Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu paid tribute to former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao on Monday on his 100th birthday and on Monday in Visakhapatnam described him as a “legendary figure who pioneered economic reforms”.
“Narasimha Rao was a multifaceted personality – a phenomenal scholar, an astute administrator, a renowned man of letters and multilingual. He had brought the country out of an economic crisis through his consensual leadership and far-sighted vision, ”said the vice president, who wreathed a statue of Narasimha Rao at the Circuit House Junction in Visakhapatnam.
He said the bold reforms launched by Narasimha Rao have helped accelerate the country’s development over the past three decades. “Former Prime Minister AB Vajpayee implemented the reforms launched by Narasimha Rao, while current Prime Minister Narendra Modi accelerated them. Reform is the order of the day and we need to adopt best practice, ”he added.
Narasimha Rao praised the completion of the “License Raj” in India and said that Rao was the architect of the economic liberalization of India. “It was he who had facilitated India’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO),” emphasized Naidu.
Love of language
Pointing out that the former prime minister was very fond of languages, Naidu said Narasimha Rao translated into Hindi the epic Telugu novel “Veyi Padagalu” entitled “Sahasra Phan” and also “Abala Jeevitam”, a Telugu Translation of the famous Marathi., Published novel “Pan Lakshat Kon Gheto”.
“Narasimha Rao has always vouched for teaching mother tongues in schools. I, too, have always maintained that the medium of instruction should be the child’s mother tongue until the Abitur. Today’s generation should be inspired by him, ”he added.
Expressing disappointment that a great leader like Narasimha Rao did not receive the recognition he “deserves so richly”, the Vice President said, “Let us do our part in building the nation on the occasion of his 100th anniversary”.
Mr. Naidu said that no nation would be able to move forward by forgetting its culture, heritage and the immense contribution of great leaders to nation building. The lives and teachings of great men should be passed on to the younger generation.