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The Rediff Special/ Archana Masih

Just another Indian family

Atal Bihari Vajpayee's father Krishna Bihari was the seventh headmaster of a government school in Gorkhi, Gwalior. He remained headmaster between 1935 and 1937. He was promoted to inspector of schools and then became director. A lover of verse, Krishna Bihari is known to have written the school prayer. His name remains inscribed on a board in the Gorkhi Primary School.

He was married to Krishna Devi and had seven children -- four sons and three daughters. Of the four sons -- Avadh, Suda, Prem and Atal, three have passed away. Eldest brother Avadh died in his son's house in Delhi last month. Atal Bihari is the youngest son. Among the prime minister's three sisters -- Vimala Mishra, Kamala Devi and Urmila Mishra, two stay in Gwalior and one in Agra.

Avadh Bihari was deputy secretary in the Madhya Pradesh government. Suda ran a book publishing firm and Prem worked in the state co-operative department. His sisters are housewives and spend most of their time with their grandchildren or in puja paath.

Photographs: Jewella C Miranda. Family photographs: Kind courtesy Anoop Mishra.

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