Atal Bihari Vajpayee: A Man for All Seasons

by Kingshuk Nag

Atal was described as ‘The Smiling Buddha’ by India Today in its 12 January 2004 issue while declaring him as its Man of the Year for 2003. The cover story by S. Prasannarajan described Atal as the ‘Oriental face of reason and resolution, of peace and restraint. Vajpayee is the eldest statesman of the East.’ The story also noted that Atal ‘handles power with a kind of sagely detachment. He uses renunciation as a means of reaffirmation’. Further Atal was described as ‘larger than the political size of his party. He is in it and above it, keeping his moral system beyond the grasp of real politik even beyond the demands of his own party. He has changed the grammar of leadership. His wisdom does not claim copyright over mass conscience. He is the balmy benefactor’. It was quite clear that his long experience of public affairs had made Atal a wise old man; only this accounts for the profuse praise heaped on him by India Today.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee