Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Prime Minister, passes away at 93
The HinduAtal Bihari Vajpayee, the only non-Congress leader to have completed a full term as Prime Minister, breathed his last at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences on Thursday evening. His last rites will take place at Smriti Sthal close to Rajghat at 5 p.m. Mr. Vajpayee’s body will be taken from his Krishna Menon Marg residence to the BJP headquarters on Deendayal Upadhyay Marg at 9 a.m. and the nearly three-km funeral procession to Smriti Sthal will begin at 1 p.m. Atalji, the Gentle Giant, will be missed by one and all.” Condoling his death, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “His passing away marks the end of an era. He lived for the nation and served it assiduously for decades.” In its tribute to Mr. Vajpayee, who famously described himself as a swayamsevak while he was Prime Minister in 2000, the RSS said, “A great personality, a steadfast & universally accepted leader, who instilled Bharatiya culture & values in public life, Atalji has left us today.