PV Narasimha Rao, Architect of India’s Reforms ..... A Book Review by Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

 PV Narasimha Rao, Architect of India’s Reforms

A Book Review by Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

Sunday Pioneer (25-07-2021)

On the occasion of Late Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao centenary celebrations, the Government of Telangana (PVN Rao Centenary Celebrations Committee, Department of Language and Culture and Telangana Sahitya Academy) has brought out a pictorial (Coffee Table Book) book titled “PV Narasimha Rao, Architect of India’s Reforms” edited by Sanjaya Baru. This book consists of number of photos along with writings penned by national and world leaders. As mentioned in the book in its opening pages “the photos in the volume that speak a thousand words each, along with writings penned by national and world leaders, conjure up golden memories and silver tears of the transformation, guided most democratically by a man whose ‘silence and indecisions’ marked the glorious history and fructified into myriad deeds”.

The book starts with a foreword by Chief Minister Telangana K Chandrashekhar Rao followed by introduction by Editor and former Media Advisor to Prime Minister Sanjaya Baru. President of India Ram Nath Kovind, Vice-President of India M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and former Prime Minister of India Dr Manmohan Singh sent their messages. Former Prime Minister of Malaysia Dr Mahathir Bin Mohammad, former Prime Minister of UK Sir John Major, former Prime Minister of Singapore Goh Chok Tong and former US Ambassador to India during 1994-97 Frank Wisner sent their tributes.

There are in all 17 essays from highly acclaimed personalities who included among others former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, former foreign secretary Salman Haidar, union minister Hardeep Suri, former deputy chairman planning commission Montek Sing Ahluwalia, Rajya Sabha Member Subramanian Swamy, former personal secretary to PV Ramu Damodaran, PV’s son Prabhakar Rao, founder and Chairman Emeritus of Infosys NR Narayana Murthy etc. Dr K Keshava Rao Rajya Sabha Member and Chairman PV Narasimha Rao Centenary Celebrations Committee wrote the Epilogue.

In his introduction Telangana CM KCR described PV as a true statesman, scholar, freedom fighter and a leader committed to selflessly serve the country. He said that PV’s tenure as PM will be remembered as a turning point in the economic history of India. KCR also recalled PV’s contribution to other areas of administration such as education, HRD, defense, international relations, rural development, science and technology, arts, culture and literature. KCR specifically mentioned about PV ushering in land reforms to transfer the land to the tiller.

Former Media Advisor to Prime Minister of India Sanjaya Baru in his introduction (Man of the Moment) wrote that the book edited by him contains collection of essays and tributes by an array of distinguished contemporaries of PV. The specialist scholars recall not just PV’s leadership but also the many sidelines of his complex personality write Sanjaya Baru. He described PV as one of the most accomplished Prime Ministers that India has ever had. Sanjaya Baru concluded by saying that PV laid the foundation of India’s economic rise and India’s emergence as a nuclear power, and in doing so, set the country on a new path. He was, without doubt, a Bharat Ratna.

In his Message the President of India Ram Nath Kovind described PV as ‘his contribution to the nation will always be remembered not merely for India’s path breaking economic reforms as father of India’s economic liberalization but also for taking other transformative decisions in the country’s foreign policy. Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu in his message described PV as a visionary leader, multi-faceted personality with varied interests as Lawyer, scholar, writer, linguist and astute administrator.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his message mentioned that under PV’s able guidance as PM various measures were implemented that helped pull the nation out of the economic morass. Describing PV as a statesman and visionary Modi said that his tenure as PM provided the country with political and economic stability at a time when the nation was at a crossroads.

Former PM Malaysia Dr Mahathir Bin Mohammad in his message remembered the role played by PV as PM in the realignment of countries in the post cold war period. For John Major former PM of UK PV was one of his favorite leaders. In his tribute Major said that, as PM, PV not only embarked upon a successful market driven transformation of Indian economy but shared with him a wish to improve British-India relations.

Former PM Singapore Goh Chok Tong in his tribute wrote that he and Singapore remember PV as the leader who successfully opened India to the world. He said he was fortunate to have worked with PV closely to deepen India’s engagement with Singapore and the Association of South East Nations.

Frank G Wisner former Ambassador to India in his tribute said that he believed PV’s role in forging modern India’s economic and political future was consequential. As an American said Wisner, that, he is grateful for the role PV played in making it possible for India and USA to overcome the legacy of the past and set a new direction.   

In his essay titled ‘The Father of Economic Reforms’ former PM, Dr Manmohan Singh recalled his association with PV. He described PV as a person who left behind an unmatched legacy of being a linguist well versed with 10 Indian Languages and 4 foreign Languages and a scholar. PV was the first converts of new technology by not only becoming adept at using computer, but also proficient with programming mentioned Dr Manmohan Singh.

As mentioned by Sanjay Baru in his introduction, NR Narayana Murthy and GM Rao discussed in their essays PV’s historic initiative to dismantle India’s License-Permit-Control Raj and to liberalize industrial policy and to facilitate the rise of a knowledge-based economy.

PV’s leadership of India’s National Security, defense and nuclear policy and his contribution to declaring India a nuclear weapons power was outlined by Dr VS Arunachalam, NN Vohra and C Uday Bhaskar experts in defense matters.

Salman Haidar described PV as the Architect of the ‘Look East Policy’. Hardeep S Puri said PV was a Reluctant Reformer and Unacknowledged Hero. Montek Singh Ahluwalia detailed about PV’s reforms of 1991. Subramanian Swamy mentioned that PV was venerated Scholar-politician. Former Personal Secretary to PV Ramu Damodaran, now a senior functionary of UNO in a very personal note and fine tributes offered a glimpse of the Late Prime Minister whom he served.

PV’s scholarship, especially his contribution to Telugu language was brought by Velcheru Narayana Rao. Prakala Prabhakar discussed about PV’s engagement with education. A unique glimpse into PV’s style of functioning is offered by political scientist James Manor. C Raja Mohan wrote about Foreign Policy for the second Republic. Senior Journalist K Ramachandra Murthy described PV as a pragmatic politician and a man of letters. In his epilogue Dr K Keshava Rao Shared golden memories and silver tears.

At the end of the Book a bio-sketch of PV Narasimha Rao was given.

Coffee Table Book Editor Sanjaya Baru, Chairman Centenary Celebrations Committee Dr K Keshav Rao, Director Department of Language and Culture Mamidi Hari Krishna and Government of Telangana and CM KCR deserve full complements for bringing out such a great book which will be a reference book for generations to come.