Busting popular myths and revealing unknown facts, an upcoming biography of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee claims to elevate readers' understanding of the much-admired figure.

"Vajpayee: The Ascent of the Hindu Right", published by Picador India and supported by New India Foundation, will hit the stands on May 10. The first of a two-volume study, the book is written by first-time author Abhishek Choudhary.

In the gripping portrait of 'Hindutva's first prime minister', Choudhary sets out to prove that Vajpayee was far more critical to the project of 'Hinduising India' than is commonly understood.

Weaving previously unseen documents with revealing interviews, Choudhary layers this definitive biography with details of "Vajpayee's early obsession with foreign policy; the shock from the premature deaths of his parents; his tortuous private life and maudlin poetry; his defence of the Sangh Parivar inside the parliament and his averments and deferments outside".

The book is endorsed by the likes of historian Ramachandra Guha and French political scientist Christophe Jaffrelot.

The volume two of the biography is expected to be released in December, ahead of Vajpayee's 100th birth anniversary.

Author: Abhishek Choudhary

Publisher: Picador India