Shri Vajpayee was Prime Minister of India from May 16-31, 1996 and a second time from March 19, 1998 to May 13, 2004. With his swearing-in as Prime Minister, he has been the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to occupy the office of the Prime Minister of India through three successive mandates. Shri Vajpayee has also been the first Prime Minister since Smt. Indira Gandhi to lead his party to victory in successive elections.

Madhukar Dattatraya Deoras (commonly addressed as Balasaheb) was an Indian politician and former Sarsanghchalak, or chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the largest Hindu nationalist organisation in India. He took over the position of leadership after the death of Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar and was succeeded by Rajendra Singh in 1994 when he resigned due to ill-health. Balasaheb Deoras died in June 1996.

Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya was born on Monday September 25, 1916, in the sacred region of Brij in the village of Nagla Chandraban in Mathura District . His father was a well known astrologer. An astrologer who studied his horoscope predicted that the boy would become a great scholar and thinker, a selfless worker, and a leading politician - but that he would not marry. While at Bhatpur tragedy struck the family, he lost his brother to illness in 1934. He later went to high school in Sikar. Maharaja of Sikar gave Pandit Upadhyaya a gold medal, Rs. 250 for books and a monthly scholarship of Rs.10.