Narasimha Rao's services to nation recalled on death anniversary

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leader and member of the State Legislative Council, K. Kavitha along with Narasimha Rao's daughter Sri Vani and son P. V. Prabhakar Rao paid floral tributes to  the late leader at PV Gnana Bhoomi on the banks of the Hussain Sagar lake here. 

Council Chairman Gutta Sukhendar Reddy, Assembly Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, TRS general secretary and MP Keshava Rao, Home Minister Mahmood Ali and others were present on the occasion.  They remembered the contributions of the former Prime Minister. 

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said that Narasimha Rao would forever be remembered as a staunch reformer. 

The Chief Minister, in a statement said that the country is enjoying the benefits of the reforms that were ushered in by PV in education, economy, land, administration and other sectors. The TRS chief added that the firm attitude of PV in internal security, external affairs and diplomacy had strengthened the country's unity, integrity and sovereignty. 

The CM said that the state government is also conducting PV's year-long birth centenary celebrations with a lot of respect as a befitting tribute to the multifaceted and great administrator that PV was. 

The birth centenary celebrations began on June 28 and the state government has decided to organise the year-long celebrations in a befitting manner. 

Hailing from Vangara in Karimnagar district (now in Telangana), Narasimha Rao was India's first and only Telugu Prime Minister. He also had the distinction of being the first Prime Minister outside the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty to complete a  full five-year term. 

Narasimha Rao, who also served as the Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh and as a Central minister, was known as a scholar, statesman, a polyglot and an author. 

He was elected to Parliament in 1972 and held several cabinet posts under Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi including Foreign Minister from 1980 to 1984. 

Described as a "political Chanakya" by many, PV managed to complete the full term despite being just short of a majority in Parliament. He, however, had to face allegations of political manipulation to stay in power. 

He had the dubious distinction of being the first PM to face criminal charges and accusations in and out of the top office. He was cleared in all the three cases in which he faced trial before his death.