Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a renowned orator, a highly respected politician, and a remarkable human being. With his passing on August 16, 2018, our country lost one of the finest leaders in Indian history.
Born on December 25, 1924, in the former princely state of Gwalior (now a part of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh), Vajpayee's journey in public life is a credit to both his political skills and Indian democracy. Over the years, he has established himself as a leader who was respected for his liberal perspective and dedication to democratic values.
All that is left of him today are the poetry-based lessons he imparted. Here are some fascinating facts about this renowned leader that everyone should be aware of in honor of his 98th birthday.
15 things to recall about the globally beloved man:
1. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was born on December 25 (Christmas day) in a Brahmin family, loved non-vegetarian cuisine, and his favorite dish was prawn.
2. Due to his involvement in the Quit India Movement, Atal Bihari Vajpayee was detained for 23 days.
3. He is the first politician to have won six Lok Sabha seats from four different states: UP, MP, New Delhi, and Gujarat.
4. When asked why he never got married, Atal Bihari Vajpayee replied, "I keep so busy that I forget."
5. He served in the House of Representatives for 47 years, serving twice in the Rajya Sabha and eleven times in the Lok Sabha.
6. The first politician from India to address the UN General Assembly in Hindi was Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
7. India successfully conducted Operation Shakti, a nuclear test, in Pokhran, Rajasthan, when he served as prime minister.
8. After having a stroke in 2009, Vajpayee had trouble speaking and using his hands.
9. From an early age, it was clear that he loved poetry. When he was in class 10, he wrote his first poem. Some of his finest poems were “Hindu Tan Man, Hindu Jeevan, Rag Rag Hindu- Mera Parichay.”
10. Vajpayee was a close associate of Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee.
11. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was fluent in Marathi. He used to translate Veer Savarkar's poems from Marathi to Hindu.
12. As a teenager, he was jailed for opposing British Colonial Rule.
13. Vajpayee's father was his classmate during his law studies at DAV College in Kanpur. They even shared the same hostel room.
14. Atal Bihari Vajpayee adopted Namita Bhattacharya, the daughter of Raj Kumari Kaul of Victoria College in Gwalior.
15. In 2004, Atal Bihari won his last election against Ram Jethmalani, an independent candidate from Lucknow.
