By Online Desk When asked why he never chose to marry, former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had said, “I didn’t find the time.” It is perhaps rare for politicians to separate their personal and public lives, but the three-time Prime Minister, who passed away today due to prolonged illness , managed to do so, triumphantly. Throughout the 1960s, Vajpayee lived with the Kaul family for several years in Delhi, adopting their daughters, Nandita and Namita, as his own. Rajkumari Kaul, in particular, was an indispensable figure throughout his life, yet the details of their friendship continue to endure speculation. In an article for The Telegraph, K.P. Nayer writes, “Of all the members of every prime ministerial household since freedom put together, Auntie (as she was known by those who had access to her home) was the most understated, but her worth was known to those who knew the intricacies and organigram of Vajpayee’s private life.” In the late 1970s when Vajpayee was appointed as the External Affairs Minister in Morarji Desai’s Janata government, the Kaul family moved into his home in Lutyens’ Delhi. Their unique living situation sparked quite a few rumours, which multiplied after the untimely demise of Mr. Kaul. IN PICS | Rare images from former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's political career Nonetheless, Vajpayee’s immense popularity and political influence meant that the press never treated his relationship with the Kauls as a significant problem. Besides, he was known to intervene whenever anybody slandered the family’s reputation. One such example includes the time when a BJP leader allegedly referred to Rajkumari as the “Kaul girl”. At the time, his remarks cost him little influence or power within the BJP party, and Vajpayee’s private life remained unscathed. Nandita went on to become a doctor and relocated to New York. Namita, however, along with her husband, Ranjan Bhattacharya, continued to live with him even after Mrs. Kaul passed away. While Ranjan held no official title, he held a prominent role in politics, most notably in 1996, during Vajpayee’s election campaign. Despite any dedication and service to his country, it is clear that the BJP veteran's adopted family was the real centre of his world.<doc-sep>Atal Bihari Vajpayee is battling for life and remains on advanced life support at AIIMS (File Photo) Members of the Beriwal family where former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee used to put up during his visits to the city, are praying for his speedy recovery as his condition remains critical at the Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences. For the Beriwals of Chittaranjan Avenue in Kolkata, Atal Bihari Vajpayee is a family friend. "Whenever he had a programme in Bihar, Odisha, he used to go via Kolkata and would come to our house", Ghanshyam Beriwal said. "He was a non-vegetarian and connoisseur of good food. But in our house, non-vegetarian food is not cooked. So, he used to eat all kinds of food. On some occasions, Vajpayeeji even used to have phuchka (golgappa) sitting in our balcony," he recalls. "Vajpayeeji also used to watch films in our house. Once we had watched the film Umrao Jaan," another member of the family told a news channel. "He is a nice human being," he added. The Beriwals said they were pleasantly surprised by Mr Vajpayee's unannounced visits on several occasions. Whenever they used to be in Delhi, they would make it a point to drop in at his residence no matter how busy he was, said a senior member of the Beriwal family. Mr Vajpayee is battling for life and remains on advanced life support at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences for the second day, hospital officials said today.<doc-sep>
Atal Bihari Vajpayee's family members: Adopted daughter Namita Bhattacharya and son-in-law Ranjan Bhattacharya | Photo Credit: PTI New Delhi: Atal Bihari Vajpayee who thrice served as the Prime Minister of India has passed away at the age of 93. He was admitted to the All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here in June with kidney tract infection and chest congestion and was on life support system. He is survived by his adopted daughter and granddaughter. Atal Bihari Vajpayee had always remained a bachelor and never married. He had an adopted daughter named Namita Bhattacharya who is the daughter of Rajkumari Kaul, Vajpayee’s classmate at Gwalior's Victoria College (now Laxmi Bai College) and his companion of many years. Namita is married to Ranjan Bhattacharya who also served as an Officer on Special Duty, while his father-in-law was the Prime Minister of India. The couple has one daughter Neharika. The family association between the Kauls and Vajpayee dates back to his Gwalior days. After the death of Brij Narain Kaul, Rajkumari Kaul’s husband, Vajpayee became an integral and inseparable part of his household. Vajpayee served as the Member of Parliament for Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, until 2009 when he retired from active politics due to health concerns. One of the founding fathers of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, he was also the head of the organisation from 1968 to 1972. Vajpayee formed Bharatiya Janata Party in 1980 when the Janata Party collapsed. He was the first non-Congress prime minister to serve a full five-year term. The government of India conferred the nation’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, on him in 2014. 25 December, his birthday was declared as Good Governance Day by the Narendra Modi government in 2014.