When father and son became classmates: A glimpse into Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s college days

In a lesser-known chapter of his life, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee once shared a classroom and a hostel room with his own father, Krishna Bihari Vajpayee, during his LLB studies at DAV College in Kanpur. After completing his MA, Atalji enrolled in law school, only to find that his father, a retired schoolteacher had also joined the same course. The surprising turn of events made them not just classmates, but also roommates in room number 104 of the college hostel.

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The unusual arrangement soon became a talking point among students and faculty alike, as the idea of a father and son attending the same class stirred curiosity and chatter across the campus. Feeling awkward about the situation, the two decided to alternate their class attendance, Atal attending one day and his father the next, so as to maintain some personal space and avoid drawing too much attention.

Manavendra Swarup, the then president of the college’s board of management, remarked that their joint enrollment became the subject of much discussion. Associate professor Vijay Pratap Singh recalled that Atalji shared a strong rapport with Madan Mohan Pandey, the head of the political science department, whom Vajpayee affectionately referred to as "guruji." Their bond extended beyond the classroom, with Vajpayee often visiting his mentor’s home for intellectual conversations.