'A-tal'L-Leader

In a remote village of Thingalady in Dakshina Kannada of Karnataka this frame has been on the wall of the living room of my granny’s house and it is hard to remember since when, every time I see it I go “So like his name- ‘Atal’ -immovable”. Look at him, such clarity of conscience and integrity in his eyes; something rarely seen in those of most politicians. The calendars change, the photo frames change, the curtains change but not this one here.

Today watching the swearing in ceremony of the Narendra Modi cabinet if there is one person whom I missed was him, the best ever prime minister our nation has had and who led the same political party a decade ago, not for what he did or did not but for the person he simply is. With the new government we are bound to compare the current to his predecessor, but we also know it is not prudent to do so. Let us not simply watch this time but participate. Vajpayee is a legacy by himself, and a man of unmatchable words. Another special reason for many like me who grew up in the 1990s are his poems, I learnt most of my Hindi from this great orator. Listen to this one, I bet you WILL get goose bumps, what a poem!

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With so many heated political arguments and discussions in the media, the Dutts and the Goswamis in the last few months in the name of elections most of us are having a sigh of relief now, and I am glad that is all over today. Now it is time for something else-expectations and work, well fingers crossed. We are a great but strange nation, being the largest democracy we elect our politicians but hardly have any great leaders. And to the latter category belongs this man.

Unfortunately we fail to remember anyone who is not making news. Having seen his photo now and then sitting in the living room recently on one evening I casually asked one of my uncles” So is it time for NaMo on the wall now?” with a smile and he went”Nah!” I gave him one of those eyes out of the socket expression, he walked out of the room saying ”Let him deliver, let him lead” Time for more than a speech now. India waiting. In the name of God.

-R.