Atal Bihari Vajpayee: The Poet, The Orator, The Statesman

India fondly remembers former Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee today, on August 16 on his death anniversary, apart from a politician he was also a people’s leader. Vajpayee had made a political legacy and also a strong emotional connect with millions hearts.

During his career and personal life, Atal Bihari Vajpayee remained as a good friend to his fellow party members. He was also a poet who would move hearts with verses, and a leader who never hesitated to make tough choices. To recall the person behind the statesman.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s simple family background

Vajpayee was grew up in a traditional household. He was also a food lover who enjoyed non-vegetarian food, especially prawns. Vajpayee was born in Gwalior’s simple Brahmin family. Vajpayee was not married. However, his life was in the service of the country. 

Vajpayee started participating in India’s freedom movement while a student. He was one of the young activists to participate in the Quit India Movement. He was imprisoned for 23 days. His next career in politics also was a remarkable accomplishment. He also became the only Prime Minister to be successfully elected from six different Lok Sabha constituencies in 4 states (Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, and Gujarat). During his long tenure in Parliament, he was a 47-year member of Parliament who won 11 Lok Sabha and twice, the Rajya Sabha.

Vajpayee’s UN apperance

Vajpayee made nation proud when he delivered his speech in UN in Hindi. In fact, he was the first External Affairs Minister to address the United Nations General Assembly. He made bold decisions as Prime Minister like authorizing India to conduct nuclear tests in Pokhran in 1998, codenamed Operation Shakti, and established India as a nuclear nation.

Vajpayee’s later life was marked by bad health. He suffered a stroke in 2009. He was also a poet at heart aside from politics. He started writing poetry while he was in Class 10 and his poems are still used as inspiration for generations because of their integrity and emotion.

Vajpayee’s long standing Political supremacy

Vajpayee’s political life was no less outstanding. He was a founding member of BJP and later became Prime Minister thrice, for 13 days in 1996, and from 1998-1999 for a period between 13 months, and between 1999 and 2004. Looking in to another fact, he was the first non-Congress Prime Minister to have served a full term of five years in office.

For a moment if we keep politics aside, Vajpayee’s ability to connect with people is admirable It can be through his powerpact speeches in Parliament or sense of humour or with the ability to handle issues.

Vajpayee has left us on August 16, 2018, at AIIMS, Delhi, after fighting a long illness. But even today, on his punyatithi, the country still remembers him for not only being a leader but the man who lived for the country.

Today in his death anniversary top leaders include President Droupadi Murmu, PM Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, JP Nadda paid respect to nation’s visionary Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

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