When Atal Bihari Vajpayee won a Screen Award

The former PM won an award for Best Non-Film lyrics in 2000

Atal Bihari Vajpayee, vajpayee, vajpayee bharat ratna

Atal Bihari Vajpayee receives the Screen Award from Ananya Goenka of the Express Group in New Delhi. (Source: Express archives)

If Atal Bihari Vajpayee has been conferred the Bharat Ratna this year, at least a small fraction of the accolade must be attributed to his prowess as a poet. In fact, the former prime minister even won a Screen award for his album Nayi Disha in 2000.

Nayi Disha was released in 1999 with lyrics by Vajpayee and sung by Ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh. The album included the Vajpayee masterpiece Aao Phir Se Diya Jalaye.

See video below

In early 2000, Ananya Goenka of the Indian Express Group presented the then prime minister the award for the Best Non-Film Lyrics at his residence in New Delhi. The then PM could not make it to the screen awards due to his busy schedule.

The then PM could not make it to the screen awards due to his busy schedule.

The lyrics of Aao Phir Se Diya Jalaye are below

Bhari dupheri me andhiyara
Suraj parchyi se hara
Antar tum ka deh nichude
Buchi hui bati sulgaye
Aao phir se diya jalayen
Hum padaav ko samze manjil
Lakshe hua aanko se ojhal
Vartaman keh moh jaal me
Aane wala kal na bhulaye
Aahuti baki yagye pura
Apno ke vighno ne ghera
Antim jaye ka wajra banane

The other hit number from the album was the song Jhuki Na Alken

See video below

First uploaded on: 25-12-2014 at 11:09 IST

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