Honouring Atal ji, one of India’s greatest sons

As25th December approached, I felt it was my solemn duty to humbly pay tribute to one of India’s greatest sons, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. While contemplating this article, I found myself asking a simple yet daunting question: where does one begin when writing about a life as vast and profound as his? Vajpayee ji’s life resembles an ocean—deep, expansive, and timeless. From which shore does one start?

It was then that a thought struck me with clarity: Atal Bihari Vajpayee was, above all, a complete democrat. After the defeat of the NDA in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, Vajpayee ji remarked with characteristic grace, “My party and alliance may have lost, but India and India’s democracy have won.” In that single sentence lay the essence of the man—his unparalleled love for India and his unwavering faith in democratic values.

Even in political defeat, his concern was not power, but our country. India, our motherland, has been blessed with many illustrious leaders; Atal ji stands among the finest of them. He served as Prime Minister for three terms—first for 13 days in 1996, then for 13 months from 1998 to 1999, and finally from 1999 to 2004. Each tenure, regardless of its length, left an indelible imprint on the nation.

A product of India’s democratic system and deeply trained in parliamentary traditions, Atal ji understood the virtues of consensus, dialogue, and harmony. He combined political firmness with personal humility. Liberal in his economic thinking, he recognised early the centrality of infrastructure to national growth. Landmark initiatives such as the National Highways Development Programme and power sector reforms remain enduring parts of his legacy.

In foreign policy, Vajpayee ji displayed rare statesmanship. He was deeply committed to normalising relations with India’s neighbours. His historic Bus Yatra to Pakistan was undertaken at considerable political risk, requiring immense courage and conviction. In 2003, he initiated efforts to stabilise relations with China, signing agreements on boundary dispute mechanisms. During his tenure, a new and mature chapter in Indo–US relations was also authored.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee was, without question, one of the greatest orators India has produced since Independence. A master of language and a poet at heart, he wielded words with precision and restraint. Never intemperate, never improper, he understood the power of speech and the responsibility that came with it. His ability to rise above partisan politics for larger national causes remains one of his most defining traits.

In India, prime ministers are often judged by the size of their parliamentary majority. By that measure, Vajpayee ji—who governed with diverse and sometimes unwieldy coalitions—should have been considered weak. Yet history records the opposite. Heading a government he knew was politically fragile, Vajpayee ji defied international pressure and ordered India’s second series of nuclear tests, asserting India’s strategic defense autonomy with clarity and courage.

India celebrates December 25 as Good Governance Day, commemorating the birth anniversary of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. It was under his visionary leadership that governance and development became central to political discourse. A statesman, visionary, taskmaster, staunch nationalist, and a soft-hearted human being—this rare combination allowed India to achieve what was once thought unimaginable.

Among his most significant achievements were in the realm of economic policy. Vajpayee ji carried forward and strengthened the economic reforms initiated in the 1990s. When the UPA took office in 2004, India’s economy was booming: GDP growth exceeded 8 per cent, inflation remained below 4 per cent, and foreign exchange reserves were at their highest levels till then—testimony to the sound fundamentals laid during the NDA years. This same spirit of good governance continues today under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The year 2025 marks 11 years of Prime Minister Modi’s government—a period defined by inclusive, progressive, and sustainable development. Under his leadership, governance has remained focused on equity, opportunity, and national interest. By bringing the politics of development—Vikasvaad—into the mainstream, PM Modi has reshaped India’s political and policy landscape, making development the core of governance.

Since assuming office in 2014, Prime Minister Modi has consistently upheld the principle of “India First”—whether in economic management, national security, empowerment of marginalised communities, or cultural conservation. His government has set ambitious targets and achieved them ahead of schedule: record-time COVID-19 vaccination, historic export growth, a digital revolution, universal rural electrification, world-class infrastructure development, and the provision of drinking water to households across the nation.

A paradigm shift in public service delivery has been achieved through the JAM Trinity—Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, and Mobile—enabling direct benefit transfers, eliminating intermediaries, and strengthening India’s digital ecosystem. Recognising infrastructure as the backbone of national prosperity, the Modi government has prioritised completing long-pending projects while simultaneously initiating new ones, making infrastructure development a cornerstone of India’s growth story. In many ways, Prime Minister Modi’s governance reflects the ideals championed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee—strong leadership rooted in democratic values, national interest above political gain, and development as the true measure of governance.

Onthis Good Governance Day, we remember Atal Bihari Vajpayee not merely as a former Prime Minister, but as a timeless ideal of Indian democracy—one whose legacy continues to guide the nation forward.

(The writer is President, Telangana State BJP)