28 June: Remembering P. V. Narasimha Rao on his Birth Anniversary

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P. V. Narasimha Rao

P. V. Narasimha Rao (28 June 1921- 23 December 2004) was an Indian politician. From 1991 to 1996, he was India’s ninth prime minister.

Early Life

P. V. Narasimha Rao was born on 28 June 1921, Hyderabad, India. At Osmania University, he earned a bachelor’s degree in arts. Then he went to Nagpur University and got his law degree.

He edited a weekly magazine with his cousin Pamulaparthi Sadasiva Rao, Ch Raja Narendra, and Devulapalli Damodar Rao in 1940. In Andhra Pradesh, he was chairman of the Telugu Academy from 1968 to 1974. He translated Hindi verses and fiction in Hindi, Marathi, and Telegu, and was fluent in six languages.

Political Career

While the Indian Independence Movement raged, Narasimha Rao was an active member. He became a member of the Indian National Congress after independence. Between 1957 and 1977, he was a member of the Andhra Pradesh state legislature. He was chief minister of Andhra Pradesh from 1971 to 1973. In that, he implemented a radical land-reform policy and aided the lower castes to get political power. By splitting the Indian National Congress in 1969, he helped Indira Gandhi form the New Congress party, which became the Congress party in 1978. From Andhra Pradesh, he was a member of the Lok Sabha in 1972.

During the term of both Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, he served in important ministries like home, defense, and foreign affairs.

After Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination in 1991, the Congress picked Narasimha Rao as prime minister. It was the first time someone from South India as a prime minister.

Starting in 1991, Rao liberalized the economy, deregulated domestic business, and reformed trade policies. Rao’s government did a lot of stuff like abolish the Controller of Capital Issues, give SEBI authority to regulate markets, and open the country’s equity markets to institutional investors. It was a big year for India and its foreign policy in 1982 and 1983.

In 1983, Rao led a Non-aligned Special Mission in West Asia that was meant to resolve the Palestine Liberation Organisation conflict. He was an active member of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in New Delhi and the Action Group set up by the meeting in Cyprus.

He has chaired many Joint Commissions on behalf of India, including those with the U.S.A., U.S.S.R., Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Vietnam, Tanzania, and Guyana.

Death

He died on 23 December 2004, New Delhi, India.

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