New Delhi: Rich tributes are being paid on Sunday to Pamulaparthi Venkata Narasimha Rao, the ninth Prime Minister of India, on his birth centenary.
Rao’s ascendency to the prime ministership (1991-96) was politically significant as he was the second holder of this office from a non-Hindi speaking region and the first from southern India.
He led an important administration, overseeing a major economic transformation and several home incidents affecting national security.
Rao, who held the Industries portfolio, was personally responsible for the dismantling of the Licence Raj, as this came under the purview of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, reversing the socialist policies of Rajiv Gandhi’s Government.
He is often referred to as the “Father of Indian Economic Reforms”. (UNI)