Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee was on Friday conferred with the Bharat Ratna.
Here are 15 things you should know about Bharat Ratna Atal Bihar Vajpayee.
A new book reveals that Atal Bihari Vajpayee rejected an offer to become President of India, a move that would have made Lal Krishna Advani Prime Minister. Vajpayee believed that a sitting PM becoming President would set a bad precedent for Indian democracy.
Eminent journalist HK Dua, who led editorial operations at three of India's leading newspapers, has died at the age of 88. He was also a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha and served as media advisor to two prime ministers.
Former RA&W chief A S Dulat, who served as Atalji's adviser on Kashmir, gives us an insider's glimpse of a prime minister he has hailed as the 'greatest after Nehru'.
In a culture where children take up the profession of their father, her becoming a politician was seen as natural and acceptable.
'It will be a long time before we will see the likes of Vajpayee again.'
'Vajpayee was the first prime minister to visit the battlefield at the height of conflict,' recalls Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
'He told senior journalists a few days after the Babri Masjid demolition, 'Jo hua theek hua. Maine isliye hone diya ki BJP ki rajniti hamesha ke liye khatam ho jaye.'
Sports fraternity mourns former PM Vajpayee's demise
Morarji Desai was 81 when he was elected prime minister and ruled India for two years, from March 1977 to July 1999.
He said Indians will reflect on Vajpayee's many contributions that led to India's rise as a global and economic power.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee asked the players to win hearts too apart from matches
Born in 1924, Vajpayee entered politics during the Quit India movement in 1942. He was also the first external affairs minister to deliver a speech in the UN Assembly in Hindi. Vajpayee was elected to Lok Sabha from Lucknow in 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2004. He is the first and the only non-Congress leader who completed his full term as prime minister.
Besides Beijing, Vajpayee would travel to Shanghai, China's largest city and commercial hub, and the Buddhist city of Luoyang in central China.
The Indian cricketers wore black arm bands on the first day of the third Test against England in Nottingham on Saturday as a mark of respect to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and former captain Ajit Wadekar.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday called on Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
The issue gains importance in view of the recent attempt on the life of President Gen Pervez Musharraf in Islamabad.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini commemorated B.R. Ambedkar's birth anniversary, highlighting his contributions to women's empowerment and social justice. Saini and Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal criticised the Congress party for allegedly disrespecting Ambedkar, while praising the current government's efforts to honour his legacy.
Ashok Lahiri, a distinguished economist with experience in government, the private sector, and electoral politics, has been appointed as the new Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog, tasked with strengthening India's reform trajectory and policy-making.
'He was one of India's greatest leaders loved and respected by all. He will be missed.'
Highlighting India's achievements in the field of information technology, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Thursday suggested an "effective alliance" between India and China in the IT sector.
In his invitation the Israeli prime minister told his Indian counterpart that he would be 'among friend' in Israel.
After the people pay their homage for an hour on Friday morning, the late prime minister's body will be taken to the BJP headquarters where it will lie in state before the funeral.
Nothing 'accidental' about this movie, feels Syed Firdaus Ashraf.
Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was on Sunday conferred Award of Bangladesh Liberation War Honour for his "active role" in the country's independence struggle and consolidating India's friendship with the nation.
The government and people of Pakistan extend their 'heartfelt condolences' to Vajpayee's family and to the government and people of India, the spokesman said.
What was the experience of meeting Vajpayee like?
Musharraf claims the CIA made a secret payment to Pakistan for surrender of al Qaeda agents.
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