"We feel proud": Telangana Minister Sridhar Babu Duddilla on Bharat Ratna to PV Narsimha Rao

NEW DELHI: After the announcement of Bharat Ratna to be conferred upon the former Prime Minister PV Narsimha Rao, Telangana Minister Sridhar Babu Duddilla expressed his delight and said he feels "proud" about it. Lauding Rao for the economic reforms done for the Indian economy Duddilla said that the former PM gave the Indian economy the right direction three decades ago.

"We feel proud that the late PV Narsimha Rao has posthumously been awarded India's top civilian award... He contested from the constituency that is now represented by me... When he was the Prime Minister, the direction of the nation changed, especially in terms of the economy... He gave the country the right direction in a global context three decades back," said the Telangana Minister.

In the wake of rapid globalisation and the pursuit of economic progress, India underwent a transformative phase that reshaped its economic landscape. Liberalisation, Privatisation, and Globalisation (LPG) reforms in 1991. The LPG policy was introduced under the leadership of Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao and Finance Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the veteran leader of Congress, PV Narasimha Rao will be conferred with the country's highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna. Taking to X, PM Modi said that, as a distinguished scholar and statesman, Narasimha Rao served India extensively in various capacities.

"Delighted to share that our former Prime Minister, PV Narasimha Rao Garu, will be honoured with the Bharat Ratna. As a distinguished scholar and statesman, Narasimha Rao Garu served India extensively in various capacities. He is equally remembered for the work he did as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Union Minister, and as a Member of Parliament and Legislative Assembly for many years. His visionary leadership was instrumental in making India economically advanced, laying a solid foundation for the country's prosperity and growth," PM Modi said.

"Narasimha Rao Garu's tenure as Prime Minister was marked by significant measures that opened India to global markets, fostering a new era of economic development. Furthermore, his contributions to India's foreign policy, language and education sectors underscore his multifaceted legacy as a leader who not only steered India through critical transformations but also enriched its cultural and intellectual heritage," he added.

Born on June 28, 1921, in Karimnagar, Telangana, being an agriculturist and an advocate, Narsimha Rao joined politics and held some important portfolios. He was the Minister of Law and Information, 1962-64; Law and Endowments, 1964-67; Health and Medicine, 1967 and Education, 1968-71, Government of Andhra Pradesh.

He was the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh from 1971-73 and General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee from 1975-76. A man of many interests, his special interest was in Indian philosophy and culture, writing fiction and political commentary, learning languages, writing poems in Telugu and Hindi and keeping abreast of literature in general. He successfully published 'SahasraPhan', a Hindi translation of late Shri Viswanatha Satyanarayana's famous Telegu Novel 'Veyi Padagalu'; 'Abala Jeevitam', Telugu translation of late Shri Hari Narayan Apte's famous Marathi Novel, "Pan Lakshat Kon gheto".

He translated other famous works from Marathi to Telugu and from Telugu to Hindi, and published many articles in different magazines. He lectured at universities in the US and erstwhile West Germany on political matters and allied subjects.

During the period when he was Minister of External Affairs, Rao successfully brought to bear his scholarly background and rich political and administrative experience in the field of international diplomacy. He chaired the III Conference of UNIDO in New Delhi in January 1980, within a few days of assuming charge. He also chaired a meeting of the Group of 77 in New York in March 1980.