Atal Bihari Vajpayee Birth Anniversary: President Kovind, PM Modi Pay Tribute At 'Sadaiv Atal'

President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several union ministers on Wednesday paid tributes to Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his 95th birth anniversary. A prayer meeting was held at Sadaiv Atal--the memorial to Atal Bihari Vajpayee-- to mark the birth anniversary of the former prime minister. BJP veteran L K Advani, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and members of Vajpayee's family were amongst those who paid tributes to the BJP leader amid the playing of hymns and devotional music. The memorial was dedicated to the nation in December last year.

Vajpayee was the first non-Congress politician to complete a five-year tenure as Prime Minister of India. 

"Tributes to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who is etched in the hearts of the countrymen, on his birth anniversary," Modi wrote on Twitter. He also posted a brief video on Vajpayee, recalling his contributions to the country.

Delhi: PM Narendra Modi and President Ramnath Kovind pay tribute to former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his birth anniversary pic.twitter.com/OkvWyzboHN

— ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2019

PM Modi will unveil a statue of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Lok Bhawan in Lucknow later in the day. The venue in the high security zone of the Uttar Pradesh capital has been sanitised, keeping in view the recent state-wide agitation against the amended citizenship law.

PM Modi will also lay the foundation stone of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical University for which the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to transfer 50 acres of land.

On Tuesday, the Union Cabinet approved the renaming of the strategic tunnel under Rohtang Pass after former the Prime Minister. The renaming of the tunnel will take place on Wednesday.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee was elected as the prime minister of India three times. He first became the PM in 1996. However, his minority government could only last for 13 days due to lack of majority. He returned to power in 1998 but government collapsed after 13 months. He was again re-elected as PM in 1999 and became the first non-Congress leader to complete his full five-year tenure as PM.

Vajpayee was an orator par excellence and a passionate poet of repute. His poetry was full of passion and patriotism and inspired thousands.