A new biography titled “Vajpayee: The Ascent of the Hindu Right” sheds light on former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s early years and his trip to the United States in 1960. The book’s author, Abhishek Choudhary, writes that Vajpayee was invited by the American government to observe the presidential election campaign between John F Kennedy and Richard Nixon, and was also part of a delegation chosen by then-Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru for the UN General Assembly session.
During his stay in New York, Vajpayee spent most of his time with Maharajakrishna Rasgotra, an Indian Foreign Service officer posted in the permanent mission of India to the UN. Rasgotra introduced Vajpayee to the city, taking him to museums, art galleries, and nightclubs. The book notes that Vajpayee, who was in his early thirties and a bachelor at the time, had some light camaraderie with Rasgotra.
Choudhary writes that Vajpayee’s early years were critical to the Sangh Parivar’s project of Hinduizing India, and aims to establish some basic facts about Vajpayee’s life that have been lost to myth and misinformation.
The book, which is the first of a two-volume study, attempts to fill the void in knowledge about Vajpayee’s early life. The author describes Vajpayee as the most enigmatic Indian politician of recent times, and says that understanding his early life is key to unlocking the mystery of his personality and political career.
Vajpayee served as India’s prime minister three times, from 1996 to 2004. He was a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a leader of the Hindu nationalist movement. He was known for his oratory skills, and is widely regarded as one of India’s most respected and admired politicians.
Overall, the new biography provides an interesting insight into the early life and travels of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and sheds light on some of the lesser-known aspects of his personality and political career.