Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the first external affairs minister to deliver a speech in Hindi at the UN General Assembly, effectively raised India's stand on key issues like nuclear disarmament, state-sponsored terrorism and reforms at the world body.
Vajpayee, in his role as foreign minister and prime minister, visited the UN headquarters to deliver speeches to the UNGA on seven occasions from 1977 to 2003.
Known for his great oratory skills, Vajpayee first addressed the UNGA's 32nd session in 1977 as the foreign minister under the Janata Party government headed by then prime minister Morarji Desai.
"I am a newcomer to the United Nations, but India is not, having been associated actively with the Organisation from its very inception.
"As one who has been a parliamentarian in my own country for two decades and more, I feel a special sense of exhilaration in attending this assembly of nations for the first time," Vajpayee said in the historic address.
It was the first time that an Indian leader had delivered the speech in Hindi at the UNGA as other Indian leaders had opted to speak in English, the dominant language at the forum.
It is said that Vajpayee, who was also fluent in English, was the force behind uplifting Hindi to the international platform by using the language at the UN each time de delivered a speech.
He touched the subject of the Non-Aligned Movement and said that the India "stands firmly for peace, non-alignment and friendship with all countries."
"We realised that the United Nations does not possess magical powers to solve every crisis in all parts of the globe or to change overnight the motivation of leaders and communities around the world."
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