[199]
  • Vicara-Bindu (Hindi Edition, 2000)[191]
  • India's Perspectives on ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific Region (2003)[200]
  • Na Dainyam Na Palayanam[201]
  • Nayi Chunouti : Naya Avasar[202]

Poetry

  • Kaidi Kaviraj Ki Kundalian[191]
  • Amar Aag Hai (1994)[191]
  • Meri Ikyaavan Kavitaen [hi] (1995)[203] Some of these poems were set to music by Jagjit Singh for his album Samvedna.[204]
  • Kya Khoya Kya Paya: Atal Bihari Vajapeyi, Vyaktitva Aur Kavitaem (1999)[205]
  • Values, Vision & Verses of Vajpayee: India's Man of Destiny (2001)[206]
  • Twenty-One Poems (2003)[207]
  • Chuni Hui Kavitayein (2012)[208]

An English translation of a selection of some of Vajpayee's Hindi poetry was published in 2013.[209]

Legacy

See also: Category:Memorials to Atal Bihari Vajpayee
 
Prime Minister Modi at Vajpayee's memorial, Sadaiv Atal

The administration of Narendra Modi declared in 2014 that Vajpayee's birthday, 25 December, would be marked as Good Governance Day.[210][211] The world's longest tunnel, Atal Tunnel at Rohtang, Himachal Pradesh, on the Leh-Manali Highway was named after Atal Bihari Vajpayee.[212] The third longest cable-stayed bridge in India over the Mandovi River, Atal Setu was named in his memory.[213] The Government of Chhattisgarh changed the name of Naya Raipur to Atal Nagar.[214]

In popular culture

The Films Division of India has produced the short documentary films Pride of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1998) and Know Your Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee (2003), both directed by Girish Vaidya, which explore different facets of his personality.[215][216] Vajpayee also appears in a cameo in the 1977 Indian Hindi-language film Chala Murari Hero Banne by Asrani.[217]

In 2019, Shiva Sharma and Zeeshan Ahmad, owners of Amaash Films, acquired the official rights of the book The Untold Vajpayee written by Ullekh N P, to make a biopic based on Vajpayee's life from his childhood, college life and finally turning into a politician.[218][219][220]

Aap Ki Adalat, an Indian talk show which airs on India TV, featured an interview with Vajpayee just before the 1999 elections.[221] Pradhanmantri (lit. 'Prime Minister'), a 2013 Indian documentary television series which aired on ABP News and covers the various policies and political tenures of Indian PMs, includes the tenureship of Vajpayee in the episodes "Atal Bihari Vajpayee's 13 days government and India during 1996–98", "Pokhran-II and Kargil War", and "2002 Gujarat Riots and Fall of Vajpayee Government".[222]

See also

References

Notes

Citations

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Further reading

  • L.K. Advani. My Country My Life. (2008). ISBN 978-81-291-1363-4.
  • M.P. Kamal. Bateshwar to Prime Minister House – An Interesting Description of Different Aspects of Atalji's . (2003). ISBN 978-81-7604-600-8.
  • G.N.S. Raghavan. New Era in the Indian Polity, A Study of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the BJP. (1996). ISBN 978-81-212-0539-9.
  • P. R Trivedi. Atal Bihari Vajpayee: The man India needs : the most appropriate leader for the twentyfirst century. (2000). ISBN 978-81-7696-001-4.
  • Sujata K. Dass. " prem k jain ". (2004). ISBN 978-81-7835-277-0.
  • Chandrika Prasad Sharma. Poet politician Atal Bihari Vajpayee: A biography. (1998). ASIN B0006FD11E.
  • Sheila Vazirani. Atal Bihari Vajpayee; profile & personal views (Know thy leaders). (1967). ASIN B0006FFBV2.
  • C.P. Thakur. India Under Atal Behari Vajpayee: The BJP Era. (1999). ISBN 978-81-7476-250-4
  • Sita Ram Sharma. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee: Commitment to power. (1998). ISBN 978-81-85809-24-3.
  • Bhagwat S. Goyal Values, Vision & Verses of Vajpayee: India's Man of Destiny 2001 Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. ISBN 81-87996-00-5.
  • Darshan Singh. Atal Behari Vajpayee: The arch of India. (2001). ISBN 978-81-86405-25-3.
  • Yogesh Atal. Mandate for political transition: Re-emergence of Vaypayee. (2000). ASIN B0006FEIHA.
  • Sujata K. Das. Atal Bihari Vajpayee. (2004). ISBN 978-8178352770

External links

 
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June 19, 2023
atal, bihari, vajpayee, vajpayee, redirects, here, other, uses, bajpai, hindustani, pronunciation, əʈəl, bɪɦaːɾiː, ʋaːdʒpai, december, 1924, august, 2018, indian, politician, served, three, terms, 10th, prime, minister, india, first, term, days, 1996, then, pe. Vajpayee redirects here For other uses see Bajpai Atal Bihari Vajpayee Hindustani pronunciation eʈel bɪɦaːɾiː ʋaːdʒpai 25 December 1924 16 August 2018 was an Indian politician who served three terms as the 10th Prime Minister of India first for a term of 13 days in 1996 then for a period of 13 months from 1998 to 1999 followed by a full term from 1999 to 2004 Vajpayee was one of the co founders and a senior leader of the BJP He was a member of the RSS a Hindu nationalist volunteer organisation He was the first Indian prime minister not of the INC to serve a full term in office He was also a renowned poet and a writer Atal Bihari VajpayeeOfficial portrait10th Prime Minister of IndiaIn office 19 March 1998 22 May 2004PresidentK R NarayananA P J Abdul KalamDeputyL K Advani starting in 2002 Preceded byInder Kumar GujralSucceeded byManmohan SinghIn office 16 May 1996 1 June 1996PresidentShankar Dayal SharmaVice PresidentK R NarayananPreceded byP V Narasimha RaoSucceeded byH D Deve GowdaMinister of External AffairsIn office 26 March 1977 28 July 1979Prime MinisterMorarji DesaiPreceded byYashwantrao ChavanSucceeded byShyam Nandan Prasad MishraMinister of Statistics and Programme ImplementationIn office 1 July 2002 22 May 2004Preceded byManeka GandhiSucceeded byOscar FernandesIn office 13 October 1999 1 September 2001Preceded byministry openedSucceeded byJagmohanParliamentary officesMember of Parliament Lok SabhaIn office 1991 2009Preceded byMandhata SinghSucceeded byLalji TandonConstituencyLucknowIn office 1977 1984Preceded byMukul BanerjeeSucceeded byK C PantConstituencyNew DelhiIn office 1971 1977Preceded byRam Awtar SharmaSucceeded byN K ShejwalkarConstituencyGwaliorIn office 1967 1971Preceded bySubhadra JoshiSucceeded byChandra Bhal Mani TiwariConstituencyBalrampurIn office 1957 1962Succeeded bySubhadra JoshiConstituencyBalrampurMember of Parliament Rajya SabhaIn office 1986 1991ConstituencyMadhya PradeshIn office 1962 1967ConstituencyUttar PradeshParty political officesPresident of the Bharatiya Janata PartyIn office 1980 1986Preceded byOffice establishedSucceeded byL K Advani11th President of the Bharatiya Jana SanghIn office 1968 1972Preceded byDeendayal UpadhyayaSucceeded byL K AdvaniPersonal detailsBorn 1924 12 25 25 December 1924Gwalior Gwalior State British India present day Madhya Pradesh India Died16 August 2018 2018 08 16 aged 93 New Delhi Delhi IndiaMonumentsSadaiv AtalPolitical partyBharatiya Janata Party from 1980 Other politicalaffiliationsJanata Party 1977 1980 Bharatiya Jana Sangh 1951 1977 Alma materVictoria College Agra University BA DAV College Agra University MA a OccupationPoetpoliticianwriterAwardsBharat Ratna 2015 Padma Vibhushan 1992 Signaturea At the time of graduation both were affiliated with Agra University He was a member of the Indian Parliament for over five decades having been elected ten times to the Lok Sabha the lower house and twice to the Rajya Sabha the upper house He served as the MP LS for Lucknow retiring from active politics in 2009 due to health concerns He was among the founding members of the BJS of which he was president from 1968 to 1972 The BJS merged with several other parties to form the JP which won the 1977 general election In March 1977 Vajpayee became the Minister of External Affairs in the cabinet of Prime Minister Morarji Desai He resigned in 1979 and the Janata alliance collapsed soon after Former members of the BJS formed the BJP in 1980 with Vajpayee its first president During his tenure as prime minister India carried out the Pokhran II nuclear tests in 1998 Vajpayee sought to improve diplomatic relations with Pakistan travelling to Lahore by bus to meet with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif After the 1999 Kargil War with Pakistan he sought to restore relations through engagement with President Pervez Musharraf inviting him to India for a summit at Agra Vajpayee s government introduced many domestic economic and infrastructural reforms including encouraging the private sector and foreign investments reducing governmental waste encouraging research and development and privatisation of some government owned corporations 1 Among Vajpayee s projects were the National Highways Development Project Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana 2 3 and the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan campaign aimed at improving the quality of education in primary and secondary schools 4 5 Vajpayee is considered one of the most respected prime ministers of India receiving praise from the opposition as well He scores high on India s top ranked prime ministers and is regarded as one of the best prime ministers in Indian history 6 7 8 9 10 The administration of Narendra Modi declared in 2014 that Vajpayee s birthday 25 December would be marked as Good Governance Day In 2015 he was conferred India s highest civilian honour the Bharat Ratna by the president of India Pranab Mukherjee He died in 2018 of age related illness Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Early works as activist 3 Early political career 1947 1975 4 Janata and the BJP 1975 1995 5 Terms as prime minister 1996 2004 5 1 First term May 1996 5 2 Second term 1998 1999 5 2 1 Nuclear tests 5 2 2 Lahore summit 5 2 3 AIADMK s withdrawal from coalition 5 2 4 Kargil War 5 3 Third term 1999 2004 5 3 1 1999 2002 5 3 2 2001 attack on Parliament 5 3 3 2002 Gujarat violence 5 3 4 2002 2004 5 3 5 Policies 6 2004 general election 7 Post premiership 8 Positions held 9 Personal life 10 Death 10 1 Reactions and tributes 11 Honours awards and international recognition 11 1 Awards 11 2 State honours 11 3 Other achievements 12 Published works 12 1 Prose 12 2 Poetry 13 Legacy 14 In popular culture 15 See also 16 References 16 1 Notes 16 2 Citations 16 3 Sources 17 Further reading 18 External linksEarly life and educationVajpayee was born into a Hindu Brahmin family on 25 December 1924 in Gwalior Madhya Pradesh 11 His mother was Krishna Devi and his father was Krishna Bihari Vajpayee 12 His father was a school teacher in their home town 13 His grandfather Shyam Lal Vajpayee had migrated to Morena near Gwalior from his ancestral village of Bateshwar in the Agra district of Uttar Pradesh 12 Vajpayee did his schooling at the Saraswati Shishu Mandir in Gwalior In 1934 he was admitted to the Anglo Vernacular Middle AVM School in Barnagar Ujjain district after his father joined as headmaster He subsequently attended Gwalior s Victoria College Agra University now Maharani Laxmi Bai Govt College of Excellence where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Hindi English and Sanskrit He completed his post graduation with a Master of Arts in political science from DAV College Kanpur Agra University 11 14 Early works as activistHis activism started in Gwalior with Arya Kumar Sabha the youth wing of the Arya Samaj movement of which he became the general secretary in 1944 He also joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh RSS in 1939 as a swayamsevak or volunteer Influenced by Babasaheb Apte he attended the Officers Training Camp of the RSS during 1940 to 1944 becoming a pracharak RSS terminology for a full time worker in 1947 He gave up studying law due to the partition riots He was sent to Uttar Pradesh as a vistarak a probationary pracharak and soon began working for the newspapers of Deendayal Upadhyaya Rashtradharma a Hindi monthly Panchjanya a Hindi weekly and the dailies Swadesh and Veer Arjun 14 15 16 By 1942 at the age of 16 years Vajpayee became an active member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh RSS Although the RSS had chosen not to participate in the Quit India Movement in August 1942 Vajpayee and his elder brother Prem were arrested for 24 days during the Quit India Movement He was released after giving a written statement that while he was a part of the crowd he did not participate in the militant events in Bateshwar on 27 August 1942 Throughout his life including after he became prime minister Vajpayee has labelled the allegation of participation in the Quit India Movement to be a false rumour 17 Early political career 1947 1975 In 1951 Vajpayee was seconded by the RSS along with Deendayal Upadhyaya to work for the newly formed Bharatiya Jana Sangh a Hindu right wing political party associated with the RSS He was appointed as a national secretary of the party in charge of the Northern region based in Delhi He soon became a follower and aide of party leader Syama Prasad Mukherjee In the 1957 Indian general election Vajpayee contested elections to the Lok Sabha the lower house of the Indian Parliament He lost to Raja Mahendra Pratap in Mathura but was elected from Balrampur In the Lok Sabha his oratorial skills so impressed Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru that he predicted that Vajpayee would someday become the prime minister of India 18 19 20 Vajpayee s oratorial skills won him the reputation of being the most eloquent defender of the Jana Sangh s policies 21 After the death of Deendayal Upadhyaya the leadership of the Jana Sangh passed to Vajpayee 22 He became the national president of the Jana Sangh in 1968 23 running the party along with Nanaji Deshmukh Balraj Madhok and L K Advani 22 Janata and the BJP 1975 1995 Vajpayee addressing a political rally in 1977 Vajpayee was arrested along with several other opposition leaders during the Internal Emergency imposed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975 13 24 Initially interned in Bangalore Vajpayee appealed his imprisonment on the grounds of bad health and was moved to a hospital in Delhi 25 In December 1976 Vajpayee ordered the student activists of the ABVP to tender an unconditional apology to Indira Gandhi for perpetrating violence and disorder 26 27 The ABVP student leaders refused to obey his order 26 28 Gandhi ended the state of emergency in 1977 A coalition of parties including the BJS came together to form the Janata Party which won the 1977 general elections 29 Morarji Desai the chosen leader of the alliance became the prime minister Vajpayee served as the minister of external affairs or foreign minister in Desai s cabinet 30 As foreign minister Vajpayee became the first person in 1977 to deliver a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in Hindi 30 Foreign Minister Vajpayee far right and Prime Minister Morarji Desai third from right front row with US President Jimmy Carter during his 1978 visit to India In 1979 Desai and Vajpayee resigned triggering the collapse of the Janata Party 25 31 The erstwhile members of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh came together to form the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP in 1980 with Vajpayee as its first President 32 Leading up to Operation Bluestar there were several protests by Sangh Parivar including a march led by LK Advani and Vajpayee of the Bhartiya Janta Party to protest against the lack of government action and to demand that the Indian Army be sent into the Golden Temple 33 34 35 36 The 1984 general elections were held in the wake of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi s assassination by her Sikh bodyguards While he had won the 1977 and the 1980 elections from New Delhi Vajpayee shifted to his home town Gwalior for the election 37 Vidya Razdan was initially tipped to be the Congress I candidate Instead Madhavrao Scindia scion of the Gwalior royal family was brought in on the last day of filing nominations 38 Vajpayee lost to Scindia managing to secure only 29 of the votes 37 Under Vajpayee the BJP moderated the Hindu nationalist position of the Jana Sangh emphasising its connection to the Janata Party and expressing support for Gandhian Socialism 39 The ideological shift did not bring it success Indira Gandhi s assassination generated sympathy for the Congress leading to a massive victory at the polls The BJP won only two seats in parliament 39 Vajpayee offered to quit as party president following BJP s dismal performance in the election 40 but stayed in the post until 1986 41 He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1986 from Madhya Pradesh 42 and was briefly the leader of the BJP in Parliament 43 In 1986 L K Advani took office as president of the BJP 44 Under him the BJP returned to a policy of hardline Hindu nationalism 39 It became the political voice of the Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir Movement which sought to build a temple dedicated to the Hindu deity Rama in Ayodhya The temple would be built at a site believed to be the birthplace of Rama after demolishing a 16th century mosque called the Babri Masjid which then stood there 45 The strategy paid off for the BJP it won 86 seats in the Lok Sabha in the 1989 general election making its support crucial to the government of V P Singh 39 In December 1992 a group of religious volunteers led by members of the BJP the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh RSS and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad VHP tore down the mosque 46 21 He served as Member of Parliament Lok Sabha for various terms starting at Balrampur from 1957 1962 He served again from Balrampur from 1967 1971 then from Gwalior from 1971 1977 and then from New Delhi from 1977 1984 Finally he served from Lucknow from 1991 2009 47 Terms as prime minister 1996 2004 See also Premiership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee First term May 1996 See also First Vajpayee ministry During a BJP conference in Mumbai in November 1995 BJP President Advani declared that Vajpayee would be the party s prime ministerial candidate in the forthcoming elections Vajpayee himself was reported to be unhappy with the announcement responding by saying that the party needed to win the election first 48 The BJP became the single largest party in Parliament in the 1996 general election helped by religious polarisation across the country as a result of the demolition of the Babri Masjid 49 50 Indian president Shankar Dayal Sharma invited Vajpayee to form the government 51 Vajpayee was sworn in as the 10th prime minister of India 52 but the BJP failed to muster a majority among members of the Lok Sabha Vajpayee resigned after 16 days when it became clear that he did not have enough support to form a government 52 53 In this short period he also created and administered the Ministry of Consumer Affairs Food and Public Distribution Second term 1998 1999 See also Second Vajpayee ministry After the fall of the two United Front governments between 1996 and 1998 the Lok Sabha was dissolved and fresh elections were held The 1998 general elections again put the BJP ahead of others A number of political parties joined the BJP to form the National Democratic Alliance NDA and Vajpayee was sworn in as the prime minister 54 The coalition was an uneasy one 29 as apart from the Shiv Sena none of the other parties espoused the BJP s Hindu nationalist ideology 55 Vajpayee has been credited for managing this coalition successfully while facing ideological pressure from the hardline wing of the party and from the RSS 25 Vajpayee s government lasted 13 months until mid 1999 when the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam AIADMK under J Jayalalithaa withdrew its support 56 The government lost the ensuing vote of confidence motion in the Lok Sabha by a single vote on 17 April 1999 57 As the opposition was unable to come up with the numbers to form the new government the Lok Sabha was again dissolved and fresh elections were held 58 Nuclear tests See also Pokhran II In May 1998 India conducted five underground nuclear tests in the Pokhran desert in Rajasthan 24 years after its first nuclear test Smiling Buddha in 1974 Two weeks later Pakistan responded with its own nuclear tests making it the newest nation with declared nuclear capability 59 While some nations such as France endorsed India s right to defensive nuclear power 60 others including the United States Canada Japan Britain and the European Union imposed sanctions on information resources and technology to India In spite of intense international criticism and steady decline in foreign investment and trade the nuclear tests were popular domestically In effect the international sanctions imposed failed to sway India from weaponising its nuclear capability US sanctions against India and Pakistan were eventually lifted after just six months 61 Lahore summit In late 1998 and early 1999 Vajpayee began a push for a full scale diplomatic peace process with Pakistan With the historic inauguration of the Delhi Lahore bus service in February 1999 Vajpayee initiated a new peace process aimed towards permanently resolving the Kashmir dispute and other conflicts with Pakistan The resultant Lahore Declaration espoused a commitment to dialogue expanded trade relations and mutual friendship and envisaged a goal of denuclearised South Asia This eased the tension created by the 1998 nuclear tests not only within the two nations but also in South Asia and the rest of the world 62 63 AIADMK s withdrawal from coalition The AIADMK had continually threatened to withdraw from the coalition and national leaders repeatedly flew down from Delhi to Chennai to pacify the AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa However in May 1999 the AIADMK did pull the plug on the NDA and the Vajpayee administration was reduced to a caretaker status pending fresh elections scheduled for October 1999 64 Kargil War Prime Minister Vajpayee with Indian troops and other dignitaries at Kargil after the war in 1999 Further information Kargil War In May 1999 some Kashmiri shepherds discovered the presence of militants and non uniformed Pakistani soldiers many with official identifications and Pakistan Army s custom weaponry in the Kashmir Valley where they had taken control of border hilltops and unmanned border posts The incursion was centred around the town of Kargil but also included the Batalik and Akhnoor sectors and artillery exchanges at the Siachen Glacier 65 66 The Indian army responded with Operation Vijay which launched on 26 May 1999 This saw the Indian military fighting thousands of militants and soldiers in the midst of heavy artillery shelling and while facing extremely cold weather snow and treacherous terrain at the high altitude 67 Over 500 Indian soldiers were killed in the three month long Kargil War and it is estimated around 600 4 000 Pakistani militants and soldiers died as well 68 69 70 71 India pushed back the Pakistani militants and Northern Light Infantry soldiers Almost 70 of the territory was recaptured by India 67 Vajpayee sent a secret letter to U S President Bill Clinton that if Pakistani infiltrators did not withdraw from the Indian territory we will get them out one way or the other meaning he did not rule out crossing the Line of Control LoC or was the use of nuclear weapons 72 After Pakistan suffered heavy losses and with both the United States and China refusing to condone the incursion or threaten India to stop its military operations General Pervez Musharraf was recalcitrant and Nawaz Sharif asked the remaining militants to stop and withdraw to positions along the LoC 73 The militants were not willing to accept orders from Sharif but the NLI soldiers withdrew 73 The militants were killed by the Indian army or forced to withdraw in skirmishes which continued even after the announcement of withdrawal by Pakistan 73 Third term 1999 2004 See also Third Vajpayee ministry 1999 2002 The 1999 general elections were held in the aftermath of the Kargil operations The BJP led NDA won 303 seats out of the 543 seats in the Lok Sabha securing a comfortable and stable majority 74 On 13 October 1999 Vajpayee took oath as the prime minister of India for the third time 75 A national crisis emerged in December 1999 when Indian Airlines flight IC 814 from Kathmandu to New Delhi was hijacked by five terrorists and flown to Taliban ruled Afghanistan 76 The hijackers made several demands including the release of certain terrorists like Masood Azhar from prison Under pressure the government ultimately caved in Jaswant Singh the minister of external affairs at the time flew with the terrorists to Afghanistan and exchanged them for the passengers 77 Vajpayee with Russian president Vladimir Putin on 6 November 2001 Vajpayee meeting U S president Bill Clinton at the Hyderabad Houseon 21 March 2000 In March 2000 Bill Clinton the President of the United States paid a state visit to India 78 This was the first state visit to India by a U S president in 22 years since President Jimmy Carter s visit in 1978 79 President Clinton s visit was hailed as a significant milestone in relations between the two nations 78 Vajpayee and Clinton had wide ranging discussions on bilateral regional and international developments 80 The visit led to expansion in trade and economic ties between India and the United States 81 A vision document on the future course of Indo U S relations was signed during the visit 82 Domestically the BJP led government was influenced by the RSS but owing to its dependence on coalition support it was impossible for the BJP to push items like building the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya repealing Article 370 which gave a special status to the state of Kashmir or enacting a uniform civil code applicable to adherents of all religions On 17 January 2000 there were reports of the RSS and some BJP hard liners threatening to restart the Jan Sangh the precursor to the BJP because of their discontent over Vajpayee s rule Former president of the Jan Sangh Balraj Madhok had written a letter to the then RSS chief Rajendra Singh for support 83 The BJP was however accused of saffronising the official state education curriculum and apparatus saffron being the colour of the RSS flag of the RSS and a symbol of the Hindu nationalism movement 84 Home Minister L K Advani and the Human Resource Development Minister now called Education Minister 85 Murli Manohar Joshi were indicted in the 1992 Babri Mosque demolition case for inciting a mob of activists Vajpayee himself came under public scrutiny owing to his controversial speech one day prior to the mosque demolition 86 These years were accompanied by infighting in the administration and confusion regarding the direction of government 87 88 Vajpayee s weakening health was also a subject of public interest and he underwent a major knee replacement surgery at the Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai to relieve intense pressure upon his legs 89 In March 2001 the Tehelka group released a sting operation video named Operation West End which showed BJP president Bangaru Laxman senior army officers and NDA members accepting bribes from journalists posing as agents and businessmen 90 91 The Defence Minister George Fernandes was forced to resign following the Barak Missile scandal involving the botched supplies of coffins for the soldiers killed in Kargil and the findings of an inquiry commission that the government could have prevented the Kargil invasion 92 Vajpayee initiated talks with Pakistan and invited Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf to Agra for a joint summit President Musharraf was believed to be the principal architect of the Kargil War in India 93 By accepting him as the President of Pakistan Vajpayee chose to move forward leaving behind the Kargil War But after three days of much fanfare which included Musharraf visiting his birthplace in Delhi the summit failed to achieve a breakthrough as President Musharraf declined to leave aside the issue of Kashmir 94 2001 attack on Parliament Main article 2001 Indian Parliament attack On 13 December 2001 a group of masked armed men with fake IDs stormed Parliament House in Delhi 95 The terrorists managed to kill several security guards but the building was sealed off swiftly and security forces cornered and killed the men who were later proven to be Pakistan nationals 96 Vajpayee ordered Indian troops to mobilise for war leading to an estimated 500 000 97 to 750 000 98 Indian soldiers positioned along the international border between India and Pakistan Pakistan responded by mobilising its own troops along the border 97 A terrorist attack on an army garrison in Kashmir in May 2002 further escalated the situation As the threat of war between two nuclear capable countries and the consequent possibility of a nuclear exchange loomed large international diplomatic mediation focused on defusing the situation 99 In October 2002 both India and Pakistan announced that they would withdraw their troops from the border 98 The Vajpayee administration brought in the Prevention of Terrorism Act in 2002 The act was aimed at curbing terrorist threats by strengthening powers of government authorities to investigate and act against suspects 100 101 It was passed in a joint session of the parliament amidst concerns that the law would be misused 102 Another political disaster hit his government between December 2001 and March 2002 the VHP held the Government hostage in a major standoff in Ayodhya over the Ram temple On the 10th anniversary of the destruction of the Babri mosque the VHP wanted to perform a shila daan or a ceremony laying the foundation stone of the cherished temple at the disputed site 103 Thousands of VHP activists amassed and threatened to overrun the site and forcibly perform the ceremony 104 105 A grave threat of not only communal violence but an outright breakdown of law and order owing to the defiance of the government by a religious organisation hung over the nation The incident however ended peacefully with a symbolic handover of a stone at a different location 1 km away from the disputed site 106 2002 Gujarat violence Main article 2002 Gujarat riots In February 2002 a train filled with Hindu pilgrims returning to Gujarat from Ayodhya stopped in the town of Godhra A scuffle broke out between Hindu activists and Muslim residents and the train was set on fire leading to the deaths of 59 people The charred bodies of the victims were displayed in public in the city of Ahmedabad and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad called for a statewide strike in Gujarat These decisions stoked anti Muslim sentiments 107 Blaming Muslims for the deaths rampaging Hindu mobs killed thousands of Muslim men and women destroying Muslim homes and places of worship The violence raged for more than two months and more than 1 000 people died 108 Gujarat was being ruled by a BJP government with Narendra Modi as the chief minister The state government was criticised for mishandling the situation 109 It was accused of doing little to stop the violence and even being complicit in encouraging it 110 108 Vajpayee reportedly wanted to remove Modi but was eventually prevailed upon by party members to not act against him 111 112 He travelled to Gujarat visiting Godhra and Ahmedabad the site of the most violent riots He announced financial aid for victims and urged an end to the violence 113 While he condemned the violence 114 he did not chastise Modi directly in public When asked as to what would be his message to the chief minister in the event of the riots having taking place Vajpayee responded that Modi must follow raj dharma Hindi for ethical governance 113 At the meeting of the BJP national executive in Goa in April 2002 Vajpayee s speech generated controversy for its contents which included him saying Wherever Muslims live they don t like to live in co existence with others 115 116 The Prime Minister s Office stated that these remarks had been taken out of context 117 Vajpayee was accused of doing nothing to stop the violence and later admitted mistakes in handling the events 118 K R Narayanan then president of India also blamed Vajpayee s government for failing to quell the violence 119 After the BJP s defeat in the 2004 general elections Vajpayee admitted that not removing Modi had been a mistake 120 2002 2004 Prime Minister Vajpayee speaking at a special session to commorate 200th session of Rajya Sabha in 2003 In late 2002 and 2003 the government pushed through economic reforms 121 The country s GDP growth exceeded 7 every year from 2003 to 2007 following three years of sub 5 growth 122 Increasing foreign investment 121 modernisation of public and industrial infrastructure the creation of jobs a rising high tech and IT industry and urban modernisation and expansion improved the nation s international image Good crop harvests and strong industrial expansion also helped the economy 123 In May 2003 he announced before the parliament that he would make one last effort to achieve peace with Pakistan The announcement ended a period of 16 months following the 2001 attack on the Indian parliament during which India had severed diplomatic ties with Pakistan 124 Although diplomatic relations did not pick up immediately visits were exchanged by high level officials and the military standoff ended The Pakistani President and Pakistani politicians civil and religious leaders hailed this initiative as did the leaders of the United States Europe and much of the world In July 2003 Prime Minister Vajpayee visited China and met with various Chinese leaders He recognised Tibet as a part of China which was welcomed by the Chinese leadership and which in the following year recognised Sikkim as part of India China India relations improved greatly in the following years 125 Policies Vajpayee s government introduced many domestic economic and infrastructural reforms including encouraging the private sector and foreign investments reducing governmental waste encouraging research and development and privatisation of some government owned corporations 126 Among Vajpayee s projects were the National Highways Development Project and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana 127 128 In 2001 the Vajpayee government launched the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan campaign aimed at improving the quality of education in primary and secondary schools 129 130 2004 general election Prime Minister Vajpayee casting his vote at a polling booth in Lucknow Uttar Pradesh during the 2004 general election In 2003 news reports suggested a tussle within the BJP with regard to sharing of leadership between Vajpayee and Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani 131 132 BJP president Venkaiah Naidu had suggested that Advani must lead the party politically at the 2004 general elections referring to Vajpayee as vikas purush Hindi for development man and Advani as loh purush iron man 133 When Vajpayee subsequently threatened retirement Naidu backtracked announcing that the party would contest the elections under the twin leadership of Vajpayee and Advani 134 The NDA was widely expected to retain power after the 2004 general election It announced elections six months ahead of schedule hoping to capitalise on economic growth and Vajpayee s peace initiative with Pakistan 135 136 The 13th Lok Sabha was dissolved before the completion of its term The BJP hoped to capitalise on a perceived feel good factor and BJP s recent successes in the Assembly elections in Rajasthan Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh Under the India Shining campaign it released ads proclaiming the economic growth of the nation under the government 137 138 However the BJP could only win 138 seats in the 543 seat parliament 139 with several prominent cabinet ministers being defeated 136 The NDA coalition won 185 seats The Indian National Congress led by Sonia Gandhi emerged as the single largest party winning 145 seats in the election The Congress and its allies comprising many smaller parties formed the United Progressive Alliance accounting for 220 seats in the parliament 139 Vajpayee resigned as prime minister 140 The UPA with the outside support of communist parties formed the next government with Manmohan Singh as the prime minister 141 Post premiership Vajpayee and Rajnath Singh left during the voting for 2007 Indian Presidential election In December 2005 Vajpayee announced his retirement from active politics declaring that he would not contest in the next general election In a famous statement at the BJP s silver jubilee rally at Mumbai s Shivaji Park Vajpayee announced that Henceforth Lal Krishna Advani and Pramod Mahajan will be the Ram Lakshman the two godly brothers much revered and worshipped by Hindus of the BJP 142 Vajpayee was referred to as the Bhishma Pitamah of Indian politics by former prime minister Manmohan Singh during a speech in the Rajya Sabha a reference to the character in the Hindu epic Mahabharata who was held in respect by two warring sides 143 Vajpayee was hospitalised at All India Institute of Medical Sciences Delhi AIIMS for a chest infection and fever on 6 February 2009 He was put on ventilator support as his condition worsened but he eventually recuperated and was later discharged 144 Unable to participate in the campaign for the 2009 general election due to his poor health he wrote a letter urging voters to back the BJP 145 His protege Lalji Tandon was able to retain the Lucknow seat in that election even though the NDA suffered electoral reverses all over the country It was speculated that Vajpayee s non partisan appeal contributed to Lalji s success in Lucknow in contrast to that BJP s poor performance elsewhere in Uttar Pradesh 146 Positions heldFurther information Electoral history of Atal Bihari Vajpayee Year Position Place Party Remark1951 Founding Member Bharatiya Jana Sangh Bharatiya Jana Sangh1957 1962 MP Balrampur Lok Sabha constituency 2nd Lok Sabha Bharatiya Jana Sangh 1st Term1957 1977 Leader Bharatiya Jana Sangh Parliamentary Party Bharatiya Jana Sangh1962 1968 MP Uttar Pradesh Rajya Sabha Rajya Sabha Bharatiya Jana Sangh 1st Term Resigned on 25 February 1967 Elected to Lok Sabha1966 1967 Chairman Committee on Government Assurances Rajya Sabha1967 MP Balrampur Lok Sabha constituency 4th Lok Sabha Bharatiya Jana Sangh 2nd Term1967 70 Chairman Public Accounts Committee Bharatiya Jana Sangh1968 1973 President Bharatiya Jana Sangh Bharatiya Jana Sangh1971 MP Gwalior Lok Sabha constituency 5th Lok Sabha Bharatiya Jana Sangh 3rd Term1977 MP New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency 6th Lok Sabha 4th term Janata Party 4th term 1977 1979 Union Cabinet Minister External Affairs Janata Party1977 1980 Founding Member Janata Party Janata Party1980 MP New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency 7th Lok Sabha Bharatiya Janata Party 5th term 1980 1986 President Bharatiya Janata Party Bharatiya Janata Party1980 1984 1986 and 1993 1996 Leader Parliamentary Party Bharatiya Janata Party1986 MP Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha Rajya Sabha Bharatiya Janata Party 2nd Term1988 1989 Member General Purposes Committee Rajya Sabha1988 1990 Member House Committee Member Business Advisory Committee Rajya Sabha1990 1991 Chairman Committee on Petitions Rajya Sabha1991 MP Lucknow Lok Sabha constituency 10th Lok Sabha Bharatiya Janata Party 6th term 1991 1993 Chairman Public Accounts Committee Lok Sabha1993 1996 Chairman Committee on External Affairs Lok Sabha1993 1996 Leader of Opposition Lok Sabha Bharatiya Janata Party1996 MP Lucknow Lok Sabha constituency 11th Lok Sabha Bharatiya Janata Party 7th Term16 May 1996 31 May 1996 Prime Minister of India and in charge of other subjects not allocated to any other Cabinet Minister Bharatiya Janata Party Bharatiya Janata Party1996 1997 Leader of Opposition Lok Sabha Bharatiya Janata Party1997 1998 Chairman Committee on External Affairs Lok Sabha1998 MP Lucknow Lok Sabha constituency 12th Lok Sabha Bharatiya Janata Party 8th Term1998 1999 Prime Minister of India Minister of External Affairs and also incharge of Ministries Departments not specifically allocated to the charge of any Minister Bharatiya Janata Party Bharatiya Janata Party1999 MP Lucknow Lok Sabha constituency 13th Lok Sabha Bharatiya Janata Party 9th Term1999 Leader Parliamentary Party Lok Sabha Bharatiya Janata Party13 Oct 1999 May 2004 Prime Minister of India and also in charge of the Ministries Departments not specifically allocated to the charge of any Minister Bharatiya Janata Party Bharatiya Janata Party2004 MP Lucknow Lok Sabha constituency 14th Lok Sabha Bharatiya Janata Party 10th Term2004 Chairman Parliamentary Party Bharatiya Janata Party amp National Democratic Alliance India Personal lifeVajpayee remained a bachelor for his entire life 147 He adopted and raised Namita Bhattacharya as his own child the daughter of longtime friend Rajkumari Kaul and her husband B N Kaul His adopted family lived with him 148 Unlike purist Brahmins who shun meat and alcohol Vajpayee was known to be fond of whisky and meat 149 150 He was a noted poet writing in Hindi His published works include Kaidi Kaviraj Ki Kundalian a collection of poems written during the 1975 1977 emergency and Amar aag hai 151 With regard to his poetry he wrote My poetry is a declaration of war not an exordium to defeat It is not the defeated soldier s drumbeat of despair but the fighting warrior s will to win It is not the despirited voice of dejection but the stirring shout of victory 152 Death Vajpayee s funeral procession moving to Smriti Sthal near Raj Ghat for last rites Vajpayee had a stroke in 2009 which impaired his speech 153 His health had been a major source of concern reports said he was reliant on a wheelchair and failed to recognise people He also had dementia and long term diabetes For many years he had not attended any public engagements and rarely ventured out of the house except for checkups at the All India Institutes of Medical Sciences 153 154 On 11 June 2018 Vajpayee was admitted to AIIMS in critical condition following a kidney infection 155 156 He was officially declared dead there at 5 05 pm IST on 16 August 2018 at the age of 93 157 158 Some sources claim that he had died on the previous day 159 160 On the morning of 17 August Vajpayee s body draped with the Indian flag was taken to the Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters where party workers paid their tributes until 1 pm Later that afternoon at 4 pm Vajpayee was cremated with full state honours at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal near Raj Ghat and his pyre was lit by his foster daughter Namita Kaul Bhattacharya 161 162 Thousands of people and many dignitaries attended his funeral procession including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind 163 164 On 19 August his ashes were immersed in Ganga river at Haridwar by Kaul 165 166 Reactions and tributes India reacted to Vajpayee s death with grief and thousands of tributes poured in through social media platforms Thousands of people paid their respects during his funeral procession 167 A seven day state mourning was announced by the central government throughout India The national flag flew half mast during this period 168 Afghanistan Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai was among several foreign dignitaries present at former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee s funeral in New Delhi He recalled that the departed leader was the first to offer us civilian planes Airbuses at the time we were starting out 169 Bangladesh Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed deep shock at the demise of former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and said it is a day of great sadness for the people of Bangladesh Paying tribute to Vajpayee Hasina termed him as one of the most famous sons of India and a highly respected person in Bangladesh 170 Bhutan Bhutan king Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck attended the funeral ceremony in New Delhi 171 China In a statement the ministry of foreign affairs said the Indian leader was an outstanding Indian statesman and had made outstanding contributions to the development of Sino Indian relations China expresses its deep condolences on his death and sincere condolences to the Indian government and people and the relatives of Mr Vajpayee Premier Li Keqiang has sent a condolence message to the leaders of India the statement said 172 Israel Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu conveyed his condolences calling Vajpayee a true friend of Israel Foreign Ministry of Israel also extended its condolences on the passing of Vajpayee and in a statement described him as a genuine friend of Israel 173 Japan Remembering Vajpayee s visit to Japan in 2001 the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe said On behalf of the Government and people of Japan I would like to convey my sincerest condolences to the Government and people of India and the bereaved family His Excellency Vajpayee visited Japan in 2001 as the then Prime Minister and made significant contributions to the friendship between our two countries as a good friend of Japan It is him who established the cornerstone of Japan India relations today Terming Vajpayee as an eminent leader of India Abe added I pray from the bottom of my heart that his soul may rest in peace 174 Mauritius On 17 August the government of Mauritius announced that both Mauritian and Indian flags would fly at half mast in the honour of Vajpayee 175 176 During the World Hindi Conference in Mauritius PM Pravind Jugnauth announced that the cyber tower towards which Vajpayee contributed to be set up in Mauritius would be henceforth named as Atal Bihari Vajpayee tower 177 Pakistan Pakistan s interim Minister for Law and Information Syed Ali Zafar met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and extended Pakistan s condolence on the death of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee Zafar was among the foreign dignitaries who attended Vajpayee s funeral in New Delhi 178 Former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf mourned the demise of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee calling him a great man He said that Vajpayee s demise was a great loss for both India as well as Pakistan 179 Russia Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a message of condolences to President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the demise of Vajpayee Putin termed the former prime minister as outstanding statesman Atal Bihari Vajpayee rightly commanded great respect around the world He will be remembered as a politician who made a major personal contribution to the friendly relations and privileged strategic partnership between our countries The President of Russia conveyed words of sincere sympathy and support to the family of the deceased the Government and the people of India the message read 180 Sri Lanka Various Sri Lankan leaders paid rich tribute to the three time PM hailing him as a friend of Sri Lanka In a tweet President Maithripala Sirisena said Today we have lost a great humanist and a true friend of Sri Lanka Former Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a visionary leader and an ardent defender of democracy My condolences to his family and millions of his admirers around the world Leader of Opposition R Sampanthan said that India has lost one of its most regarded intellectual s and statesmen He served the great country of India with humility and honesty and he was much loved and respected by millions of people across the world Former three time Prime Minister Vajpayee is also an exceptional orator and a leader with a great sense of humour his speeches within the Indian parliament and outside will always be remembered he said in a statement extending his condolences on behalf of the Tamil people of Sri Lanka 181 United States U S Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said Vajpayee recognised early on that the US India partnership would contribute to the world s economic prosperity and security and the two democracies would continue to benefit from his vision On behalf of the people of the United States of America I extend my heartfelt condolences to the people of India on the recent passing of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee Pompeo said in a statement yesterday He recalled Vajpayee s address to the Congress in 2000 when he had famously characterised US India ties as a natural partnership of shared endeavours Today our two countries and our bilateral relationship continue to benefit from Prime Minister Vajpayee vision which helped promote expanded cooperation Pompeo said He said the American people stand with the people of India as we mourn Prime Minister Vajpayee s passing 182 Honours awards and international recognitionAwards 1993 D Lit from Kanpur University 11 1994 Lokmanya Tilak Award 11 1994 Outstanding Parliamentarian Award 11 1994 Bharat Ratna Pandit Govind Vallabh Pant Award 11 State honours Decoration Country Date Note Ref Padma Vibhushan India 1992 The second highest civilian award of India Order of Ouissam Alaouite Morocco 13 February 1999 Grand Cordon of the Order of Ouissam Alaouite 183 Bharat Ratna India 27 March 2015 The highest civilian award of India 184 Bangladesh Liberation War honour Bangladesh 7 June 2015 Friends of Bangladesh Liberation War honour 185 186 Other achievements In 2012 Vajpayee was ranked number 9 in Outlook magazine s poll of The Greatest Indian 187 In August 2018 Naya Raipur was renamed as Atal Nagar 188 189 In October 2018 four Himalayan peaks near Gangotri glacier named after his name 190 Published worksVajpayee authored several works of both prose and poetry Some of his major publications are listed below In addition to these various collections were made of his speeches articles and slogans 191 192 193 Prose National Integration 1961 194 New Dimensions of India s Foreign Policy 1979 191 Gathbandhan Ki Rajneeti 195 Kucha Lekha Kucha Bhashana 1996 196 Bindu Bindu Vicara 1997 197 Decisive Days 1999 198 Sankalp Kaal 1999 199 Vicara Bindu Hindi Edition 2000 191 India s Perspectives on ASEAN and the Asia Pacific Region 2003 200 Na Dainyam Na Palayanam 201 Nayi Chunouti Naya Avasar 202 Poetry Kaidi Kaviraj Ki Kundalian 191 Amar Aag Hai 1994 191 Meri Ikyaavan Kavitaen hi 1995 203 Some of these poems were set to music by Jagjit Singh for his album Samvedna 204 Kya Khoya Kya Paya Atal Bihari Vajapeyi Vyaktitva Aur Kavitaem 1999 205 Values Vision amp Verses of Vajpayee India s Man of Destiny 2001 206 Twenty One Poems 2003 207 Chuni Hui Kavitayein 2012 208 An English translation of a selection of some of Vajpayee s Hindi poetry was published in 2013 209 LegacySee also Category Memorials to Atal Bihari Vajpayee Prime Minister Modi at Vajpayee s memorial Sadaiv Atal The administration of Narendra Modi declared in 2014 that Vajpayee s birthday 25 December would be marked as Good Governance Day 210 211 The world s longest tunnel Atal Tunnel at Rohtang Himachal Pradesh on the Leh Manali Highway was named after Atal Bihari Vajpayee 212 The third longest cable stayed bridge in India over the Mandovi River Atal Setu was named in his memory 213 The Government of Chhattisgarh changed the name of Naya Raipur to Atal Nagar 214 In popular cultureThe Films Division of India has produced the short documentary films Pride of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee 1998 and Know Your Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee 2003 both directed by Girish Vaidya which explore different facets of his personality 215 216 Vajpayee also appears in a cameo in the 1977 Indian Hindi language film Chala Murari Hero Banne by Asrani 217 In 2019 Shiva Sharma and Zeeshan Ahmad owners of Amaash Films acquired the official rights of the book The Untold Vajpayee written by Ullekh N P to make a biopic based on Vajpayee s life from his childhood college life and finally turning into a politician 218 219 220 Aap Ki Adalat an Indian talk show which airs on India TV featured an interview with Vajpayee just before the 1999 elections 221 Pradhanmantri lit Prime Minister a 2013 Indian documentary television series which aired on ABP News and covers the various policies and political tenures of Indian PMs includes the tenureship of Vajpayee in the episodes Atal Bihari Vajpayee s 13 days government and India during 1996 98 Pokhran II and Kargil War and 2002 Gujarat Riots and Fall of Vajpayee Government 222 See alsoList of prime ministers of India List of Indian writersReferencesNotes Citations Vajpayee the right man in the wrong party 4 New archive is 4 January 2013 Archived from the original on 4 January 2013 Retrieved 24 July 2017 Vajpayee the intuitive reformer businessline Retrieved 17 August 2018 Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana How the programme impacted Indian hinterland The Indian Express 25 February 2016 Archived from the original on 12 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Mauritian Indian flags to fly at half mast in Vajpayee s honour in Mauritius The Week Archived from the original on 17 August 2018 Retrieved 18 August 2018 Tower in Mauritius to be named after late PM Vajpayee Newsroom Post 18 August 2018 Archived from the original on 18 August 2018 Retrieved 18 August 2018 Pakistan interim Law Minister Syed Ali Zafar meets Sushma Swaraj over Vajpayee s demise The Indian Express 17 August 2018 Archived from the original on 18 August 2018 Retrieved 18 August 2018 Musharraf Vajpayee and kheer at Agra summit Former Pak ruler remembers the Indian stalwart Zee News 17 August 2018 Archived from the original on 17 August 2018 Retrieved 18 August 2018 Global leaders including Vladimir Putin condole Atal Bihari Vajpayee s death The Economic Times 17 August 2018 Sri Lankan leaders top bureaucrats pay tributes to Vajpayee The Hindu 17 August 2018 Archived from the original on 17 August 2018 Retrieved 18 August 2018 Statement by Secretary Pompeo on Passing of Former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee U S Embassy amp Consulates in India in usembassy gov 17 August 2018 Retrieved 19 August 2018 Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee is welcomed and decorated News Photo Getty Images Atal Bihari Vajpayee to get Bharat Ratna at his home on March 27 India Today Retrieved 23 April 2023 Unb Dhaka 8 June 2015 Vajpayee honoured The Daily Star Retrieved 23 April 2023 Vajpayee to be honoured with Friends of Bangladesh Liberation War Award by Bangladesh The Economic Times 1 June 2015 ISSN 0013 0389 Retrieved 23 April 2023 Sengupta Uttam 20 August 2012 A Measure Of The Man Outlook Retrieved 31 December 2019 Chhattisgarh Cabinet agrees to rename Naya Raipur as Atal Nagar The Indian Express 21 August 2018 Retrieved 21 August 2018 Chhattisgarh Govt Renames It s sic New Capital Naya Raipur To Atal Nagar Pays Tribute To Vajpayee in Unique Way Headlines Today Archived from the original on 21 August 2018 Retrieved 21 August 2018 4 mountain peaks named after former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee India Today Retrieved 6 November 2018 a b c d e Atal Bihari Vajpayee Books by the former Indian Prime Minister The Times of India Archived from the original on 16 August 2018 Retrieved 17 August 2018 Vajpayee 2000 Vajpayee 1977 Vajpayee 1961 Vajpayee 2004 Vajpayee 1996 Vajpayee 1997 Vajpayee 1999a Vajpayee 1999b Vajpayee 2002 Vajpayee 1998 Vajpayee 2011 Vajpayee 1995 When Atal Bihari Vajpayee Shah Rukh Khan and Jagjit Singh came together for a music video The Indian Express 16 August 2018 Archived from the original on 17 August 2018 Retrieved 17 August 2018 Vajpayee 1999c Vajpayee 2001a Vajpayee 2001b Vajpayee 2012 Vajpayee 2013 Smriti Kak Ramachandran 24 December 2014 Bharat Ratna for Vajpayee Madan Mohan Malaviya The Hindu Archived from the original on 25 December 2014 Retrieved 26 December 2014 Rahul Shrivastava 23 December 2014 Bharat Ratna for Atal Bihari Vajpayee Madan Mohan Malaviya Likely To be Announced Today NDTV com Archived from the original on 24 December 2014 Retrieved 24 December 2014 PTI Srinivasan Chandrashekar 3 October 2020 PM Modi Inaugurates Strategically Important Atal Tunnel At Rohtang In Himachal NDTV com Retrieved 3 October 2020 Goa gets cable stayed bridge over Mandovi river Manohar Parrikar hails Gadkari as his hero The Indian Express 28 January 2019 Retrieved 3 October 2020 Atal Nagar Naya Raipur to be named as Atal Nagar in memory of Atal Bihari Vajpayee The Economic Times 25 October 2018 Retrieved 9 October 2020 PRIDE OF INDIA ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE Films Division filmsdivision org Retrieved 11 June 2021 Know Your Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee Films Division filmsdivision org Retrieved 11 June 2021 Chala Murari Hero Banne 1977 Cinecurry Classics Archived from the original on 28 October 2021 IANS 27 August 2019 Movie to be made on former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee s life The Hindu ISSN 0971 751X Retrieved 19 March 2021 Biopic on Atal Bihari Vajpayee Tentatively Titled The Untold Vajpayee To Hit The Big Screen Outlook 27 August 2019 Retrieved 19 March 2021 IANS 27 August 2019 Atal Bihari Vajpayee s life story to hit the big screen as The Untold Vajpaye Free Press Journal Retrieved 19 March 2021 Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Aap Ki Adalat Full Episode archived from the original on 28 October 2021 retrieved 10 June 2021 Pradhanmantri When Atal Bihari Vajpayee became the Prime Minister ABP News 1 December 2013 Archived from the original on 28 October 2021 Sources Current Biography Yearbook vol 61 H W Wilson Company 2000 Ahuja M L 1998 Electoral Politics and General Elections in India 1952 1998 Mittal Publications ISBN 9788170997115 Bose Sumantra 2013 Transforming India Harvard University Press ISBN 978 0 674 72819 6 Chitkara M G Sarma Baṃsi Rama 1997 Indian Republic Issues and Perspective APH Publishing ISBN 9788170248361 Dixit J N 2 September 2003 Taylor amp Francis Group Routledge doi 10 4324 9780203301104 ISBN 978 1 134 40758 3 Dossani Rafiq 2008 India Arriving How This Economic 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Wallace Paul eds 2007 India s 2004 Elections Grass Roots and National Perspectives illustrated ed SAGE ISBN 978 0 7619 3516 2 Turner B ed 2016 The Statesman s Yearbook 2004 The Politics Cultures and Economies of the World illustrated ed Springer ISBN 978 0 230 27132 6 Vajpayee Atal Bihari 1961 National integration Vajpayee Atal Bihari 1977 Dynamics of an Open Society Ministry of External Affairs External Publicity Division Vajpayee Atal Bihari 1995 Meri ikyavana kavitaem Sarma Candrika Prasada 1 saṃskaraṇa ed Nayi Dilli Kitaba Ghara ISBN 978 8170162551 OCLC 34753486 Vajpayee Atal Bihari 1996 Kucha lekha kucha bhashaṇa Sarma Candrika Prasada 1 saṃskaraṇa ed Nayi Dilli Kitaba Ghara ISBN 978 8170163398 OCLC 36430396 Vajpayee Atal Bihari 1997 Bindu bindu vicara Sarma Candrika Prasada 1 saṃskaraṇa ed Nayi Dilli Kitabaghara ISBN 978 8170163862 OCLC 39733207 Vajpayee Atal Bihari 1998 Na dainyaṃ na palayanam Sarma Candrika Prasada 1 saṃskaraṇa ed Nayi Dilli Kitaba Ghara ISBN 978 8170164241 OCLC 41002985 Vajpayee Atal Bihari 1999a Decisive days Ghaṭaṭe Na Ma Narayana Madhava Delhi Shipra Publications ISBN 978 8175410480 OCLC 43905101 Vajpayee Atal Bihari 1999b Samkalpa kala Ghaṭaṭe Narayana Madhyama Dilli Prabhata Prakasana ISBN 978 8173153006 OCLC 874550695 Vajpayee Atal Bihari 1999c Kya khoya kya paya Aṭala Vihari Vajapeyi vyaktitva aura kavitaeṃ Nandana Kanhaiyalala 1933 2010 1 saṃskaraṇa ed Dilli Rajapala eṇḍa Sanza ISBN 978 8170283355 OCLC 43992648 Vajpayee Atal Bihari 2000 Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee selected speeches 2000 2002 India Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Publications Division New Delhi Publications Division Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Govt of India ISBN 978 8123008349 OCLC 45499698 Vajpayee Atal Bihari 2001a Values vision amp verses of Vajpayee India s man of destiny Goyal Bhagwat S 1939 1st ed Ghaziabad Srijan Prakashan ISBN 978 8187996002 OCLC 4766656 Vajpayee Atal Bihari 2001b Twenty one poems Varma Pavan K 1953 New Delhi Viking ISBN 978 0 670 04917 2 OCLC 49619164 Vajpayee Atal Bihari 2002 India s Perspectives on ASEAN and the Asia Pacific Region Singapore Institute of Southeast Asian Studies ISEAS ISBN 9789812306111 OCLC 748241801 Vajpayee Atal Bihari 2004 Gaṭhabandhana ki rajaniti Ghaṭaṭe Na Ma Narayana Madhava Saṃskaraṇa 1 ed Nai Dilli Prabhata Prakasana ISBN 978 8173154799 OCLC 60392662 Vajpayee Atal Bihari 2011 Nayi Chunouti Naya Avasar in Hindi KITABGHAR PRAKASHAN ISBN 978 9383233595 Vajpayee Atal Bihari 2012 Chuni Hui Kavitayein Prabhat Prakashan ISBN 978 9350481639 Vajpayee Atal Bihari 2013 Selected poems Shah Arvind Poet Ed 1st ed New Delhi Prabhat Prakashan ISBN 9789350484326 OCLC 861540562 Vora Rajendra Palshikar Suhas eds 2003 Indian Democracy Meanings and Practices SAGE Publications India ISBN 9789351500193Further readingL K Advani My Country My Life 2008 ISBN 978 81 291 1363 4 M P Kamal Bateshwar to Prime Minister House An Interesting Description of Different Aspects of Atalji s 2003 ISBN 978 81 7604 600 8 G N S Raghavan New Era in the Indian Polity A Study of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the BJP 1996 ISBN 978 81 212 0539 9 P R Trivedi Atal Bihari Vajpayee The man India needs the most appropriate leader for the twentyfirst century 2000 ISBN 978 81 7696 001 4 Sujata K Dass prem k jain 2004 ISBN 978 81 7835 277 0 Chandrika Prasad Sharma Poet politician Atal Bihari Vajpayee A biography 1998 ASIN B0006FD11E Sheila Vazirani Atal Bihari Vajpayee profile amp personal views Know thy leaders 1967 ASIN B0006FFBV2 C P Thakur India Under Atal Behari Vajpayee The BJP Era 1999 ISBN 978 81 7476 250 4 Sita Ram Sharma Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee Commitment to power 1998 ISBN 978 81 85809 24 3 Bhagwat S Goyal Values Vision amp Verses of Vajpayee India s Man of Destiny 2001 Ghaziabad Uttar Pradesh ISBN 81 87996 00 5 Darshan Singh Atal Behari Vajpayee The arch of India 2001 ISBN 978 81 86405 25 3 Yogesh Atal Mandate for political transition Re emergence of Vaypayee 2000 ASIN B0006FEIHA Sujata K Das Atal Bihari Vajpayee 2004 ISBN 978 8178352770External links Wikiquote has quotations related to Atal Bihari Vajpayee Wikimedia Commons has media related to Atal Bihari Vajpayee Wikisource has original works by or about Atal Bihari Vajpayee Profile Govt of India Profile at BBC News Appearances on C SPAN Atal Bihari Vajpayee at IMDb Works by Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Open Library Portals Biography India Politics Poetry Society Hinduism Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Atal Bihari Vajpayee amp oldid 1159618515, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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