Telangana pays tributes to Narasimha Rao on birth anniversary

Rich tributes were paid to late former prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao on his 94th birth anniversary here on Sunday.

Ministers from Telangana, leaders of the Congress party and Rao's family members paid floral tributes at his Samadhi 'PV Gyan Bhoomi' on the banks of the Hussain Sagar Lake.

For the second year, the Congress stalwart's birth anniversary was celebrated officially by the Telangana government.

Those paying tributes included deputy chief ministers Kadiam Srihari, Mahmood Ali, home minister N. Narasimha Reddy, ministers Harish Rao, T. Nageswara Rao and Mahender Reddy.

Speaking on the occasion, Narasimha Reddy said the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government would strive to carry forward the ideals of the late prime minister.

TRS MP B. Narsaiah Goud said Rao with his economic reforms brought global recognition to India. He said it was unfortunate that the Centre has not built a memorial in the national capital.

Congress party's Telangana unit president Uttam Kumar Reddy, party leader in state assembly K. Jana Reddy, the party's Andhra Pradesh unit chief Raghuveera Reddy also paid tributes at Gyan Bhoomi.

The Telangana government had also celebrated the birth anniversary last year, soon after formation of the new state.

Rao was born in Karimnagar district, which is now in Telangana, on June 28, 1921. He was prime minister between 1991 and 1996 and died on December 23, 2004.

Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao released a statement, recalling the late leader's services to the nation.

He said it was a matter of pride for Telangana that Narasimha Rao, the architect of India's economic reforms, was a son of the soil.

Hailing Rao as a polyglot, great administrator and litterateur, KCR said he carved a unique position for himself in history.

Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh also paid tributes to Narasimha Rao at a function jointly organised by the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh units of the party.

Addressing a function organised in Karimnagar, TRS MP Vinod Kumar said lessons on Rao's life would be included in school textbooks.