Vajpayee, sarva sparshi who touched everyone's hearts, says Balbir Punj

IN 2001, during a flight journey, the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee insisted on sharing a task that few would expect from a leader of his stature.

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @Bengaluru

IN 2001, during a flight journey, the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee insisted on sharing a task that few would expect from a leader of his stature. As journalist-turned-politician Balbir Punj, who was travelling with him, offered to handle the luggage, Vajpayee stopped him and said, "Work should be divided—one time you carry and the next time I will."

A photograph from that moment, which later made its way into every newspaper and magazine, shows Vajpayee, India's tallest leader at the time, carrying the luggage while Punj, former Rajya Sabha MP followed behind.

Recalling this incident during the 7th Atal Bihari Vajpayee memorial lecture organised by Thinkers Forum Karnataka to mark Vajpayee's centenary here on Saturday, Punj said, "That image speaks volumes about his humility and simplicity. Despite his towering stature, he believed in equality even in the smallest actions."