Atal Bihari Vajpayee

“We are unnecessarily wasting our precious resources in wars...if we must wage war, we have to do it on unemployment, disease, poverty, and backwardness.”

“Poverty is multidimensional. It extends beyond money incomes to education, health care, political participation and advancement of one's own culture and social organisation.”

“No guns, only brotherhood can solve the problems.”

“You can change friends but not neighbors.”

“Governments will come and go; parties will be formed and dissolved; but this country should remain.”

“Our nuclear weapons are meant purely as a deterrent against nuclear adventure by an adversary.”

“If India is not secular, then India is not India at all.”

“Victory and defeat are a part of life, which are to be viewed with equanimity.”

“It is easy to win elections by raising passions, but it is difficult to run the country by taking difficult decisions.”

“Quiet diplomacy is far more effective than public posturing.”

“I dream of an India that is prosperous, strong and caring. An India, that regains a place of honour in the comity of great nations.”

“For me, power has never been a center of attraction.”

“Empowerment of women is particularly important to me as it is the foundation of our society.”

“My poet's heart gives me the strength to face political problems, particularly those which have a bearing on my conscience.”

“Truth cannot be hidden for long. It will be revealed one day.”