How Madhuri Dixit 'stopped' Vajpayee from eating his favourite Gulab Jamuns ?
NEW DELHI, August 16: Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's love for food was legendary. So much in fact, that it took a clever plan by his aides to keep him from a plate of gulab jamuns at an official lunch. With some help from actor Madhuri Dixit, one of the guests.
As the former PM died this evening, close aides and journalists recalled his fondness for food, especially sweets and seafood; his favourite was a platter of prawns.
Senior journalist Rasheed Kidwai remembered how while attending an official lunch, the former prime minister headed to the food counter even though he was on a strict diet.
Worried about his health, aides quickly made a plan.
They immediately introduced Mr Vajpayee to Madhuri Dixit and sure enough, the film buff in him took over as the two went on to talk about movies.
"Meanwhile, the aides quickly removed the desserts from his line of vision," recalled Mr Kidwai.
Bureaucrats who worked with Mr Vajpayee said he always insisted on tasting the local cuisine during his tours.
"So it was puchkas in Kolkata, biryani and haleem in Hyderabad, Galouti kebabs in Lucknow. He specially liked his pakodas with lots of chat masala accompanied with masala tea," said one bureaucrat.
Those close to him recalled how he relished every meal.
Another senior journalist told PTI that several times, Mr Vajpayee cooked for her and other journalists.
"He would cook at least one dish for us. It could be a dessert or something non-vegetarian," she recalled.
A close aide said former PM Vajpayee used to pop salted peanuts throughout cabinet meetings and wanted his plate to be replenished regularly.
BJP leader Lalji Tandon, known as his protege, was tasked to bring him kebabs from Lucknow, Union Minister Vijay Goel brought him bedmi aloo and chaat from old Delhi. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, then BJP leader, would bring him prawns from Andhra Pradesh, said a close aide.
A journalist who went on trips with Mr Vajpayee recalled how he was the "most relaxed" PM she had ever travelled with as compared to his successors.
"For him these trips were not just about work. He was not averse even to the idea of extending trips. He ate his food and enjoyed, even while at work," she recalled.
Another aide, recalled how despite being unwell, former PM Vajpayee would keep having kaju and samosas.
"He wasn't spartan and he didn't pretend to be one. That is why he was so loved," he said.
Courtesy: www.ndtv.com
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PM Modi speaks to Iranian president, discusses 'serious' situation in West Asia
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday night spoke to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian over the phone and discussed the "serious situation" in West Asia.
Modi expressed deep concern over the escalation of tensions in the region and the loss of civilian lives as well as damage to civilian infrastructure.
The prime minister told the Iranian President that the safety and security of Indian nationals, along with the need for unhindered transit of goods and energy, remain India's top priorities.
“Had a conversation with Iranian President, Dr Masoud Pezeshkian, to discuss the serious situation in the region. Expressed deep concern over the escalation of tensions and the loss of civilian lives as well as damage to civilian infrastructure,” Modi said in a post on X.
The prime minister also reiterated India's commitment to peace and stability and urged dialogue and diplomacy to end the crisis.
The prime minister had spoken to leaders of several West Asian countries in the last 10 days in the wake of the coordinated offensive launched against Iran by the United States and Israel, in which the Islamic country's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed last month.
In retaliation, Iran has fired drones and missiles at Israel and US military installations around the Gulf region, including the global business and aviation hubs of Dubai and Doha.
Modi earlier spoke to the leaders of Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Israel and Qatar, and expressed concern over the attacks on their countries, and condemned the violation of some nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He also discussed the welfare and security of the Indian community residing in those countries.
Around 1 crore Indians live in the Gulf and West Asia. While about 10,000 Indian citizens live, study and work in Iran, more than 40,000 live in Israel.
