Remembering Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his 2nd death anniversary

August 16, 2020 marks the second death anniversary of BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Vajpayee served three terms as the Prime Minister of India, thus becoming India's second longest-serving PM, outside of the once-dominant Congress Party till date. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently surpassed Mr Vajpayee's record of the longest-serving non-Congress PM on August 13.

Hyderabad:Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stalwart and one of the founding members of the party, Atal Bihari Vajpayee is remembered as a great leader and visionary.

August 16, 2020 marks the second death anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

The former Prime Minister was born on December 25, 1924, in a middle-class Brahmin family of Shri Krishna Bihari Vajpayee and Smt. Krishna Devi at Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh.

People to date, describe the leader as a rare 'Ajatshatru', a man without enemies, in Indian politics.

Owing to his contribution to Indian politics, Vajpayee's birth anniversary is celebrated as Good Governance Day across the country.

A Political Timeline

The veteran BJP leader served three terms as the prime minister - first time for a period of 13 days in 1996 and then for 13 months from 1998 to 1999 followed by a complete term from 1999 to 2004.

One of India's most charismatic leader, Atal Bihari Vajpayee is India's second longest-serving prime minister, outside of the once-dominant Congress Party till date. His record tenure was recently surpassed by the present Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 13.

Vajpayee was also recognised as a prolific writer and poet besides a fine statesman. He had dropped out of law school to run an RSS magazine in the early 1950s.

He was conferred with India's second-highest civilian honour, the Padma Vibhushan for his selfless devotion to India.

In 1994, he was named India’s 'Best Parliamentarian'.

Later in 2015, he was also awarded the country's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna.

A master orator, Vajpayee's political career laster for almost half-a-century.

During the course of his political career, he tried to appeal to Muslims and Minority groups and had been a reassuring figure for India's secular establishment.

"The 21st century does not permit redrawing of borders either in the name of religion or on the strength of the sword. This is the age for solving differences, not for prolonging disputes," he had once said.

One of India's favourite Prime Ministers, Vajpayee's doctrine on Kashmir- Insaniyat (Humanity), Jamuriyat (Democracy) and Kasmiriyat (Identity of the people of Kashmir) is one of the hundreds of achievements he will always be remembered for.

Harmony was the hallmark of Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government.

As the head of the country, he always ensured a harmonious relationship between the Centre and states through carefully cultivated mutual understanding.

An ardent supporter of women empowerment and social equality, Vajpayee believed in a forward-looking and a forward-moving India.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee stood for India's 5000 years of civilisational history that kept evolving to meet the challenges of the future.