Atal Bihari Vajpayee: A politician with a heart of a poet

The three-time Prime Minister Vajpayee, the sixth child among seven brothers and sisters in the family, was born to Krishna Devi and Krishna Bihari Vajpayee on 25 December 1924 in a middle-class Brahmin family in Gwalior’s Kamal Singh ka Bagh area under Shinde ki Chhawni locality.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who always called himself a ‘swayamsevak’ and was apparently steeped in RSS ideology, managed to carve out a niche of his own. Vajpayee, the tallest leader, always stood apart.

A political persona known for his exemplary leadership, Vajpayee is the only non-Congress leader who served the nation as the prime minister and completed his full term. (Image source: BJP India)

Awarded with the highest civilian award of India, Bharat Ratna, Vajpayee's stood like a colossus in Indian politics.

As premier, Vajpayee was not afraid to take risks.

He gave the go-ahead for underground nuclear tests in 1998 believing nuclear weapons would be deterrent against China and Pakistan.

Many called him the greatest prime minister that India ever had.

He stitched political parties of all hues and kept them together. As foreign minister, he opened channels of communications with China and the Middle East. As prime minister, Vajpayee not only brought India and Pakistan closer despite a military conflict, but also established closer connect among the SAARC nations.

In 1957, mesmerised by Vajpayee's speech in Parliament, Jawaharlal Nehru had predicted that he will be prime minister one day.

He fashioned himself as a politician with the heart of a poet.

He wrote an emotionally charged poem on the Partition mixed Independence - 15 August Ki Pukaar (Call of 15 August). In the poem, Vajpayee gave a call for the reunification of the country and condemned violence on both sides of the newly carved border in the name of religion.