Atal Bihari Vajpayee is on advanced life support at AIIMS in New Delhi.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee passed away on Thursday evening at the age of 93. Former prime minister Vajpayee was more than the towering personality in Indian politics. He was a poet, a writer, and admirer of fine things in arts and music.
His life might have been an open book, but there are a few things that were forgotten as the time moved on and Vajpayee retired from active politics.
He was admitted to the hospital on June 11 with a kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion. He was battling for life and was on advanced life support at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences for the second day on Thursday.
Here's a look at five things that you did not know about the Bharatiya Janata Party patriarch.
(With Inputs From DNA Research and Archives)
1. Serving jail time during freedom struggle
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Atal Bihari Vajpayee was in jail during 1942 for participating in the freedom struggle. He was also detained during the Emergency. (AFP)
2. Some political similarities with Nehru-Gandhi dynasty
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He is the only PM besides Nehru to hold office 3 consecutive times and the first PM since Indira Gandhi to lead his party to victory in successive elections. (AFP)
3. Bhishma Pitamah
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Former prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh called him the 'Bhishma Pitamah' of Indian Politics. (DNA Research and Archives)
4. 'Baapji' for friends
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Being a bachelor, he adopted a daughter Namita. He is fondly called Baapji by his close relatives and friends. (Reuters)
5. The bond he shared with his father
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When he joined law college, his father enrolled with him as he too was interested. They shared a classroom and hostel room. (DNA Research and Archives)
