PM Narendra Modi said he lost a "father figure" after Atal Bihari Vajpayee died today
India's former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has died at the age of 93. Mr Vajpayee had been on life-support since Wednesday night. The hospital said that Atal Bihari Vajpayee's condition worsened over the past 24 hours. Mr Vajpayee was admitted to the premier All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on June 11 with urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion. Atal Bihari Vajpayee debuted in parliament in 1962 after being elected to the Rajya Sabha. It was only nine years later that he won an election. He was elected to the Lok Sabha seven times.
He ruled the country for 13 days in 1996, 13 months in 1998 and for almost six years from 1999.
In his 47 years in parliament, the former prime minister captivated the nation with his dry wit and oratory, proving that no one could work the room quite like he could.
Here are the condolence messages on former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death:
"A towering figure who stood for democratic values": Sonia Gandhi mourns Atal Bihari Vajpayee
UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi today described former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as a "towering figure" who stood for democratic values and demonstrated this commitment in all his acts, according to news agency PTI.
"Shri Vajpayee was a towering figure in our national life. Throughout his life, he stood for democratic values and demonstrated this commitment in all his acts, whether as a parliamentarian, a cabinet minister, or Prime Minister of India. He was a spell-binding orator, a leader of great vision, a patriot to the core for whom the national interest was paramount," Mrs Gandhi said.
"Will miss your smiling face Baapji": Shahrukh Khan expresses grief over Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death
Route map for Atal Bihari Vajpayee's funeral
Atal Bihari Vajpayee met 3 generations of Chinese leaders: Chinese envoy
Condoling former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death on Thursday, Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui said that the late Indian leader met three generations of Chinese leaders and credited him for taking the initiative of holding the special representative (SR)-level dialogue mechanism on the border issue between the two countries, according to news agency IANS.
"Shri Vajpayee met 3 generations of Chinese leaders," Luo tweeted on Thursday evening after Vajpayee, 93, passed away at AIIMS here following a prolonged illness.
Luo also shared pictures of Vajpayee with former Chinese Presidents Mao Tse Tung, Deng Xiaoping and then with Hu Jintao during a 2003 visit to China.
"His mortal remains will be kept at his residence at Krishna Menon Marg till 8 am for paying tributes. Around 9 am., his mortal remains will be brought to BJP headquarters at 6-A Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg. His funeral procession will begin at 1 pm and the last rites will be performed at 4 pm at Smriti Sthal," BJP President Amit Shah said, according to news agency IANS.
Memories Of Atal Bihari Vajpayee: Of Vanishing Gulab Jamuns And Madhuri DixitSuch was Atal Bihari Vajpayee's love for food that it once took a wily plan by his aides to deploy Bollywood star Madhuri Dixit to draw him away from gulab jamun at an official lunch."
Senior journalist Rasheed Kidwai remembered how while attending an official lunch, the former prime minister headed to the food counter even though he was on a strict diet.
LK Advani, Amit Shah are at Atal Bihari Vajpayee's residence to pay their respects
"He used to embrace me like a father": PM Modi expresses grief over Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death
"In this time of huge loss, my thoughts are with his family and the people the country," PM Modi said.
"Whenever he met me, he used to embrace me like a father," he added.
"Like Losing A Father": PM Modi expresses grief over Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death
"He was a leader, orator, journalist, statesman and more than anything a true son of India. An era has ended. His death is an irreparable loss for the nation. For me personally, its like losing a father," PM Modi said.
"Atalji may have gone, but his ideas, views, simplicity will always inspire us Indians," he said.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee: School, Offices Closed In Delhi, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Punjab On Friday, 7-Day Mourning For Atal Bihari VajpayeeThe home ministry announcement, which formally notified state governments about Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death, did not declare a public holiday. The union cabinet later made an exception to the precedent, under which a holiday is only announced on the death of a sitting prime minister or president.
Punjab, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi have, however, announced a public holiday for Friday as a mark of respect to the former prime minister who was considered one of the country's most respected politicians.
In a departure from the standard protocol, the union cabinet also decided to close government offices in the national capital on Friday afternoon. An official said it had been decided to give half-day holiday on Friday afternoon, the day of the funeral.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee To Be Cremated At Delhi's Smriti Sthal On Friday
Atal Bihari Vajpayee's body will be kept at his residence tonight.
His body will be taken to the BJP headquarters at around 9 am tomorrow morning from his residence.
From the BJP headquarters, Atal Bihari Vajpayee's body will be taken to Delhi's Smriti Sthal at around 1.30 pm in the afternoon.
The funeral will be held at 4 pm tomorrow.
"Lost a dear friend," says Apollo Hospitals chairman, Dr Prathap Reddy, who treated him for an ailment
In a tribute, Founder-Chairman of Apollo Hospitals Dr Prathap Reddy recalled Vajpayee's kind and affectionate attitude when he detected and diagnosed a medical condition that required immediate intervention, according to news agency IANS.
"He recovered well and went on to become the Prime Minister. I also met him when he was unwell at his home. I have lost a dear friend," Dr Reddy said.
"A beacon to inspire young politicians," says Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh mourned the demise of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, describing him as a towering personality who would always remain a beacon to inspire the young politicians to tread the path of value-based politics, according to news agency IANS.
As a mark of respect, the Punjab government has declared that all its offices, boards, corporations and other public sector undertakings besides educational institutions would be closed on Friday.
The state government has also declared mourning in his memory on the lines of the central government.
In his condolence message, the Chief Minister said: "Atal ji was a multifaceted personality and a fine human being with the qualities of the head and heart."
Amarinder Singh termed him as a "true statesman, a great scholar, an eminent poet besides a heartthrob of millions of countrymen".
Atal Bihari Vajpayee: A Timeline
Key dates in the life of India's three-time prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, according to news agency AFP:
- December 25, 1924: Born in Gwalior, in the central state of Madhya Pradesh.
- 1942: Brief spell in prison for anti-British activities.
- 1957: Enters Indian Parliament for the first time.
- 1975-1977: Imprisoned for two years for opposing the state of emergency declared by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
- March 1977: Minister of Foreign Affairs until July 1979.
- April 1980: Co-founds the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
- May 16, 1996: Becomes prime minister for the first time, lasting 13 days.
- March 19, 1998: Prime minister for the second time.
- May 1998: Organises nuclear tests in the Rajasthan desert.
- October 10, 1999: Wins third mandate to serve as prime minister.
- February 1999: Travels by bus to Lahore in Pakistan to meet his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif.
- May 2004: Suffers shock election defeat, replaced by Manmohan Singh.
- 2009: Ends political career for health reasons.
- August 16, 2018: Dies in New Delhi at the age of 93.
Himachal Pradesh to hold 7-day mourning in Himachal Pradesh
The Himachal Pradesh government on Thursday declared seven days of state mourning owing to the demise of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, according to news agency IANS.
The national flag would also fly at half mast.
The state also declared two-day public holiday for August 17 and 18 as a mark of respect, an official statement said.
Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur said Atal Bihari Vajpayee always considered Himachal Pradesh his second home and owned a house at Prini in Kullu district, according to news agency IANS.
"Shikhar Purush" of Indian politics and an ideal swayamsevak, says Amit Shah in his blog
BJP President Amit Shah on Thursday described former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as "shikhar purush" (topmost leader) of Indian politics who devoted every "second of his life to the country and the party", according to news agency IANS.
In a blog post, Mr Shah said Atal Bihari Vajpayee was an ideal swayamsevak, a dedicated worker and an effective speaker.
"Tour de force for peace" :Film fraternity pays tributes to "selfless" Atal Bihari Vajpayee
" I'm saddened to hear the demise of a great statesman Shri Vajpayeeji. May his soul rest in peace," said actor Rajinikanth.
"RIP Atal Bihari Vajpayeeji. You will be remembered as one of India''s greatest leaders, as an exemplary statesman, as a tour de force for peace and unity and most of all as a genuine, warm, approachable human being," said actor and filmmaker Farhan Akhtar.
Actor Dhanush said he was "deeply saddened to hear about the passing away of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayeeji".
Singer Adnan Sami expressed his grief at Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death, saying he was "a man of peace".
"Growing up in India in the 1980s and 1990s, one can never forget what a deep impact Atal Bihari Vajpayeeji made on us," said Dia Mirza.
"He will be remembered fondly": Ratan Tata mourns Atal Bihari Vajpayee
"He will be remembered fondly by a vast number of us," Ratan Tata said.
Chairman of Tata Trusts Ratan N. Tata said Vajpayee was a great leader with a great sense of compassion and humour, he added.
"India has lost the pole star of Indian politics": Amit Shah
"When a person dies, the idea doesn't die, the revolution doesn't die, it only becomes stronger," BJP chief Amit Shah said.
"The void because of his death will be impossible to fill for a long time," he said. "Crores of youth have lost their inspiration," he added.
"India has lost the polar star of Indian politics," Amit Shah said.
"Irreparable loss for BJP," says Amit Shah
"Today, I believe that for BJP, it's an irreparable loss," BJP chief Amit Shah said at a press conference, expressing his condolences for former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
"I express my pain on behalf of crores of BJP workers in India and abroad. We pledge to fulfill the work he started," he said.
"At many occasions be it the fight against Emergency, be it to raise voice for empowering Kashmir in UN, be it rising above party politics during the Bangladesh war, the proliferation of Hindi across the country, Atalji played important roles," Mr Shah added.
Used to call him "Dadda": Lata Mangeshkar mourns former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death
"I considered him as a father figure, and he treated me like his daughter. I used to address him as ''Dadda''. Today I feel the same loss and pain as I felt when my father had passed away," Lata Mangeshkar said, according to news agency IANS.
State funeral for Atal Bihari Vajpayee to be held in Delhi's Smriti Sthal
A state funeral for Atal Bihari Vajpayee will be held in Delhi's Smriti Sthal, according to news agency PTI.
There will also be a half day holiday on the day of funeral in all central government offices, according to PTI.
Public holiday has been declared by the Uttar Pradesh government
A public holiday has also been declared tomorrow by UP government, according to news agency ANI.
"First Prime Minister to understand the agony of our people": Mehbooba Mufti mourns Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death
"The demise of Atal Bihari Vajpayee is not only a loss for the country, it is big loss for the people of Jammu and Kashmir," Ms Mufti said.
"He was the first Prime Minister to understand the agony of our people," she added.
Van with Atal Bihari Vajpayee's body leaves AIIMS, being taken to his residence
A van carrying the body of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has left AIIMS. Mr Vajpayee's body is being taken to his residence.
His ashes will be spread in every river in UP to respect his grand stature: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath
On Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said he worked in the "national interest rather than personal interest. He brought a political stability to our country."
"His ashes will be spread in every river in UP to respect his grand stature," he added.
Schools in Delhi will be closed tomorrow to mourn former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death
Schools in Delhi will be closed to mourn former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death, Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said in a tweet.
"All Delhi govt offices, schools and other institutions shall remain closed tomorrow, as mark of respect for our dear departed Sh Atal ji," Mr Sisodia tweeted.
"US grieves with India": US Consulate mourns Atal Bihari Vajpayee
The US Consulate has expressed grief over former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death in a statement issued by them.
"The United States grieves with India on the loss of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. He will be remembered for his immense contribution in bolstering U.S.-India relations," the statement said.
"During his tenure, Prime Minister Vajpayee advocated for a robust partnership with the United States, referring to us as "natural allies."
"The US Mission in India extends our deepest condolences to the family of former Prime Minister Vajpayee and the citizens of India," the statement added.
Preparations underway at Atal Bihari Vajpayee's residence, where his body will be brought shortly: ANI
Preparations underway at the residence of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, where his mortal remains will be brought shortly, according to news agency ANI.
When former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee met Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Schools in Delhi will be closed to mourn former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death.
7-day national mourning announced, Atal Bihari Vajpayee will be given state funeral
The central government has announced seven day state mourning throughout India, during this period the national flag will be flown at half mast throughout India where its regularly flown, according to news agency ANI. A state funeral will also be accorded.
Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar said he was "deeply pained" over former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death.
"Deeply pained by the passing away of our beloved Atal ji. India has lost a great leader, a leader of masses and a visionary who dedicated his entire life in service of the nation and its people," Mr Parrikar tweeted.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee's body will be kept at BJP headquarters in Delhi tomorrow for last tributes
Atal Bihari Vajpayee's body is currently in the process of being embalmed
Atal Bihari Vajpayee Was My Closest Friend For 65 Years: LK AdvaniFormer Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was hospitalised at Delhi's AIIMS hospital for nine weeks, died today. He was 93. In a moving tribute, his closest friend and deputy for nearly six decades, senior BJP leader LK Advani, said "Atalji will be remembered as the pioneer of the first ever stable non-Congress coalition government at the Centre and I had the privilege of working as his deputy for six years."
Sharad Pawar expresses "heartfelt condolences" on Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death
In a statement on Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death, Sharad Pawar has expressed his condolences on Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death.
"The National President of Nationalist Congress Party, Shri Sharad Pawar expresses his heartfelt condolences on the sad demise of former Prime Minister of India Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee," the statement said.
"Shri Pawar prays to the God to rest the soul in peace and give enough strength to the bereaved family members," it added.
Dr Randeep Guleria, Atal Bihari Vajpayee's doctor, Dr Arti Vij and Health Minister JP Nadda have gone to the Directors office to meet.
Mr Vajpayee's body will likely be moved in a gray van out of AIIMS.
"Great loss for India": Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal mourns Atal Vihari Vajpayee's death
Arvind Kejriwal has mourned former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death, saying he was "greatly saddened".
Arvind Kejriwal, who turned 50 on Thursday, had visited AIIMS along with his deputy Manish Sisodia to enquire about the health of Mr Vajpayee, who was critical, according to news agency IANS.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee's body will be taken to his residence, Rajnath Singh has said.
"India lost a great son, we will miss him": Rahul Gandhi condoles PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death
In a tweet, Rahul Gandhi mourned former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death in a tweet.
"Today India lost a great son. Former PM, Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji, was loved and respected by millions. My condolences to his family & all his admirers. We will miss him," Rahul Gandhi said in the tweet.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee Dies: The 3-Time PM Who Captivated India With His OratoryAtal Bihari Vajpayee's sparkling oratory was on display when he spoke about the 1998 Pokhran nuclear tests under his leadership. "It is surprising that people are criticizing the nuclear tests. When in 1974 then prime minister Indira Gandhi had carried out the tests, we welcomed it even while we were in the opposition. Was there any threat to the nation at the time," he said in parliament.
"Personal, irreplaceable loss for me": PM Modi mourns Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death
"Atal Ji's passing away is a personal and irreplaceable loss for me," PM Modi said in a tweet in Hindi, according to news agency AFP.
"It was Atal Ji's exemplary leadership that set the foundations for a strong, prosperous and inclusive India in the 21st century," he added.
Rahul Gandhi, Rajinikanth, Mamata Banerjee, M Venkaiah Naidu, Pranab Mukherjee, Suresh Prabhu, others mourn Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death
"End of an era" PM Modi mourns Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoles former Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death
Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee dies at age 93. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind condoled Mr Vajpayee's death.