Vajpayee: New book to mark former PM's 96th birth anniversary

A new book fleshes out political philosophy of veteran BJP leer Atal Bihari Vajpayee and gives an insider account on how late former prime minister thought and worked.

book, titled "Vajpayee: Years that Changed India", will hit stands on December 25 -- on occasion of Vajpayee's 96th birth anniversary.

It is written by author Shakti Sinha, who h worked with him very closely for three and a half years in 1990s, first as a secretary to leer of Opposition (1996-97) and later as his private secretary (1998-99). "Atal Bihari Vajpayee is fondly remembered today. People do t kw how difficult it was for him to form a government in 1998 and run it.

"Despite this, he took important decisions like going nuclear and, paroxically, extended a hand of friendship to Pakistan. How resolutely he defended India when Kargil war broke out. And how his government was brought down to stop him succeeding as PM," Sinha, who is currently serving as horary director of Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Policy Research and International Studies, MS University, Vodara, told PTI.

Vajpayee, who held post of prime minister for three n-consecutive terms in 1996, 1998-99, and from 1999-2004, was sensitive poet who summoned nerves of steel to conduct Pokhran-II nuclear tests, man from humble beginnings who envisioned a project as titanic as Golden Qurilateral highway network.

narrative, which according to publishing house Penguin, also focuses on Vajpayee's key initiatives in strategic and ecomic fields during his first term as prime minister and political challenges he faced. "Devoid of any political pedigree or patron, he harnessed his diplomatic acumen to transform India's relations with United States, which h long been mired in misunderstandings rooted in Cold War. His calculated decisions led to key strategic and ecomic policy achievements," it ded.

over 300-p book, which consists of 10 chapters in total, is presently available for pre-order on e-commerce websites. 

(Im credits: PTI)