End of an era as Former India PM Vajpayee passes

After a prolonged illness at Delhi’s AIIMS, Former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee passed away on the evening of Thursday, August 16th at the age of 93. Vajpayee, who had been ailing for long, retreated from active public life over the last decade following the deterioration of his health and remained restricted to his residence.

“India grieves the demise of our beloved Atal Ji. His passing away marks the end of an era. He lived for the nation and served it assiduously for decades,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Highlighting Vajpayee’s leadership qualities, the Prime Minister said he set the foundations for a strong, inclusive India in 21st Century. “It was Atal Ji’s exemplary leadership that set the foundations for a strong, prosperous and inclusive India in the 21st century. His futuristic policies across various sectors touched the lives of each and every citizen of India.”

Vajpayee was widely known and respected for his love for poetry and as an eloquent speaker. He was conferred Bharat Ratna in 2015 in recognition of his services to the nation.  As the first non-Congress politician to complete five years as prime minister, Atal BihariVajpayee’s premiership was as significant as it was eventful in shaping India’s democracy and putting the country on the road to economic progress. From leading a delegation at United Nations to introducing Lahore bus service to resolving the vexed Kashmir issue with Pakistan, Vajpayee won the hearts of Indians and even the opposition. An orator par excellence, who gave some of the memorable speeches that will remain etched in the annals of Indian parliamentary history, Vajpayee has carved out a niche for himself as one of the shrewdest politicians the country has ever had.

While condolences poured in from across the country, news of Vajpayee’s demise was widely covered by foreign news outlets. Elaborate obituaries were put out by The New York Times, The Washington Post and CNN among others who wrote about his notable efforts to improve US-India relations during his tenure as the Prime Minister and efforts at elevating India’s position among nuclear-powered nations.

Vajpayee was born on December 25, 1924 in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh to a schoolteacher, Krishna Bihari Vajpayee, and Krishna Devi. Today, his birthday is celebrated as ‘Good Governance Day’. After schooling, he graduated from Victoria College in Gwalior, now known as Laxmi Bai College. He did his M.A. in political science from DAV College in Kanpur. Following a brief flirtation with communism, he became a full-time worker of RSS in 1947.

He subsequently entered journalism and was editor of Rashtradharma, a Hindi monthly, the Panchjanya Hindi weekly and the dailies, Swadesh and Veer Arjun.