Raised in Gwalior on 25 December 1924, Atalji belonged to a Brahmin middle-class family. His dad was a poet and teacher at the school. Vajpayee went on to study at the Saraswati Shishu Mandir in Gwalior. Later, Gwalior graduated from Victoria College now known as Laxmi Bai College. He completed his postgraduate degree in political science at Dayanand Anglo-Vedic College in Kanpur.In 1939, his uncompromising commitment to the Motherland got him into the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh)
In the pre-independence era he entered public life when he participated in the Quit India Movement. He contested the Delhi, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh state elections. Atalji was among the founders of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh.He was elected to the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament) nine times and twice as member of the Rajya Sabha (Parliament's Upper House).
In 1977, he was foreign minister in the government of the Janata Party, and attempted to strengthen relations with China and Pakistan.Atalji served three non-consecutive terms as prime minister. His first term was 15 days, i.e. from 16 May to 1 June 1996. The second term was from 19 March 1998 to 26 April 1999 for a duration of 13 months and the third phase was the longest and most impressive five-year period, that is from 13 October 1999 to 22 May 2004.It was during his reign that he conceived and initiated the Golden Triangle Highway scheme. The speed at which the team of Brig B C Hinduri made motorways is unparalleled. Given economic reforms and development, India's international image improved.
Atalji led the NDA government to take important decisions and put in place systems that they are
The May 1998 Pokran nuclear test signaled a new era in India's relationships with security and foreign affairs-the world began to look differently on India.
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and the development of the National Highways Project (NHDP). PMGSY is a national initiative to ensure good all-weather road connectivity to unconnected villages. The NHDP includes linking Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi, the four major cities.
Free and fair elections were held in Jammu and Kashmir during his term, which marked a turning point in the affairs of the state.
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan was introduced in 2001 rendering education a basic right for children aged 6 to 14. India, thanks to Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), has achieved an almost universal net enrolment ratio in elementary education.
After a stroke in 2009 Atalji had major health problems. His speech ability got affected because of the stroke. He was later unable to remember others as having suffered from dementia. He was admitted to AIIMS Delhi on 11th June 2018 as his health worsened. He breathed his last on 16th August 2018 after being in hospital for two months.