Atal Bihari Vajpayee timeline: A life re-examined

Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the first non-Congress leader to complete a full term in office and credited with cementing a place for the BJP in the country’s polity, passed away on Thursday after battling health problems for the past few months.

With Vajpayee at the helm, India underwent monumental changes. Under his tenure as prime minister, India's experienced economic growth, war with Pakistan and also proclaimed sovereignty by testing its nuclear arsenals.

DH takes you on a journey through these moments and more in an interactive timeline with videos and photos that captures the most important moments of Atal Bihari Vajpayee's life.