On August 16, 2018, former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee passed away at AIIMS in Delhi. Born on December 25, 1924, in Gwalior, he began his political journey with the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, eventually serving as its president from 1968 to 1973. In 1977, Vajpayee became the Foreign Minister in the Janata Party government and made history by addressing the United Nations General Assembly in Hindi, becoming the first leader to do so. After the Bharatiya Janata Party was formed in 1980, he emerged as one of its leading figures. Remarkably, Vajpayee was the only politician in India to win six Lok Sabha seats from four different states, representing constituencies in Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow and Balrampur), Gujarat (Gandhinagar), Madhya Pradesh (Gwalior and Vidisha), and Delhi (New Delhi). He served as India’s Prime Minister three times: first for 13 days in 1996, then for 13 months in 1998, and finally from 1999 to 2004, which was his longest tenure, lasting five years. Vajpayee was also a celebrated poet and writer, with works like Mrityu Ya Hatya*, *Main Geet Naya Gaata Hoon*, and *Meri Ikyaawan Kavitas showcasing his deep thought and emotion. In 2015, he was honored with the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, along with other accolades, including the Padma Vibhushan.
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