Former Indian Prime Minister Narasimha Rao expires
Pakistan Times Foreign Desk

NEW DELHI (India): India's ex-Prime Minister and veteran politician P V Narasimha Rao died of cardiac arrest here Thursday afternoon.

Narasimha Rao, 83 was admitted in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the national capital, few weeks ago for multiple and serious illness.

President A P J Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, the Congress President, Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, BJP President L K Advani and several other political leaders have condoled the death of Narasimha Rao.

Parliament adjourned sine die

Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned sine die following the death of former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao. The veteran politician of congress remained Prime Minister of India between 1991-1996.

He was the first Indian premier outside Nehro-Gandhi family to complete his tenure.

Seven-day national mourning

The government has announced a seven-day national mourning to condole the death of former Prime Minister. This was decided at an emergency meeting of the Union Cabinet.

Mourning the death of P V Narasimha Rao, Union Cabinet said he will be remembered for his dedicated service to the nation and the leadership he provided in carrying out economic reforms during his prime ministership.

A condolence resolution adopted by the Cabinet described Rao as a "statesman, scholar and linguist" and said throughout his long public life he constantly strove for the betterment of the common man. The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Manmohan Singh

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has expressed deep grief over the death of P V Narasimha Rao whom he hailed as an "elder statesman, a unique phenomenon in Indian politics and father of economic reforms in India".

"Raoji was a true patriot, a nationalist to the core, a visionary, a builder, a reformer and, without doubt, a statesman," Singh said in a condolence message saying the former Prime Minister's death was a "personal loss for me".

Sonia Gandhi

Congress President Ms Sonia Gandhi said the country lost a veteran parliamentarian by the death of former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao, who played a long and industrious innings in politics, first in Andhra Pradesh and later at the national level.

In a condolence message to Rao's immediate family, Gandhi said that his rich contribution both as Prime Minister and Congress President would always be remembered. Rao served as a member of the Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi Governments before taking over as Prime Minister after Rajiv Gandhi's assassination, she added.

Natwar Singh

External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh in a condolence statement that the country lost a statesman, respected all over the world, and the Congress party a veteran leader, whose wisdom and sagacity were well known.

"I have learnt with profound sorrow of the untimely demise of Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao, former Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister of India. In his passing away, the country has lost a statesman, respected all over the world, and the Congress Party a veteran leader, whose wisdom and sagacity were well known", he added.

Atal Behari Vajpayee

Rao had personal admirers in all the parties including former Hindu nationalist prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

"He was a freedom fighter, a writer and a learned man," Vajpayee said.

During his tenure, Rao presided over the worst-ever performance by the Congress in the 1996 parliamentary elections, paving the way for the rise of the BJP or Indian People's Party.

Sketch

The 83-year-old Pamulaparti Venkata Narasimha Rao, "P.V." to his friends took the reins of office of Prime Minister at a time of severe national crisis, both political and economic, and guided India’s relations with the world at a time of extraordinary turbulence and change internationally.

Rao was a surprise choice as prime minister after the assassination of former premier Rajiv Gandhi in May 1991 by suspected members of the Sri Lankan Tamil Tiger rebels.

The Insider

Rao stepped down after the defeat and wrote a novel based on his own life called "The Insider".

Born on June 28, 1921 in Andhra Pradesh state, Rao joined the freedom movement and plunged into politics in the 1950s after studying law. He was elected to the state assembly of Andhra Pradesh in 1957 on the Congress slate.

A law and science graduate, fluent in French and Spanish as well as several Indian languages, he became Andhra Pradesh chief minister in 1971. Indira Gandhi appointed him Congress general secretary in 1974, a post he held for three years.

Narasimha Rao was elected to the federal parliament in 1977 and held several cabinet posts, including foreign minister under both former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and her son Rajiv.

President, PM condole death of Narasimha Rao

President of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz have expressed their sorrow overthe passing away of former Indian Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao.

In their separate condolences messages, they said Rao will be remembered for his endeavours towards improvement of relations between Pakistan and India.

They said, he was a distinguished writer and the people of India will miss him for his rich legacy.

United States Reax

Condoling the death of former Indian prime minister Narasimha Rao, the UNited States Thursday said Rao was instrumental in efforts to inaugurate a new era of closer relationsbetween the United States and India following the end of the Cold
War.

In a statement, Deputy Spokesman of the State Department said "we learned with sadness of the death of Narasimha Rao, Prime Minister of India from 1991-96."

Adam Ereli said "Mr. Rao was an important figure in the history of modern India, inaugurating major economic reforms that have stimulated growth and prosperity throughout the country."

"He was also instrumental in efforts to inaugurate a new era of closer relations between the United States and India following the end of the Cold War," he said, adding: "Today, India and the United States continue to build on his legacy."

"We extend our sincere condolences to Mr. Rao's family, and to the people of India," the statement added.●