PV Narasimha Rao a ‘360-degree personality’ .... Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao

PV Narasimha Rao a ‘360-degree personality’

Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao

PV Centenary Celebrations (28-06-2020)

Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao esteemed late Prime Minister, Pamulaparthi Venkata Narasimha Rao popularly known as PV, as an unparalleled reformist par excellence and affirmed, that, the State Government would recommend his name for consideration of the Centre for Bharat Ratna award. Cabinet and State Legislature would pass a resolution to this affect said KCR.

Addressing a select gathering at the PV Gnana Bhoomi on Necklace Road in Hyderabad after formally launching the year-long centenary celebrations of the former Prime Minister, the CM made an in-depth analysis of the multifaceted personality of PV in his inimitable style often quoting from the Telugu literature laced with colloquial quotes. The CM recalled how PV rolled out reforms in whatever capacity he was given. KCR said PV’s reforms in education and land have changed the Telangana’s landscape while his economic reforms changed India forever.

Praising PV as a 360-degree personality, the CM said it was unfortunate that he did not get the respect and underrated in recognition which he richly he deserved. CM however preferred to spell out those reasons at an appropriate time as he didn’t want to politicise such a solemn occasion. But the country will remember him as the Prime Minister, who brought the economic reforms, the fruits of which are enjoyed till today. He said PV’s life was like a personality development lesson and his contribution to the country was no less than Jawaharlal Nehru. He said that he rates PV as a person who was on par with Nehru who laid the foundation for country’s development. PV was equally a builder of modern India and in fact created a global India said CM KCR.

Asserting that PV richly, rightly deserve Bharat Ratna, the CM said he would personally lead a delegation to New Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and request him to confer Bharat Ratna posthumously on the former Prime Minister. The State government, he said, will also seek release of a commemorative postal stamp to remembering the birth centenary celebration of the late Prime Minister. He said the state legislature would also pass resolution in this regard. The Telangana Telugu Academy would be named after PV, if majority of people desired so.

The CM said PV Centenary celebrations have been organised not only in the Telangana state, but also all over the country and in 51 countries across the world. He said the centenary celebrations will reflect several angles of the great leader’s life, and announced a series of programmes and activities to highlight every single aspect of Narasimha Rao in a befitting manner.

Calling upon the celebration committee to highlight the ‘360-degree personality’ of the most beloved son of Telangana during the year-long nation-wide and worldwide celebrations, Chandrashekhar Rao said: “We will keep the celebrations committee open-ended so that many more people who have knowledge of Narasimha Rao and intimacy with him may like to join and contribute. We will reprint his books and I am directing the State Sahitya Academy to take up publication of his unpublished works,” he said, adding that the books must be available for reference in all major universities of the country. The State government will establish a foundation in Kakatiya University to study the economic reforms implemented by the multi-talented leader, KCR said.

CM further said that five bronze statues of Narasimha Rao will be erected in Karimnagar, Warangal, Vangara, Hyderabad and in Telangana Bhavan in New Delhi. He said a portrait of the former Prime Minister will be placed in State Assembly and efforts will be made to ensure that Parliament too has Narasimha Rao’s portrait along with other former Prime Ministers of the country.

KCR said that a memorial and a library will be built at the PV Gnana Bhoomi site which will be bigger than that of APJ Abdul Kalam’s memorial. He announced that the concluding ceremony on June 28, 2021 will be a on grand scale with not less than one lakh audience. “We will invite and involve President Ramnath Kovind, the Prime Minister, former President Pranab Mukherjee and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for some of these events,” he said.

Dwelling at length, the CM said, “To undertake reforms in every field that we are entrusted with, one requires conviction and knowledge. Whatever subject Narasimha Rao was entrusted with, he was involved in that and took bold decisions and introduced reforms. His reforms with regard to land rights, education and economic policies shaped the country’s future. The fruits of the economic reforms introduced by him are being enjoyed by the people now and will continue to be enjoyed by future generations,” the CM said.

            Crediting PV with introducing innovative educational institutions like the residential schools, the CM said “The first residential school at Sarvail in Nalgonda district became role model for the residential education system in the country. It was the result of PV’s initiatives in education sector. It has produced several top most officers in the country. The Telangana government has launched 900 Residential schools for the SC/ST/BC/Minority in a big way taking inspiration from PV” the CM said.

He recalled that it was PV who suggested change in the name of Education Ministry as Human Resources Development (HRD). It was PV who introduced open jail systems when responsibility of Jails was entrusted with him. “As Minister for external affairs he coined the concept “Look to east” drawing the world’s attention towards eastern hemisphere. Such a call explains a lot about the knowledge and boldness of that person. PV himself in a lighter vein said that he would bring reforms in the fisheries department if he was made to head the department,” the CM said.

As Chief Minister of combined Andhra Pradesh, he not only introduced land reforms but also donated 800 acres of his own land to the government to be distributed among the poor in Vangara village, Chief Minister said.

As a Prime Minister he left his indelible mark on economic reforms by bringing RBI Chairman Manmohan Singh as Finance Minister. “He transformed India as an economic power to reckon with only through bold reforms. His nonchalant attitude is because of his steadfastness and non-dependence on any political group within the party he belonged to,” Chief Minister said.

            “How did a man without resorting to caste politics and groups become CM, PM and AICC president? How can a man from his background run a government during one of the toughest times in Indian history, and bring back the gold mortgaged in foreign countries and draft a new course of economic freedom?” Chandrashekhar Rao said, adding that Rao was never scared or shaken by any event.

Describing Narasimha Rao as an endless learner, he said that when the Nizam debarred him from studying in the State, he went to Maharashtra and studied. “He was fluent in 15 different languages. Those who call him an introvert have to explain to me how anyone can learn so many languages. When the then Rajiv Gandhi was upset that the older generation were opposing the computerization as they found difficult to understand the system, PV as a response asked his daughter Vani to send him a computer system from Hyderabad and learnt the basics within a short span of time. PV also till his last breath used the computer system to write his articles, letters and books. Such was PV’s persistence,” KCR remarked.

Referring to the PV’s contribution to the literature, the CM said PV had trans-created critically-acclaimed Veyipadagalu penned by Viswanadha Satyanarayana, in Hindi as Sahasra Phan, which won accolades for him even from the original author. In his entire extempore speech, CM KCR literally and figuratively unveiled all aspects of PV’s persona like never before. The entire speech was laced with wit, wisdom, humour, anecdotes, and literary quotes.