From being one of the earliest members of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Vajpayee blossomed into a leading opposition MP by the late 1960s, went on to become external affairs minister in the short-lived Janata government and, finally in 1999, to head the first non-congress government to complete a full Term in Office. That it was a coalition government made the feat all the more remarkable and testifies to the fact that though wedded to a right-wing political ideology, Vajpayee did not believe in the politics of exclusion. A protege of Jana Sangh stalwarts like Syama Prasad Mukherjee and deep Dayal Upadhyaya, Vajpayee won the admiration of Jawaharlal Nehru, was consulted by his daughter Indira Gandhi - whom he never lacked the courage to criticize-and befriended by fiery trade unionists George Fernandes even before they became political allies. He thus displayed an unusual ability to carry along all shades of political opinion - An ability that came to the fore when he headed the National democratic alliance government between 1999 and 2004. And behind this public persona was an unusual personal life, conducted with such dignity as to remain free of innuendo. In this book, journalist Kingshuk Nag traces the political journey of this tall parliamentarian of over four decades, who was conferred the Bharat Ratna in December 2014. Atal Bihari Vajpayee: a man for all seasons is a definitive account of the life and times of one of India's most illustrious non-congress leaders.

Despite his grand 'secular' statements in Parliament that bordered on the Nehruvian, Atal Bihari Vajpayee has often taken brief excursions into the hardline camp. In 1983, he made an incendiary speech during the Assam elections in which the presence of 'Bangladeshi foreigners' in the state was a big issue. Even the BJP had disowned Vajpayee's speech, which possibly inspired the massacre of over 2000 people, mostly Muslims, in Nellie in Assam. Vajpayee, one of the shrewdest politicians of India, is known for negotiating multiple contradictions: from militant nationalism to his secret family life; his stint as a communist; his indulgence in food; influence of Gandhi and Nehru; Narendra Modi and Gujarat issues; foreign policies; and his attempt to project himself as a moderate face, if not liberal, among others. Exploring crucial milestones of Vajpayee's career and his traits as a seasoned politician, the book looks at his relationship with leaders of his party and the love-hate association with RSS and its feeder organizations. Thoroughly researched, supported by hard facts and accompanied by inside stories and anecdotes, insightful interviews and archival photographs, The Untold Vajpayee would open a window to the life and times of a poet politician.

Texts of bills introduced by Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the Parliament and related debates on the bills.

This compilation of speeches of A.B. Vajpayee encompass a large number of subjects associated with him as the Prime Minister of India. His successful years as the PM, role in parliament, views on industry, National Commission on Population, India Economy Summit, 1998, Child labour, emphasis on Indianness have been dealt with in great details.

Former Prime Minister of India and member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Atal Bihari Vajpayee was an understated politician of the kind not often seen in contemporary times. His patriotism was uncompromising, forged out of the paradoxes in his life: a sensitive poet who summoned nerves of steel to conduct the Pokhran-II nuclear tests; a man of humble beginnings who envisioned a project as titanic as the Golden Quadrilateral highways. Devoid of any natural political pedigree or patronage network, he harnessed his political acumen to transform India's relations with the United States which had long been mired in misunderstandings rooted in the Cold War. His prudent decisions led to key strategic and economic policy contributions. There is a need to understand Vajpayee as a decision-maker, with specific references to key initiatives in the strategic and economic fields that have had a significant effect on the India that we see today. Vajpayee fleshes out not only Vajyapee's political philosophy but also provides an insider's account and an intimate memoir of the person.

Srinagar in the winter of 1989 was an eerie ghost town witnessing the beginnings of a war dance. The dam burst the night boys from the separatist JKLF group were freed in exchange for the release of Rubaiya Sayeed, the Union home minister's daughter. As Farooq Abdullah had predicted, the government's caving in emboldened many Kashmiris into thinking that azaadi was possible. It was a long, slow haul to regaining control. From then to now, A.S. Dulat has had a continuous engagement with Kashmir in various capacities. The initiatives launched by the Vajpayee government, in power from 1998 to 2004, were the high point of this constant effort to keep balance in a delicate state. In this extraordinary memoir, Dulat gives a sweeping account of the difficulties, successes and near triumphs in the effort to bring back Kashmir from the brink. He shows the players, the politics, the strategies and the true intent and sheer ruthlessness of the meddlers from across the border. Kashmir: The Vajpayee Years paints an unforgettable portrait of politics in India's most beautiful but troubled state.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee and India’s Foreign Policy: 1977-2004: Initiatives, Policy Making and Achievements examines the life and work of a humanitarian, a visionary, an orator par excellence, a writer, a mass leader, and a Parliamentarian who is still revered by both members of his own party and by the opposition. Vajpayee’s long political career won him accolades as well as honors. Being closely associated with the Indian political arena from a very young age, Vajpayee with his knowledge, experience and charismatic persona became the ‘Bhishma Pitamah’ of Indian politics. He had achieved few major milestones during his long political tenure in the Parliament of India. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was unarguably one of the best and most influential Prime Ministers of India, serving the nation for a full term (five years) and two short terms, having impressive contributions to the development of India. He played a very significant role in shaping the foreign policies of India. Vajpayee’s dedicated efforts to solve persistent and major issues in foreign policies are remarkable. His indomitable determination and spirit helped India to attain its justified place in international forum. Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s legacy is preserved and reproduced by successive leaders of India honoring his accomplishments.

How many, in a Mumbai room full of Hermes ties and finance whizkids, are Dalit? What if Mahesh Bhatt's son, David Headley's friend, had been a Muslim? Why is Delhi getting better as a city and Mumbai going downhill? When did the Congress first start shrinking its prime minister? When did it become clear that Narendra Modi would take over his party? Who are the HMTs? And what does an angry Arvind Kejriwal say about us? Raising such questions is the hallmark of Shekhar Gupta's National Interest, the most eagerly awaited news and current affairs column in Indian journalism. Informed by three decades and more of formidable reporting and a credibility that gives Gupta unrivalled access to decision makers in government, politics and business, the best of these columns in Anticipating India explain and interpret, provoke and predict change for more than a billion people. A riveting first draft of modern Indian history, Anticipating India interprets everything from the successes and failings of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh to the ascent of Rahul Gandhi, Narendra Modi and Arvind Kejriwal, from the forces that have deepened Indian federalism and constitutionalism to the public mood that keeps a check on excesses in the use of political power. Each chapter in Anticipating India, in its questioning of power, its use and abuse, carries within it ideas of India that challenge conventional wisdom, shatter stereotypes and, in the end, question our long-held assumptions of who we are as a nation and a people.

This selection of 21 poems by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee highlights the concerns and the convictions, the sensitivity and the determination of the leader of a nation of over a billion people. In addition to clear and forceful verses on the evils of violence, the perils of self-serving attitudes and the supreme importance of love for the nation and our fellow human beings, the collection also contains moving and very personal poems written at moments of crisis.

One of the truly enigmatic personalities on the contemporary Indian political canvas, Narendra Damodardas Modi is difficult to ignore. From his humble beginnings as a RSS pracharak to his rise in the Hindutva ranks, and from being Bharatiya Janata Party’s master planner to one of the its most popular and controversial state chief ministers, Modi’s mantra of change and development is gradually finding many takers. Though he evokes vastly different reactions among the citizens for his alleged role during the Godhra aftermath, what is absolutely clear is that he indeed is racing towards the centre stage, making the 2014 General Elections look more like a Presidential system – where, you either vote for him or against him. And that, as they say, is the Modi effect. Kingshuk Nag paints the most vivid portrait of the extraordinary politician who is poised to take on a new role in the coming years.