Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a moderate face in saffron politics and the first non-Congress prime minister to complete a full term in office, died in New Delhi on Thursday after a prolonged illness, AIIMS authorities said. He was 93.

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"It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at 5.05 p.m. on 16.08.2018," an AIIMS press statement said.

Here are 15 things you should know about former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpaye:

Vajpayee was born on December 25, 1924 in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.

His father was a school master and a poet.

Vajpayee completed his schooling from Saraswati Shishu Mandir, Gorkhi in Gwalior and graduation in Hindi, Sanskrit and English from Laxmi Bai College, Gwalior.

He studied in DAV College, Kanpur and completed his M.A. in Political Science with a first-class degree.

In 1942, he went to jail for 23 days for participating in Freedom Struggle and was detained during Emergency in 1975-77.

Vajpayee was elected to Lok Sabha a record nine times and elected to the Rajya Sabha two times and served as Prime Minister three times.

He contested from four different states – Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Gujarat – in different elections.

Vajpayee is fondly called ‘Baapji’ by his close relatives and friends and he remained single for his entire life and later adopted a daughter named Namita.

In 1951, he joined the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and is one of the founders.

Vajpayee studied law for some time but did not complete the course as he was more inclined towards journalism.

He served as an editor to publications like Panchjanya, a Hindi weekly; Rashtradharma, a Hindi monthly; and dailies like Veer Arjun and Swadesh.

In 2015, Vajpayee received Bharat Ratna; Padma Vibhushan (1992); Kanpur University honoured him with D.Lit. (1993); bestowed with the Bharat Ratna Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant Award in 1994; received the Best Parliamentarian Award in 1994; Lokmanya Tilak Award in 1994 and the Bangladesh's Liberation War Honour on June 7, 2015 by the Government of Bangladesh.

Books written by Vajpayee: National Integration (1961); Dynamics of an Open Society (1977); New Dimensions of India's Foreign Policy (1979); Heal the Wounds: Vajpayee's appeal on Assam tragedy to the Parliament (1983); Kucha Lekha, Kucha Bhashana (1996); Sekyularavada: Bharatiya Parikalpana (Da. Rajendra Prasada Smaraka Vyakhyanamala) (1996); Bindu-Bindu Vicara (1997); Rajaniti ki Rapatili Rahem (1997); Back to Square One (1998); Decisive Days (1999); Sakti Se Santi (1999); Vicara-Bindu (Hindi Edition, 2000); Nayi Chunauti, Naya Avasara (Hindi Edition, 2002) and India's Perspectives on ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific Region (2003).

Autobiographies written by Vajpayee: India's Foreign Policy: New Dimensions (1977); Assam Problem: Repression no Solution (1981); Atal Bihari Vaj Mem Tina Dasaka (1992); Pradhan Mantri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ke Chune Hue Bhashana (2000) and Values, Vision & Verses of Vajpayee: India's Man of Destiny (2001).

Books and albums on poetry written by Vajpayee: Meri Ikyavana Kavitaem (1995); Meri Ikyavana Kavitaem (Hindi Edition, 1995); Sreshtha Kabita (1997); Nayi Disha – An Album with Jagjit Singh (1995); Kya Khoya Kya Paya: Atal Bihari Vajapeyi, Vyaktitva Aur Kavitaem (Hindi Edition, 1999); Samvedna – An Album with Jagjit Singh (1995) and Twenty-One Poems (2003).