Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee passes away at 93

The  three-time Prime Minister of India and one of the country’s most respected politicians, Atal Bihari Vajpayee has died. The announcement was made by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences or AIIMS at 5.05PM today, where the 93-year-old was being treated for nine weeks. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the hospital twice in 24 hours and top politicians from across parties arrived as the former prime minister’s health worsened on Wednesday.

Since 2009, the veteran politician had largely been confined to his home on Krishna Menon Marg in the heart of Delhi, away from public life due to his failing health. Mr Vajpayee was considered the gold standard of leadership in the BJP and had admirers even among rival parties. His birthday — December 25 — is celebrated as Good Governance Day.