Hyderabad: “Visionary leadership of former prime minister late PV Narasimha Rao has brought the country’s economy back to life from the intensive care unit. Country owes a great deal of respect to the former prime minister,” said Governor Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan.
Recalling the great contribution by the former prime minister on the occasion of his birth centenary on Sunday, she stated that Narasimha Rao was not only an economic reformer; he was a political reformer too.
The Governor, from the Raj Bhavan, here, was virtually inaugurating the Sthitapragna PV Narasimha Rao Memorial Museum, set up by the former prime minister’s daughter S. Vani Devi at Madhapur.
Terming the former prime minister as a ‘great and proud son of Telangana soil,’ she said that it was her honour to be the Governor of Telangana State at a time when the country was celebrating the birth centenary of one of the greatest statesman of all times.
“Mr Rao was not only a reformer, but also a great fighter as he fought against the tyrannical rule in the erstwhile Hyderabad that did not allow him to pursue his higher education,” she added.
Stating that she was yet to come across a leader like the former prime minister, the Governor said that Narasimha Rao in his great political career held numerous portfolios as the state minister and very important portfolios at the Centre and served as the chief minister and the prime minister of the country.
The Governor stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi showed a great respect to the former prime minister by ensuring and inaugurating a memorial for Narasimha Rao in New Delhi.
Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan also pointed out that residential school education for the downtrodden and establishing Navodaya schools for national integration were also his ideas. He set a personal example by donating hundreds of acres of his land during the land reforms he initiated as the chief minister, she said.
Referring to the former prime minister’s mastery over 17 languages, the Governor said it was truly admirable and inspirational as we all find it difficult to learn a single other language. He was a true polyglot, she added.
Earlier she offered floral tributes to the portrait of P V Narasimha Rao at the Raj Bhavan before virtually inaugurating the museum. The Governor commended the efforts of Vani Devi in establishing the museum with a rare collection of the former prime minister’s belongings, photographs, books, gifts and other items.
The museum founder Vani Devi, the former prime minister’s grandson N V Subhash, family members and others were part of the programme.