President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday paid floral tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at his memorial ‘Sadaiv Atal’ in the national capital on his death anniversary.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also offered his respects, recalling Vajpayee’s lifelong commitment to nation-building. “Remembering Atal Ji on his Punya Tithi. His dedication and spirit of service towards the all-round progress of India continue to inspire everyone in building a developed and self-reliant India,” PM Modi posted on X.
Several senior leaders, including Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP National President JP Nadda, Rajya Sabha Deputy Speaker Harivansh, and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, joined in paying tributes. Vajpayee’s foster daughter, Namita Kaul Bhattacharya, also offered floral respects at the memorial.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh remembered Vajpayee as a visionary leader who dedicated his life to making India stronger and more prosperous. “I pay homage to Atalji on his punyatithi. He worked all his life with the resolve of building a strong and prosperous India. The nation will always remember his tremendous contribution,” he wrote on X.
Born on December 25, 1924, in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a towering figure in Indian politics for decades. He was elected as the nation’s prime minister three times and became the first non-Congress leader to complete a full term in office.
Vajpayee briefly served as Prime Minister from May 16 to June 1, 1996, and then from March 19, 1998, to May 22, 2004. Earlier, he held the portfolio of External Affairs Minister in Morarji Desai’s cabinet from 1977 to 1979.
A poet, statesman, and widely respected leader, Vajpayee passed away at AIIMS, New Delhi, on August 16, 2018.
