Childhood & Education

Shri. Atal Behari Vajpayee was born on 25 December 1926, at Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh. He was educated at Victoria (now Laximbai) College, Gwalior and D.A.V. College, Kanpur. He holds a M.A. degree. Shri. Vajpayee has remained bachelor. He also worked as a Journalist and as a social worker. In 1942, he was arrested during the freedom movement.

Jana Sangh & BJP

Shri. Vajpayee was also the founder member of Jana Sangh from 1951 - 1977. He was also the President of Bharatiya Jana Sangh from 1968 to 1973. From 1957 to 1977, he was the leader of Jana Sangh Parlimentary Party. Like most of his colleagues in the opposition camp, he was also detained during the emergency period. In 1977, he was appointed External Affairs Minister in the Janata government and served India with distinction in that capacity until 1980. In 1980 he was one of the founding members of Bharatiya Janata Party. He served as the President of BJP from 1980 to 1986. He also officiated as the Leader of BJP parliamentary party during this period.

In Lok Sabha & Minister of External Affairs

He has been the member of Lok Sabha from 1957 to 1962 and then again from 1967 to 1984. Between the years of 1962 to 1967 and in 1986 he was a member of parliament, Rajya Sabha.

Shri. Vajpayee has served with distinction in various government missions and committees, Committee on Government Assurances, 1966-1967, Public Accounts, 1969-1970, Parliamentary Goodwill Mission to East Africa, 1965, Parliamentary Delegation to Australia, 1967, Parliamentary Delegation to European Parliament, 1983, Indian Delegation to Commonwealth Parliamentary Association meetings held in Canada, 1966, Zambia, 1980, Isle of Man, 1984, Indian Delegation to Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference held in Japan, 1974, Sri Lanka, 1975, Switzerland, 1984. He also served on Council 1958 to 1962, 1967-1973 and in 1986. Shri. Vajpayee has also served on Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Smarak Samiti, 1968-1984.

Social Activities, Hobbies & Travels

He also served as the Editor of Rashtra-Dharma, Panchajanya, and Veer Arjun. The published works of Shri. Vajpayee include Lok Sabha Men: Atalji ( collection of speeches), Qaidi Kavirai Ki Kundaliyan, New Dimension of India's Foreign Policy. Shri. Vajpayee's social activities include, "Hindu Sangathan", eradication of untouchability and casteism, emancipation of women. Reading and writing are the primary hobbies of Shri. Vajpayee. Shri. Vajpayee has traveled widely and has visited many countries in his official capacity as a MP and as a Minister of External Affairs, as well as privately. International affairs is of special interest to Shri. Vajpayee.