Topic: Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Hindi: अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी, IPA: ) (born December 25, 1924), an Indian statesman, served as the thirteenth and sixteenth Prime Minister of India. After a brief stint as Prime Minister in 1996, Vajpayee headed a coalition government from October 13, 1999 until May 19, 2004. He has since retired from active politics.

He earned a masters degree in political science from the Victoria College (now Laxmibai College) and DAV College. He is well-known for being a poet, eminent journalist, and has published a book of poetry. He is a bachelor, and has adopted daughters of Mrs & Mr. B. N. Kaul: Nandita (Nanni) and Namita (Gunu). Nandita is a doctor in US and Namita lives in Delhi. Nandita is married to Ashok Nanda, a software engineer and Namita is married to Ranjan Bhattacharya and has a daughter. He is the first and thus far, only, bachelor prime minister of India. He has an official website: http://www.atalbiharivajpayee.in.

He soon became a close follower and aide to Syama Prasad Mookerjee, the leader of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS). Vajpayee was at Mookerjee's side when he went on a fast-unto-death in Kashmir in 1953, to protest what the BJS claimed inferior treatment of non-Kashmiri Indian visitors in Kashmir. Mookerjee's fast and protest ended the identity card requirement, and hastened the integration of Kashmir into the Indian Union. However, Mookherjee died soon after due to health problems caused by his confinement in jail.