Video courtesy: www.bjp.org
PRapport
salutes to former premier Aral Bihari Vajpayee who passed away today. Here is a
collection of tributes:
Everyone waited for his speeches…
By Bishwajit
Mukherjee,
At college we had a classmate,
Pratibha Thakur, who would give us information about Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s
arrivals in Patna. He always chose to stay at the Jana Sangha State President Thakur
Prasad’s house on Dak Bungalow Road.
Thakur Prasad was a well-known
lawyer in town and was a close friend of my father, who was a Barrister and
also the Administrator-General for the State of Bihar. Hence it was easy for me
to show up after college at Thakur’s residence whenever Vajpayee visited Patna.
I would park my cycle in front of his porch and walk inside as most of the
inmates knew me.
We would participate in the
chats and light-hearted banter that would be the order of the day over cups of
tea and samosas which would be on offer often.
Once I found out what time he
is scheduled to speak at the Gandhi Maidan, I would quietly leave the house and
make my way towards home. There I would leave my cycle and, after a freshening
up, walk towards Gandhi Maidan.
In those days there was no
security issues and so I could go right up the dias and sit at arm’s length
munching freshly roasted peanuts in newspaper cones. So I would listen to
stalwarts like George Fernandes, Acharya VinovaBhave, Minoo Masani, Dvivedi,
Ram Manohar Lohia and others. But everyone would wait with great eagerness and
anticipation to hear Atal Bihari Vajpayee. And he will never disappoint. His
oratory, his knowledge, his sincerity and devotion to the cause of India was
never in doubt. He was one of the greatest poets and orators that modern India
has produced. His speeches would be mind-blowing.
Vajpayee is no more. The world
and the nation will miss him. He has left avoid that will be difficult to fill.
May his crusade guide today’s leaders to a glorious, unfettred and unbiased
path that can truly be called a legacy that he has left behind. (The author is Founder-President,
International Association of Business Communicators India Chapter and Former
Director on the Executive Board of the IABC, USA)
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| Former Air India Director Jitender Bhargava (extreme left) remembers his contact with Atal ji and says: "I am speechless today when I heard about the great statesman's death |
A Rare Rattan: A rare
'Rattan' indeed with all the qualities of a great orator, towering leader,
strong administrator and top notch poet who always selflessly served the
nation. He was a great Parliamentarian.You will stay in the hearts of all
Indians.Vajpayee ji was a great politician India has ever produced.
May
his soul rest in peace. - Renuka Salwan,
Director - Public Relayions, Panjab University.
End of An Era: The Era of Statesmanship in Indian Politics Ends with the sad demise of the former Prime Minister of India Bharat Ratna Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. May his soul rest in peace.- Chaya Umesh Chandra, President Elect PRCI Bangalore Chapter
