Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1924-) was an Indian politician and diplomat who served three terms as the Prime Minister of India, first for a term of 13 days in 1996, then for a period of 13 months from 1998 to 1999, followed by a full term from 1999 to 2004. He was the first Indian prime minister not of the Indian National Congress to serve a full term in office.
Vajpayee was one of the co-founders and a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He was a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a Hindu nationalist volunteer organisation.
He was a member of the Indian Parliament for over five decades, having been elected ten times to the Lok Sabha, the lower house, and twice to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house.
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 Kargil War with Pakistan, he sought to restore relations through engagement with President Pervez Musharraf, inviting him to India for a summit at Agra.
Vajpayee was born into a Hindu Brahmin family on 25 December 1924 in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. His father was a school teacher in their home town. In August 1942, Vajpayee and his elder brother Prem were arrested for 24 days during the Quit India Movement.
Vajpayee remained a bachelor for his entire life. He adopted and raised Namita Bhattacharya, the daughter of longtime friend Rajkumari Kaul and her husband B. N. Kaul, as his own child. His adopted family lived with him.
Unlike purist Brahmins who shun meat and alcohol, Vajpayee was known to be fond of whisky and meat.
He was an orator, poet and a writer.
He was conferred India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna in 2015 & the Padma Vibhushan in 1992.