A tribute to Atal Ji, the statesman whose vision shaped India

TODAY, December 25, He stands tall as a statesman who continues to inspire countless people.

- NARENDRA MODI

Our nation will always be grateful to Atal Ji for being the architect of India's transition into the 21st century. When he took oath as PM in 1998, our nation passed through a period of political instability. In about nine years, we had seen four Lok Sabha elections. The people of India were getting impatient and also sceptical about governments being able to deliver. Atal Ji turned this tide by providing stable and effective governance. Coming from humble roots, he realised the struggles of the ordinary citizen and the transformative power of effective governance.

One can see the long-term impact of Atal Ji's leadership in so many sectors around us. His era marked a gigantic leap in Information Technology, telecom and communications. This was particularly important for a nation like ours, blessed with a very dynamic Yuva Shakti. The NDA Government under Atal Ji made the first serious attempt to make technology accessible to ordinary citizens. At the same time, there was foresight in connecting India. Even today, most people recall the Golden Quadrilateral Project, which connected the length and breadth of India. Equally notable were the Vajpayee Government's efforts to enhance local connectivity as well through initiatives like the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. Similarly, his government pushed for metro connectivity by doing extensive work for the Delhi Metro, which stands out as a world-class infrastructure project. Thus, the Vajpayee Government boosted economic growth and brought distant regions closer, fostering unity and integration.