Triple Stream

TRIPLE STREAM
P.V. – A Unique Human Being

When Shri P. V. Narasimha Rao assumed the reins of office in 1991 as Prime Minister of India in extraordinary circumstances, sour sacks and doomsters prophesied that the minority government would not last even for six months. It was a miracle of miracles when he successfully steered the ship of state for the full term of five years by means of his strategic thinking and political acumen. He brought unusual talents to the management of power. At a time when Congress was in distress and doldrums being unable to face the united opposition, he gave it a face lift and a boost to its bruised morale. The way he dealt with the Speaker’s election and the election of the President and the Vice-President is a proof of his diplomatic prowess. All attempts to dislodge his government were defeated.

P.V. realised that it was time to think outside the quasi socialism’s tattered box. He was the morning star of economic reforms. India marched ahead under his dedicated leadership at a critical time in its history. His major achievements include a paradigm change in the economic policy, devolution of power to the people by making the Panchayat Raj and Nagarpalika Schemes as Law, ending decade-long insurgency and restoration of peace in the troubled states of Punjab and Assam, weaponisation and “operationalisation” of the nuclear policy, his initiatives on China, remarkable increase in the public stocks of food grains and above all the fabulous economic growth.

In 1991 our economy had sunk to the lowest level of 1.96, within one year it soared to 4.31 and soon rocketed to 5.7. Unimaginable acceleration indeed! The country which collapsed into economic morass made a spectacular recovery thanks to P.V’s bold and risk-taking reversal of the old economic policy and ushering in of the new-age reforms of liberalisation, globalisation and deregulation. Besides, he had to deal with a polity left divided by the politics of Mandal and Mandir. 18.36 metric tonnes of gold worth Rs. 2,208 crore rupees sold by the previous government was repurchased and brought . A further 46.91 tonnes of R.B.I’s gold mortgaged by the previous government in dire distress, was brought . What more could be done by a patriotic Prime Minister to rehabilitate the country in economic growth and restore the country’s pride and prestige in the comity of nations? Foreign Exchange reserves rose to an all-time record. Manufacturing sector and capital goods sector grew at an unprecedented rate. The succeeding Governments have followed the economic policy of liberalisation and globalisation which was pioneered by P.V. His choice of Manmohan Singh as Finance Minister was itself evidence of his leadership qualities in finding the right man for the right job.

P.V. was a seasoned administrator, an eminent educationist, a far-sighted statesman, a multi-lingual scholar, an outstanding writer, a connoisseur of fine arts, a persuasive public speaker and above all a unique human being. He was an ardent patriot, a staunch Gandhian and a champion of land reforms. His consensual style, facade of detachment, unflustered nature, calculated adoption of ‘inaction’ and the art of salutary delay in decision making were his well known techniques in management. Though he was an effective public speaker, he spoke less and listened more. He was a visionary with a passion for literature. Like Jawaharlal he gave to Indian politics a touch of Philosophy. He had the foresight to upgrade India’s diplomatic representation in Israel to full level of Ambassador. He was deeply interested in the fields of science and technology with world-wide proficiency in the use of computers.

Above all he was a STITHAPRAJNA, a title conferred on him at a mammoth public meeting in the presence of the three Chief Ministers of Maharastra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh in connection with the centenary celebrations of Swami Ramanand Tirth at Hyderabad.

Like the famed Duke of Wellington “he stood four square to all the winds that blew, and sought but duty’s iron crown” and proved that “the path of duty is the way to glory”. In the words of Sir Walter Scott:

“Now is the stately column broke
The beacon light is quenched in smoke
The trumpet’s silver sound is still
The Warden silent on the hill.”