Nation remembers former Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his death anniversary today. He was an exceptional leader admired and adored by all. A visionary, he stood by his words always. India made rapid strides under his leadership.
Atal Bihar Vajpayee was the former Prime Minister of India and was elected to the position twice in 1996 and 1999. A member of the Bhartiya Janta Party, Vajpayee had joined the Quit India Movement in 1942 as a student leader. He was awarded India’s highest civilian honour Bharat Ratna in 2015 on his birthday. His birthday, December 25, was also declared as Good Governance Day by the Narendra Modi government. He was the first non-congress political leader who became the Prime Minister of India. He passed away on August 16, 2018.
During his tenure as prime minister, India carried out the Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998. Vajpayee sought to improve diplomatic relations with Pakistan, travelling to Lahore by bus to meet with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. After the 1999 Kargil War with Pakistan, he sought to restore relations through engagement with President Pervez Musharraf, inviting him to India for a summit at Agra.