President Droupadi Murmu (left), Prime Minister Narendra Modi (right) pay tributes to Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his 101st birth anniversary. Photo: X
Vajpayee birth anniversary: President Murmu, PM Modi pay tributes
Vajpayee’s birth anniversary is marked as Good Governance Day across India; Modi said his personality and leadership continues to guide the nation’s development
President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President CP Radhakrishnan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were among the dignitaries who attended a prayer meeting at ‘Sadaiv Atal’, the memorial of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, on Thursday (December 25), to pay tributes on his 101st birth anniversary.
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Former vice president M Venkaiah Naidu, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Union Ministers JP Nadda and Nirmala Sitharaman, JD(U) leader and Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, several other ministers and MPs, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and BJP working president Nitin Nabin were also present at the event.
Modi hails Vajpayee's legacy
The Prime Minister said he was honoured to pay tribute to Vajpayee by visiting his memorial in Delhi on his birth anniversary, adding that Vajpayee’s life, devoted to public service and the nation, would continue to inspire the people of the country.
Modi said Vajpayee's personality, work and leadership will continue to be a guiding light for the all-round development of the nation. He added that Vajpayee dedicated his entire life to good governance and nation-building.
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"He will always be remembered as a brilliant orator as well as a spirited poet. Vajpayee's personality, work and leadership will continue to be a guiding light for the all-round development of the nation," PM Modi said in a message earlier.
Good Governance Day
Vajpayee was born on December 25, 1924, in Gwalior and passed away in New Delhi on August 16, 2018. The government observes his birth anniversary as Good Governance Day.
The BJP marked the day with its leaders commemorating Vajpayee's legacy in nationwide events. Its chief ministers, Union ministers and MPs, besides organisational leaders, are part of these programmes held across the country.
Vajpayee, India's 13th prime minister, served the country for three terms between 1996 and 2004.
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He is known for his valuable contribution to India's economic growth. India defeated Pakistan in the Kargil War during his tenure as PM, in 1999. He is credited with making India a nuclear weapons power.
Remarkable parliamentary career
He had a distinguished four-decade parliamentary career, was elected nine times to the Lok Sabha and twice to the Rajya Sabha.
Rising from humble beginnings in Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh) to the post of prime minister, he received the Padma Vibhushan in 1992 for his selfless dedication to the nation and was conferred with Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, in 2015.
Vajpayee championed democratic ideals, women's empowerment, and social equality.
As prime minister, he prioritised good governance and economic development, building national highways, rural roads, expanding telecom, and improving infrastructure.