PICTURE TALK
Atal Behari Vajpayee was a poet, politician, statesman and three times Prime Minister of India. I first clicked AB Vajpayee in Mumbai, and then several times in Delhi.
In those days there were no fears of attacks from terrorists or any other quarters. One could go as close to a leader as to touch them, with no security guys coming in between or pushing you back, like today, or simply keeping camera guys very far away despite having checked all the equipment and the person himself three to four times.
I clicked Vajpayee and L K Advani leading a protest march walking on Parliament Street without any policemen or commandos protecting them.
I also shot Vajpayee addressing crowds standing on the ground, on specially erected stages, namely at Ram Lila Ground, in front of the Election Commission Office, at the Boat Club, Patel Chowk, and other places from a very close range.
The first time I met Vajpayee was at his official bungalow as opposition leader, for an appointment to take his individual pictures for some publication. On my first meeting, I found him very cordial and friendly, true to his reputation, but I was not satisfied with the pictures I got. He had the unique distinction of becoming the PM of the country three times, but I never met him when he was in high office.
My second and last meeting with him, if that can be called a meeting, was when he had completed his last and full term as the PM and had invited the accredited photojournalists for a tea party in 2004, when the next general elections were announced. While most of the lensmen preferred to get photographed with the PM and rushed to sit or stand around him, I was one of the very few who stayed behind the camera.
This picture was taken at Ram Lila Maidan in Delhi during a multi-party public function from a close range of about three feet, when Vajpayee was addressing a massive audience.
While going to meet Vajpayee on his last day as PM for the tea party arranged at his official residence, I took along all the black-and-white prints available with me that day and got them autographed by him.
The views expressed here are the author’s own and The News Porter bears no responsibility.
