New Delhi: A memorial of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was dedicated to the nation on his birth anniversary on Tuesday at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal here.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind, BJP chief Amit Shah and former PM Manmohan Singh were among the eminent personalities who attended the prayer meeting at the memorial near Rajghat.
An official said a vacant piece of land was made available for the memorial at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal by the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry.
It was constructed by the Centre Public Works Department (CPWD) at a cost of Rs 10.51 crore. The project was funded by the Atal Smriti Nyas Society, he said.
"Atalji's thoughts and vision are a source of inspiration to the people of the country. To enable people to pay their respects to the great soul, an initiative to develop his samadhi was taken up by the society," the official said.
Senior BJP leader and society president Vijay Kumar Malhotra told PTI that the memorial is spread over 1.5 acres of land at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal, where Vajpayee was cremated on August 17.
He said the memorial reflects the former prime minister's personality as a poet, humanist, statesman and a great leader.
It is enclosed by nine bas-relief walls which have inscriptions of the poetry of vajpayee, he added.
Malhotra said not a single tree was cut down in developing 'Sadaiv Atal' at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal, which also houses samadhis (memorials) of former presidents, prime ministers among others.
Vajpayee had passed away at AIIMS after prolonged illness on August 16. He was cremated on August 17 with full state honours.
The founding members of the society include Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Bihar Governor Lalji Tandon, Gujarat Governor O P Kohli, Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala, BJP leaders Vijay Kumar Malhotra and Ram Lal among others.
Meanwhile, a 'Kavi Sammelan' will be organised in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district to mark the birth anniversary of the former prime minister. "Manali always remained a second home for Vajpayee ji and he had special attachment with Kullu-Manali.
The people of Kullu-Manali also loved him from the core of their hearts," Forest and Transport Minister Govind Singh Thakur said, adding that poems written by Vajpayee will be recited on the occasion.
On Monday, PM Modi released a Rs 100 commemorative coin in the memory of the former prime minister on the eve of his 94th birth anniversary.
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