Vajpayee's foray into mainstream politics began in 1942 when he joined the Quit India Movement...
Digital Desk: Today marks the 98th birthday of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in India (December 25, 2022). Since 2014, the anniversary of Vajpayee's birth has been observed as Good Governance Day. Vajpayee, who was born in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior in 1924, was commonly known as the "man of the masses."
His foray into mainstream politics began in 1942, when he joined the Quit India Movement. Vajpayee took a deep interest in foreign politics while studying political science in college.
Vajpayee, a Bharat Ratna Awardee, joined the Bharatiya Janata Sangh, the predecessor of the BJP, in 1951. He co-founded the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 1980 with his close friend and subsequently deputy Prime Minister, Lal Krishna Advani.
Vajpayee was appointed Prime Minister of India for a brief period in 1996, followed by a second and third tenure from 1998 to 2004. Following Jawaharlal Nehru, Vajpayee was the first person to hold the position of Prime Minister of India for two consecutive terms.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee received the Padma Vibhushan, the country's second-highest civilian honour, in 1992. Following that, he was awarded India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna.
In addition to politics, the late former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was an articulate speaker and prolific writer. He is well-known for his poems, the majority of which he wrote in Hindi.
Vajpayee, was an active member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and later the RSS-affiliated Jana Sangh, held various major posts-old in his political career, including the crucial minister of external affairs.
Vajpayee died on August 16, 2018 from an age-related condition.
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