HYDERABAD: In a fitting tribute to the "son of the soil", Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan unveiled a 28-feet bronze statue of former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao at PV Gyan Bhoomi in Necklace Road in Hyderabad on Monday. The statue was unveiled as part of the closing ceremony of the year-long birth centenary celebrations of the former PM. The Governor also announced that Necklace Road had been renamed PV Marg. The Telangana government officially conducted the former PM's birth centenary celebrations for one year from June 28, 2020.
Addressing a gathering later, the Governor said setting up a statue was a great salute to the son of the soil. PV always respected Opposition parties and chose the then Opposition leader AB Vajpayee to represent the country in the Human Rights Commission meeting in Geneva, the Governor recalled. She said that PV had always respected the ethics, religious pattern and soul of the country.
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said that a seat in the name of the former PM would be established in Kakatiya University. Several state government schemes would be named after PV in future, the Chief Minister said. Rao described PV as a multi-talented personality. PV ushered in several reforms including land reforms. "Setting an example to others, PV also distributed 800 acres of his land to the people," the Chief Minister recalled.
PV's Birth Centenary Committee chairman K Keshava Rao said that a statue of PV would be unveiled in Delhi. PV's statues would also be installed in six districts in the state. PV's photo would be unveiled in the State Legislature. A museum would be set up at PV's Gyan Bhoomi. "We have urged the central government to rename Hyderabad Central University as PV Central University. We have also requested the central government to install a portrait or statue of PV in the Parliament hall," Keshava Rao said.
PV's daughter and TRS MLC S Vani Devi and several ministers were present. The Governor and the Chief Minister also released nine books on the former PM on the occasion.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: "Tributes to former PM Shri PV Narasimha Rao Ji on his 100th birth anniversary. India remembers his extensive contributions to national development. He was blessed with remarkable knowledge and intellect. Sharing what I had spoken about him during #MannKiBaat in June last year".
The official Twitter handle of the Congress party tweeted: "We pay our tributes to former Prime Minister, Shri P V Narasimha Rao. He was a visionary leader who oversaw major economic transformations in the Indian economy and the dismantling of the License Raj. His contributions to the nation will always be remembered".