P. V. Narasimha Rao పి.వి. నరసింహారావు
Prime Minister of India (1991–1996) · (1921 – 2004)
P. V. Narasimha Rao (1921–2004)
Pamulaparti Venkata Narasimha Rao served as the 9th Prime Minister of India from 1991 to 1996. He is widely regarded as the architect of India's economic liberalisation — the 1991 reforms that opened the Indian economy and set the foundation for modern India's growth.
Telangana Roots
Born in Laknepally village, Narsampet (now Warangal district), Narasimha Rao grew up in the Hyderabad State under Nizam rule. He was part of the Hyderabad State Congress movement that joined the Indian Union in 1948.
Early Career
He served as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh (1971–1973) and in multiple Union cabinet portfolios including Home, Defence, and External Affairs.
Economic Reforms
Facing a balance-of-payments crisis in 1991, Rao — along with Finance Minister Manmohan Singh — implemented sweeping liberalisation: dismantling the License Raj, opening to foreign investment, and reducing trade barriers. The reforms transformed India's economy.
Legacy
Narasimha Rao was conferred the Bharat Ratna posthumously in 2024. The PV Narasimha Rao Telangana State South India Cultural Centre in Hyderabad is a significant memorial.