Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee – A Leader who transformed India.

 25^th December 2014 marks the 90th  birthday of  India’s one of the most respected and admired leader, Shree Atal Bihari Vajpayee.   

Albeit he has been aloof for a while from Indian Politics now, His is the face that one will never forget. In a list of people that inspires every generation Atalji’s name will be the prominent one. He was an astute politician, a pan-India leader after Indira Gandhi, a poet whose words touched the heart and mind subtly, and a magnificent orator who would charm even his political opponents.

Such was his oratory skills and such was his debating capabilities that even our first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru once said that “this young man will one day become the PM of India”, and he did,

not once but three times until his party received the full fair opportunity to govern the country for 5 years.

He was an exuberant speaker who would entice everyone into his thoughts. He was a connoisseur of diverse and multi-party parliamentarian system of India. He was a persevering figure with an efficacy for his decision but also he never looked despondent after failure.

Shree Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a Member of Parliament for almost 50 years without even tiniest of stain on his political life and remains so.

He began his career as a journalist; .He entered into Politics drawing inspiration from Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. He belonged to RSS(Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) from early years of his life. After spending 40 years in active politics and being the member of parliament, he became the Prime Minister of India in 1996, unfortunately just for 13 days, but it was like the fate had decided for him to be  the Prime Minister, so again he ascended on PM’s chair in 1998 and lastly in 1999 till 2004.

But in those 6 years of his government though India faced many troubles, many problems nationally, internationally with a visionary like him the country progressed as such never before. Belonging to the party which has a perceptive Right Wing face, he always underwent scrutiny from his political opponents although he was well respected across the party lines. 

He also shared friendship with many leaders belonging to different political parties.Prime Minister Narasimha Rao sent him as a Head of the Delegation to the Human Rights Commission Meeting at Geneva in 1993, even though he was a leader of opposition then. In his life he was part of many parliamentary delegations right from the start, first being in 1965. He also became Foreign Minister during Janata Party government from 1977 to 1979 after Emergency. He was the first person to deliver a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in Hindi for which he was acknowledged and widely appreciated. 

His achievements as a Prime Minister have no other match. Within just a month of taking up the office,India conducted a nuclear test for which he received applaud within the country but was criticized internationally especially by U.S.A and Japan. But this did not stop him, he very well took care of foreign affairs, and explained India’s position about becoming a nuclear state which had purpose of having a credible deterrent for its defense .On economic front he continued the economic liberalization initiated by his predecessor P.V Narasimha Rao, and then Finance Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. He enhanced it, gave it new directions and India witnessed highest economic growth during his tenure. He made India Food grain exporter, a major-outsourcing country and enriched the country with over billion dollar foreign exchange reserves. Infrastructure development was the cornerstone of his governance. The Golden Quadrilateral and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna are the two pillars of it. Even after criticism of Nuclear Test he extended his hand to foreign nations to improve relations and how India could contribute to development of the world. He also made his stand clear about India always being on the side of Peace. The improvement in foreign relation is very much evident by the fact that after 22 years the then President of United States Mr. Bill Clinton visited India. Also a fact needs to be taken note of Shree Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the only foreign  P. M  to address the constituent assembly of United States in  September 2000. India also established a great strategic and military relations with Israel, continues to do so. Tibet was recognized as a part of China and China recognized Sikkim as a part of India during his tenure. Many educational reforms were also put in place, Sarv Shikshan Abhiyan was launched by him.He took under many expeditions, such as Chandrayan programme, linking rivers to solve irrigation problems, speedy communication system and establishing 'Sagar Mala' to connect 4000 kms of coastline.

During his tenure country also went through few predicaments. The first one being Kargil War, well everybody knows the history about it. The Strong Military of India stood up to the task and India defeated Pakistan in Kargil. The Hi-jack of a Plane, infamous Kandahar episode, once again with strong leadership India emerged out of it. The Parliament attack that terrified the country. But the stand of our leader was clear and it was Peace. The Gujarat Riots, in 2001 is one dark spot, at this point he wanted to resign, but later was convinced by his colleagues not to. After the Kargil India never tried to aggravate itself towards its adversaries. Rather Shree Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the P.M who initiated peace talks with our neighbors, whenever and wherever he saw the scope for it.He was a firm decision maker.

But in 2004 even after so much progress the verdict of people was not in his party’s favor. But he was never disheartened by it; he accepted the defeat with full responsibility and in 2005 because of health constraints resigned from active politics.

The fact remains that during the period of Shree Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s governance India uplifted itself in development process. He is the leader who in every sense transformed India.

A Statesman par excellence, a Visionary, a person with utmost integrity, an extraordinary orator and a poet from heart. Vajpayee describes his poetry in his words “My poetry is a declaration of war, not an exordium to defeat. It is not a defeated soldier’s drumbeat of despair, but a warrior’s will to win. It is not a dispirited voice of dejection but the steering shout of Victory." 
I congratulate him on his birthday for receiving country's highest civilian award. A true 'gem' has received 'Bharat Ratna'

Atal Bihari Vajpayee will remain an inspiring figure for present and many generation to come.

Please See : Information given above is adopted from various sources and books.