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From Quit India Movement To Pokhran - India Marks 100 Years Of Vajpyee

When Vajpayee became the Prime Minister, he was mocked as a "mere mukhauta" (mask) of the BJP who presented the softer face of the Hindu right wing but the real face was entirely different. By the end of his three terms, he was hailed for his "inclusive and middle-of-the-road approach".  People called him a statesman and a visionary. On December 25, 2024, India marks the revered politician's 100th birth anniversary.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee with Pervez Musharraf
Atal Bihari Vajpayee | Photo: Sondeep Shankar/Getty Images

🌱Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee greets Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf before their summit in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. The Agra summit was a historic two-day summit meeting between India and Pakistan which lasted from 14–16 July 2001.

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Atal Bihari Vajpayee with Raymond Barre
Atal Bihari Vajpayee | Photo: Aldo Bennati/AFP via Getty Images

🧔Indian Foreign Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee (L) stands next to French Prime Minister Raymond Barre at the Hotel Matignon in Paris on June 27, 1979.

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Atal Bihari Vajpayee Birth Centenary
Atal Bihari Vajpayee | Photo: Douglas Curran/AFP via Getty Images

♉This file photo shows then Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, leading figure of the Hindu fundamentalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), waving to an estimated one million supporters during a rally demanding the turnover of an ancient shrine also claimed by Muslims.

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Atal Behari Vajpayee with Lal Krishna Advani
Atal Bihari Vajpayee Birth Centenary | Photo: Ravi Raveendran/AFP via Getty Images

♛India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP-Indian People's Party) leader Atal Behari Vajpayee (R) and President Lal Krishna Advani release the party's election manifesto in New Delhi 07 March for the April, May general election.

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Atal Bihari Vajpayee with Morarji Desai
Atal Bihari Vajpayee | Photo: Sondeep Shankar/Getty Images

ꦓAtal Bihari Vajpayee as External Affairs Minister with the Prime Minister Morarji Desai and other cabinet ministers in New Delhi during the brief Janata party rule in 1977.

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Atal Bihari Vajpayee Birth Centenary
Atal Bihari Vajpayee | Photo: Sondeep Shankar/Getty Images

𒐪Jan Sangh leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee addressing a rally at Ramlila Grounds 1976.

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Atal Bihari Vajpayee
A B Vajpayee | Photo: Sondeep Shankar/Getty Images

🌌Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on first day after assuming charge as the Prime Minister.

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Atal Behari Vajpayee with J. Jayalalitha
Atal Behari Vajpayee | Photo: Sondeep Shankar/Getty Images

🎐Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee with the ruling National Alliance (NDA) parterner Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalitha in New Delhi on March 18, 1998.

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Atal Behari Vajpayee
Atal Behari Vajpayee | Photo: Sondeep Shankar/Getty Images

🌞Newly inducted Prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee after BJP-NDA government is sworn-in on on March 19, 1998 in forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi.

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Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Atal Bihari Vajpayee | Photo: Sondeep Shankar/Getty Images

🅰Jan Sangh leaders KN Sahni, Atal Behari Vajpayee and Vijay Kumar Malhotra at RSS RALLY in New Delhi.

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Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Atal Bihari Vajpayee 🌊| Photo: Shukdev Bhachech/Dipam Bhachech/Getty Images

Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Former Prime Minister of India) at BJP ཧNational Executive Meeting at Ahmedabad Gujarat India on 1st April 1984.

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Atal Bihari Vajpayee Birth Centenary
Atal Bihari Vajpayee ꦍ| Photo: Shukdev Bhachech/Dipam Bhachech/Getty Images

♏Atal bhihari Vajpayee (Former Prime Minister of India) at Jansangh office in Ahmedabad Gujarat India on 29th May 1966.

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Atal Bihari Vajpayee with Pramod Mahajan
Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Parliament House | Photo: Sondeep Shankar/Getty Images

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan welcomes Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Parliament 𝔉House on the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, in New Delhi on July 24, 2001.

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Atal Behari Vajpayee
Atal Behari Vajpayee | Photo: Sondeep Sankar/Getty Images

🌳Prime Miniser Atal Behari Vajpayee holds a turban presented to him as a mark of respect in New Delhi April 05, 2000.

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Atal Behari Vajpayee with Sonia Gandhi
Atal Behari Vajpayee | Photo: Sondeep Shankar/Getty Images

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee standng next to Congress President and leader of opposition Sonia Gandhi 𝔉with other MP's on August 07, 2001 against a painting of the swearing-in ceremony of the 1st. prime minister of India Jawahar lal Nehru.

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Atal Bihari Vajpayee with A.P. J. Abdul Kalam
Atal Bihari Vajpayee 𝔍| Photo: Arvind Yadav/Hindustan Times via Getty Images

𝓡Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee presents a bouquet of flowers to President A.P. J. Abdul Kalam on the occasion of new year's day, on January 1, 2004 in New Delhi.

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