Chennai, Dec 25 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi on Wednesday lauded Bharat Ratna and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for his transformative contributions to strengthening India's national defence and advancing its nuclear capabilities, which reshaped the nation's global standing.

Paying rich encomiums to Vajpayee on his centenary birth anniversary, Ravi described him as a bold and visionary leader, eloquent orator, prolific poet, and statesman par excellence.

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Chief Minister M K Stalin, in his message, recalled Vajpayee's contributions to developing infrastructure in Tamil Nadu during his tenure as Prime Minister, as well as his rapport with the late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, Stalin's father.

"A true champion of good governance, whose legacy will continue to inspire and guide us to build an inclusive, prosperous, and Atmanirbhar Bharat," Ravi said in a Raj Bhavan release.

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In a social media post on Wednesday, Stalin said, "On the 100th birth anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, we remember his contributions to Tamil Nadu's infrastructure and his camaraderie with our leader, Kalaignar. As Prime Minister, despite his rightist ideology, he (Vajpayee) upheld the secular fabric of our country. His legacy endures."

Tamil Nadu BJP Chief K Annamalai said Vajpayee played a significant role in drafting domestic and overseas policies for independent India. "As Prime Minister, External Affairs Minister, and opposition party leader, he was an efficient worker in whichever role he played," he said.

By developing the national defence system, he brought India on par with other developed nations. Vajpayee's contribution to the country's development will always be remembered, he added.

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