Former hockey captain Sardar Singh pays tribute to Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his death anniversary

New Delhi [India], August 16 (ANI): Former Indian men's hockey team captain Sardar Singh paid tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at a prayer meeting at 'Sadaiv Atal' on his death anniversary in New Delhi on Sunday.
Speaking to ANI, Sardar Singh said he felt honoured to be part of the gathering and highlighted the presence of several veteran leaders.
"It felt very good. Today we paid tribute to Atal Bihari Vajpayee. All the veteran leaders were also present here. The kind of love we saw for Atal Bihari Vajpayee sent a very positive message," Sardar Singh said.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tribute to former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna awardee Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his death anniversary at his memorial 'Sadaiv Atal' in the national capital.
President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, BJP National President Nitin Nabin and other senior leaders also attended the prayer meeting at 'Sadaiv Atal', the memorial of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, on his death anniversary.
Vajpayee, one of India's most prominent political leaders, served as Prime Minister for three terms. He was first sworn in as Prime Minister for a brief period in 1996 and later served from 1998 to 1999 and from 1999 to 2004.
Known for his oratory skills, parliamentary contribution and statesmanship, Vajpayee was a founding leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party and played a key role in shaping the party's political journey.
During his tenure as Prime Minister, India witnessed several significant developments in areas including infrastructure, diplomacy, economic policy and national security. Vajpayee was also a noted Hindi poet and remained widely respected across political lines for his parliamentary career and public life.
He was conferred the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, in 2015 in recognition of his contribution to the nation. Vajpayee passed away on August 16, 2018, at the age of 93. His death anniversary is observed every year as an occasion to remember his life, political contribution and legacy. (ANI)