Bharat Ratna to Narasimha Rao will enhance award's value, says daughter

Hyderabad, Feb 9 (IANS) Former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao's family has expressed their delight over the Centre conferring Bharat Ratna on him posthumously with his daughter and Telangana legislator Surabhi Vani Devi observing that this will further enhance the award's value.

The member of Telangana Legislative Council welcomed the decision of the Centre and termed this as a matter of pride for people of Telangana.

"Today is a historic day, a happy moment. A good day which will be written in history with golden letters," she said.

"We are delighted that the first Telugu Prime Minister born on the soil of Telangana has been conferred with Bharat Ratna," she told media persons.

She recalled that PV, as Narasimha Rao was popularly known, was the first leader from South India to become the Prime Minister. The MLC belonging to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) said though there was delay in conferring the highest civilian award on Narasimha Rao, they were happy that it was finally announced. She recalled that people were the first priority for her late father. "He believed in finding permanent solutions to the problems. It may be human resources, economy or foreign relations, he always looked for permanent solutions," she said.

Surbahi also recalled how the late former Prime Minister initiated the economic reforms when the Indian economy was in a very bad shape.

She said the BRS government under the leadership of K. Chandrasekhar Rao organised the birth centenary celebrations of Narasimha Rao on a big scale. She claimed that the celebrations helped people know various aspects of his personality.

The MLC thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for rising above politics to confer Bharat Ratna on Narasimha Rao.

She said the decision reflects his values. 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.

Vani Devi, who was elected MLC in 2021, was the first member of Narasimha Rao's to be elected to the legislature in Telangana. Narasimha Rao's eldest son P.V. Ranga Rao had served as minister in undivided Andhra Pradesh.

A Congress leader, he served as Education Minister in the cabinet of Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy (1992-94).

He was twice elected to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly from Hanamkonda in Warangal district of Telangana region.

He also served as a member of the Legislative Council. Narasimha Rao's other son Rajeshwar Rao was elected to Lok Sabha from Secunderabad in 1996.

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