Atal Bihari Vajpayee was known for his sparkling oratory.
Former Prime Atal Bihari Vajpayee died at Delhi's AIIMS hospital on Thursday. One of India's most charismatic politicians, Atal Bihari Vajpayee was known for his oratory and speeches that were known for their poetic flourish and dry wit. While he was fluent in English, his speeches were at its best in Hindi. With his well-timed humour, and carefully-chosen words delivered with trademark long pauses, Atal Bihari Vajpayee resonated with the masses - the common man, politicians, bureaucrats, students and world leaders.
Here are extracts from some of Atal Bihari Vajpayee's most memorable speeches:
1. "Today, at 15:45 hours, India conducted three underground nuclear tests in the Pokhran range. These tests conducted today were with a fission device, a low-yield device and a thermonuclear device. The measured yields are in line with expected values. Measurements have also confirmed that there was no release of radioactivity into the atmosphere. These were contained explosions like the experiment conducted in May 1974. I warmly congratulate the scientists and engineers who have carried out these successful tests." - Atal Bihari Vajpayee announcing India's nuclear weapon tests.
2. "You want to run the country. It's a very good thing. Our congratulations are with you. We will be completely involved in the service of our country. We bow down to the strength of majority. We assure you that till the time the work that we started with our bare hands in national interest is not completed, we shall not rest. Respected speaker, I am going to the President to tender my resignation." - Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Lok Sabha after his 13-day-old government fell in 1996.
3. "My dear countrymen, on this independence anniversary, we have a message - to come together, to work hard together to realize the dreams of our country. Our aim may be as high as the endless sky, but we should have a resolve in our minds to walk ahead, hand-in-hand for victory will be ours. Come, let us strengthen this resolve by the cry of 'Jai Hind'. Join me in raising the slogan - Jai Hind. Jai Hind. Jai Hind. Thank you." - Atal Bihari Vajpayee in his address to the nation on Independence Day in 2002.
4. "As we talk with candour, we open the doors to new possibilities and new areas of cooperation in advance in democracy, in combating terrorism, in energy and environment, science and technology and international peacekeeping. And we are discovering that our shared values and common interests are leading us to seek a natural partnership of shared endeavours. India and the United States have taken a decisive step, away from the past. The dawn of the new century has marked a new beginning in our relations. Let us work to fulfil this promise and the hope of today. Let us remove the shadow of agitation that lies between us and our joint vision. Let us use the strength of all that we have in common to build together a future that we wish for ourselves and for the world we live in." - Atal Bihari Vajpayee in his address to a joint session of the US Congress in 2000.
5. "We have been the victims of three attacks. This fate should not repeat. We are not getting ready to attack anyone. We don't have that intention. I was asked about the connection between Pokhran-2 and the Lahore bus service. They are two sides of the same coin - the strength of our defence and the hand of friendship -- the hand of friendship through honesty." - Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the Lok Sabha after the nuclear tests in Pokhran.