Atal Bihari Vajpayee is not a name but an identity. Apart from being a brilliant speaker, he was also a great poet, brilliant student and a very good politician. His poems remain a source of inspiration for many people even today. I sing a new song, I am in trouble with death and will have to walk with my feet… such are the poems which give hope even in the face of utter despair. He has composed many poems which inspire us to move forward. On 25 December 1924, when the whole world was celebrating the festival of Christmas, a child’s laughter was echoing in a house in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. At that time, hardly anyone would have thought that this child would one day grow up to be one of the most successful Prime Ministers of the country, who would also be awarded the Bharat Ratna for his excellent work. It will create a new identity for India even abroad.
It is said, ‘The feet of the child are visible only in the cradle.’ Something similar happened with Atal Bihari Vajpayee also. Atal had a sharp intellect since childhood. He was a very bright student in studies and writing. His primary education was from Saraswati Shishu Mandir, Gwalior. He did his graduation from Victoria College (now Lakshmibai College), Gwalior. Vajpayee was well-versed in Hindi, Sanskrit and English languages. He obtained a master’s degree in Political Science from DAV College, Kanpur. Like his father, he was also fond of writing poems. Vajpayee became interested in politics while studying political science. He also had very close relations with the Sangh. He was elected to the Lok Sabha from Lucknow in 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2004. Vajpayee is the first BJP leader who has completed a five-year tenure as a non-Congress Prime Minister. Setting an example, he created history by giving a speech in Hindi in the United Nations Assembly on 4 October 1977. The entire UN echoed with applause due to his speech.