Telangana CM KCR Announces Centenary Celebrations of former PM P.V. Narsimha Rao

(Special Correspondent)

Chief Minister Sri K Chandrashekhar Rao declared that to recall and remember the greatest services rendered by multi-faced personality in several fields, former Prime Minister Sri PV Narasimha Rao and to make them remain forever, it was decided to organise his Centenary Celebrations on behalf of the state for one year.

He announced that on June 28, the birthday of Sri PV, the main programme would be organised at PV Gnana Bhoomi in Hyderabad. Around the same time celebrations will be held at 50 locations worldwide. The CM announced to organise the yearlong PV Centenary celebrations, Rs 10 Crore will be sanctioned immediately.

          The CM held a high-level review meeting held at Pragathi Bhavan here on Tuesday on the PV Centenary Celebrations issue. Chairman of the Celebration Committee Dr K Keshav Rao, Minister Sri Etela Rajender, Government’s Chief Advisor Sri Rajiv Sharma, Advisor Sri Ramanachary, Chief Secretary Sri Somesh Kumar, Official Language Committee Chairman Sri Devulapalli Prabhakar Rao, Cultural Affairs Director Sri Mamidi Harikrishna, PV’s Son Sri PV Prabhakar Rao, daughter Ms Vani Devi, CMO Principal Secretary Sri S Narsing Rao and others participated.

          The meeting discussed at length on the programmes to be organised during the PV Centenary Celebrations. In this context, the CM gave instructions about the Centenary celebrations organization.

• The inaugural programme on June 28 will be held here at PV Gnana Bhoomi following the Covid guidelines with limited number of persons. CM Sri KCR will participate as the Chief Guest.

• Organise programmes on June 28, PV’s birthday at 50 locations all over the world. Minister Sri KT Rama Rao will coordinate this.

• PV had affiliation with other states like Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Odisha as well as Telangana State. PV had contacts all over the country. He had several people who worked with him, his followers, and colleagues. Since he was the PM and also external affairs Minister, he had people living abroad with whom he had contacts. Hence the PV Centenary should be organised, locally, nationally and globally. Prepare an action plan on what programmes should be organised where?

• For organising the PV Centenary celebrations year long, the government has immediately released Rs 10 Crore. The funds will be released in phases, as it would be organised in the coming days.

• PV has a history by which every Telanganite can proudly say PV is Telangana’s pride. Organise a wide range of programmes for one year on PV’s greatness; his services and they should be known worldwide. 

• Like a memorial set up for former President Sri Abdul Kalam in Rameswaram, a PV Memorial should be created in Hyderabad. A team under the leadership of Dr Keshav Rao should visit Rameswaram and suggest to the government on how PV Memorial should be.

• Collect photos of PV participating in several programmes, occasions, keep them safely and organise a photo exhibitions.

• Set up five Bronze statues of PV at Hyderabad, Warangal, Karimnagar, Vangara at Telangana Bhavan in Delhi. Issue orders for making PV Statues immediately.

• A portrait of PV should be kept in the Telangana state legislative Assembly.

• PV rendered his services as freedom fighter, political leader, Journalist, an expert in several languages (Polyglot) and writer. Bring out a special Souvenir on par with the international standards to mirror PV’s contribution in a wide range of fields. The Special souvenir should have exclusive articles on PV by eminent personalites.

• The economic reforms that PV had brought in have change the direction of the country for good. The special souvenir should have articles on what was the economic situation in the country before PV and after PV became the PM. Enlist economists to contribute these articles.

• PV also did yeoman services in the education field. He had set up the first residential school in Surveil. It became a torch bearer for all the residential educational institutions in the country. He had set up Navodaya Schools all over the country. Bring out a special Souvenir with articles highlighting the contribution made by PV in the education sector.

• PV was such a leader that the country should be proud of. He had changed the country’s destiny for the better. PV is completely eligible to get the Bharat Ratna award, the highest civilian award constituted by the Centre. The state Cabinet and State legislature will pass a resolution demanding conferring Bharat Ratna award to PV Posthumously and it will be sent to the Centre. I will personally meet the PM and request him to confer Bharat Ratna on PV.

• Organise programmes at the national level so that people in the country will understand the greatness of PV. Invite President Sri Ramanath Kovind, PM Sri Modi for the Centenary celebrations. Design how the programmes in which the President, the PM attend should be?

• We will request on behalf of the state government to the centre to keep PV’s Portrait in the Parliament.

• PV had a special relationship with former President Sri Pranab Mukherjee and former PM Sri Manmohan Singh. Prepare special programme in which they both would participate.

• PV was a great literary personality. He had firm grip over several languages. He wrote several articles; books and they should be reprinted. Publish the unpublished manuscripts of PV. Distribute them to the libraries, education institutions and prominent personalities for free of cost. The Cultural affairs department should take this responsibility.

• PV had his followers, fans not only in Telangana but also all over the country. Contact them and take their opinion and publish them in the Special Issue and in the Souvenir. Make them participate in the Centenary celebrations.

• PV had spent his life in Hyderabad, Delhi, Manthani, Barampuram, and Nagpur. There may be some people who knew when PV was in these places. Make them also partners.

• PV had good relationship with Bill Clinton, John Major, several former presidents, former PMs and former Ministers of several countries. Collect their opinions too. And if possible, make them also participate.

• Put up Hoardings to make the entire country realise the greatness of PV. Put up Hoardings at key places in Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and 100 hoardings in Hyderabad.

• Institute a PV Memorial Award to be given to those who have outstanding contribution to education, literature, and political and other fields. Give this award regularly without fail.

• Once the educational institutions are open, organise special programmes and make the students participate.

• Prepare special programmes to showcase PV’s greatness to the people in every village in the State. Officials of all levels and public representatives should be the participants.

• Since PV was a Telanganite, journalist, literary figure and hence to commemorate him with words, writers should contribute exclusive articles. Poets should write lyrics for songs. Newspapers should publish special articles.