Atal Bihari Vajpayee death anniversary: 7 lesser known facts about him

In 1977, Atal Bihari Vajpayee became the first Indian prime minister to address the UN General Assembly in Hindi.

Vajpayee was a talented poet from India who wrote moving poetry about love, life, and patriotism, which showed his strong affinity for literature.

Vajpayee was instrumental in forming the ideology of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, which was co-founded in 1951 and eventually transformed into the BJP.

Vajpayee loved Indian food, especially street food like chaats and kachoris, and he would often sample the specialties while traveling.

Vajpayee was devoted to promoting peace despite his firm leadership style; in 1999, he made history by traveling by bus to Lahore to strengthen ties between Pakistan and India.

Vajpayee was elected to the Rajya Sabha twice and the Lok Sabha 10 times throughout his more than fifty years of service in the Indian Parliament.

Vajpayee made the decision to be single in order to devote his life to serving the public, cultivate lifelong friendships, and retain tight ties with his loved ones and coworkers.