NEW DELHI, DEC. 23. The former Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao, died today at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences here. He was 83. He leaves three sons and five daughters.
Mr. Rao had been hospitalised since December 10 last following cardiac and respiratory problems. He needed repeated resuscitation and was in the intensive care unit. His condition was stable this morning but later he suffered a cardiac arrest from which he could not recover.
The end came at 2.10 p.m. and his youngest son, P.V. Prabhakara Rao, and other family members were present at his bedside.
The Central Government has announced a seven-day national mourning and the Union Cabinet, which met in the afternoon, recorded Mr. Rao's "dedicated services to the nation" and the "leadership he provided in carrying out the economic reforms." The condolence resolution passed by the Cabinet, presided over by the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, said that Mr. Rao was a "statesmen, scholar and linguist" who strove to improve the condition of the common man.
Hailing from Karimnagar district of Andhra Pradesh, Mr. Rao was the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh from 1971 to 1973. When he became the Prime Minister in 1991 he was affectionately called "Telugu bidda," the Telugu son who had done his State proud.
News of the death swept through Parliament, which was in session — it was the last day of the winter session. In the Lok Sabha, the Leader of the House, Pranab Mukherjee, announced it while in the Rajya Sabha the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Suresh Pachauri, made the announcement. The Speaker, Somnath Chatterjee, said the House had lost a former member and former Prime Minister who was an elder statesman. In both Houses, members stood up to observe a two-minute silence before Parliament was adjourned sine die and the valedictory speeches were done away with.
The Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, and the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, were among the first to pay their respects to the departed leader when the body was brought to Mr. Rao's residence at Motilal Marg at 5 p.m. Earlier Dr. Singh said that Mr. Rao was like "a father figure to me whom I could turn to when in doubt." Ms. Gandhi said: "His contribution at the State and national level will be remembered for generations to come. We shall miss his wise counsel. We have lost a valuable senior colleague."
The former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, said Mr. Rao's death had brought an end to an era. He said that many had called him a "Chanakya." He was a statesman, a freedom fighter, a writer, and an intellectual who had left an indelible imprint on the nation.
The Congress Working Committee met at the AICC headquarters late in the evening to join the nation in paying tributes to its former president. In a five-paragraph resolution, it said that Mr. Rao would be remembered for consolidating economic reforms in the early 1990s.
Mr. Rao's residence received a steady stream of personal friends, VIPs, Members of Parliament and others who came to offer their respects. While the former Prime Minister, Chandra Shekhar, went to the AIIMS, Mr. Vajpayee, the Leader of the Opposition, L.K. Advani, the Defence Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, the Janata Dal (United) leader, Sharad Yadav, Cabinet Ministers and politicians from different parties were at the residence to pay their respects.
Politicians from across the political spectrum paid glowing tributes to the scholar-statesman who steered the country at a difficult time. They said that he stabilised the country's economy and initiated the economic reforms; he ended the black days of terrorism in Punjab; in Kashmir, he revived the stalled political process that led to the holding of Assembly elections soon after his five-year tenure as Prime Minister from 1991 to 1996 came to an end.
Mr. Rao, who led the first minority government at the Centre, was the first Prime Minister from the south. He emerged as a surprise choice of the Congress for Prime Minister after the 1991 elections during which Rajiv Gandhi, then Congress president, was assassinated.
Mr. Rao had, in fact, packed his bags and left New Delhi to retire, as he was not a candidate in the 1991 elections. But he came back to become the PM. In the early days after he assumed office even the main opposition party, the BJP, hailed him as the "best Prime Minister" the country had had.
However, towards the end of his term he lost the goodwill — the Jain hawala case made him many enemies within the Congress and outside in other parties as many big political leaders were caught in that scandal. And, perhaps, as many saw it, his biggest political mistake was that the Babri Masjid was demolished on December 6, 1992 when he was Prime Minister.
For this the Congress paid a heavy price and he could not win the electoral battle in 1996, leading to the formation of the United Front Government supported by the Congress from outside.
The President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the Vice-President, Bhairon Singh Shekawat, the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, the former Prime Ministers, A.B.Vajpayee, V.P. Singh and Chandra Shekhar, the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, and a host of leaders cutting across party lines condoled the death of the former Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao, here this afternoon. The Union Cabinet also held a special condolence meeting.
In a condolence message to Mr. Rao's son, P.V. Ranga Rao, Mr. Kalam said: "Shri Narasimha Rao was a multi-faceted personality, a statesman and a leader who contributed to the nation in various capacities during his long and distinguished political career. He was a scholar and a linguist and a distinguished parliamentarian. He has made significant contribution to the Indian polity as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Cabinet Minister in various Ministries and as the Prime Minister of India from 1991-96. He will always be remembered for initiating economic reforms in the country during his tenure as the Prime Minister. In his death, we have lost a great leader. I pay my respectful homage to this great son of India."
The Vice-President in a message to Rajeswar Rao, Mr. Rao's another son, said he was an undaunted freedom fighter and a mass leader, who always worked for the welfare and uplift of the weak and the deprived sections of society. "As a chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Union Minister and Prime Minister of the country, he served the people with utmost dedication. He was also a great linguist, scholar par excellence, writer, thinker and a reformist. He will always be remembered for his services to the nation.
"I have very fond and respectful memories of his affection and regards towards me. It is indeed a personal loss to me. In his death, the country has lost a stalwart and it will be difficult to fill the void caused by his sad demise''.
A special meeting of the Union Cabinet adopted a resolution expressing its deep sorrow over the demise of Mr. Rao and recording the appreciation of the country for his dedicated service towards the betterment of the common man and for the leadership and guidance he provided as Prime Minister in economic reforms and liberalisation.
Describing him as a statesman, scholar and linguist, the resolution said a man of many interests Mr. Rao leaves his imprint in various areas of our national life. "His sensitivity and love for music and the arts marked him as an exceptional human being. Possessed of an ideal political temperament, Rao's wisdom and detachment impressed one and all."
The resolution also recalled that he had a special interest in Indian philosophy and culture, writing fiction and political commentary, learning languages, writing poetry in Telugu and Hindi and keeping abreast of literature in general. "He was a sophisticated, suave, scholarly and visionary leader."
Tracing the career of Mr. Rao, the resolution said his political baptism began in 1938 during a protest against the Nizam Government's ban on singing of "Vande Mataram" in his college and recalled how he actively participated in the Quit India movement. "Throughout his long public life, he constantly strove for the betterment of the common man," it said.
The Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, in a separate statement, said the passing away of Rao was a personal loss for him. "I sincerely valued his guidance, his advice, his support and his friendship. He was generous to a fault in extending each of these to me with grace and affection''.
Mr. Rao, he said, was a true patriot, a nationalist to the core, a visionary, a builder, a reformer and without doubt a statesman. "Our country was fortunate that a time when it was gripped by great national sorrow and a grave tragedy, on the one hand, and a serious economic crisis, on the other, it was able to reach out to an elder statesman like Shri Rao and place the destiny of the nation in his hands. He will forever be remembered as the father of economic reforms in India. I could do whatever I was able to as the Finance Minister (at that time) because of his unstinted support and cooperation''.
Describing Rao as an ``unique phenomenon in Indian politics'', he also noted that apart from Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru there had been only few others in political life, who were so well read. "He [Rao] was a man of letters, a poly-linguist and a writer. I join the nation in paying tributes to his departed soul."
Former Prime Minister, V.P.Singh, said Mr. Rao was one of the eminent leaders of the country. He was a great scholar, a multi-linguist and an expert on foreign policy and diplomacy. He provided special impetus to the policy of economic liberalisation.
A calm but serious person, he with a quite poise tolerated bitterest of his critics. In his death, the country has lost yet another link with the era of independence movement, Mr. Singh said.
The former Prime Minister, Chandra Shekhar, said with the demise of Mr. Rao, one more stalwart of the freedom movement has fallen. "A man of letters, sober and gentle in speech and thought, Narasimha Rao guided the destiny of the nation at a crucial period. During his tenure, he took many decisions, which helped the country march towards its pre-determined goals."
The BJP leader and former Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, said Mr. Rao was a successful External Affairs Minister, raising the profile of the country in the world. Describing him as the father of economic reforms, Mr. Vajpayee said though he was part of a political party, he worked as the leader for the entire nation. His life had been a struggle for the welfare of the country till his last.
The Congress president, Sonia Gandhi said, "P.V.Narasimha Raoji was one of our tallest political leaders" and recalled that Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi had sought his counsel on a variety of issues. "He was erudite, multi-lingual to an unusual degree, a politician of rare intellect."
Noting that he was "one of our senior-most and valued colleagues," Ms. Gandhi said his name would be forever linked with the economic reforms programme, which he initiated in 1991 when, soon after the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, he became Prime Minister.
The RSS chief, K.S. Sudarshan, recalled that despite ideological differences, several Sangh leaders enjoyed good rapport with him. "While the differences were very deep, neither the Sangh leaders nor he ever allowed them to create any ill-will. In the Indian politics today, very few politicians match his stature and scholarship. He (has) left an indelible imprint on the Indian polity. We pay him our respectful homage and pray to God that his departed soul be accorded a respectful place in His abode."
Mr. Sudarshan also recalled that Rao ran the affairs of the country as Prime Minister with great wisdom and experience at a time of great tumult and instability, which, he said, earned him the sobriquet of "Chanakya" of Indian politics.
The Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman, K. Rahman Khan, the Union Agriculture Minister and Nationalist Congress Party leader, Sharad Pawar, the External Affairs Minister, Natwar Singh, the Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram, the Railway Minister and RJD leader, Lalu Prasad, the Minister of State for Coal and Mines, Dasari Narayana Rao, and the Minister of State for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, K.H. Muniyappa, paid rich tributes to Rao.
The general secretary of Communist Party of India (Marxist), Harkishan Singh Surjeet, said: "In the passing away of Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao, the country has lost a senior leader, who was the Prime Minister and who began his political life as a freedom fighter. As a leader of the Congress party, Shri Narasimha Rao had held various public positions as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and in the Union Cabinet. I convey my sincere condolences to the members of his family."
The central secretariat of the Communist Party of India expressed its sorrow at the passing away of Mr. Rao and conveyed its condolences to the members of his family. In a statement, it said, "his five years term as Prime Minister was full of events and controversies."
The Parliamentary Party of the Telugu Desam met under the chairmanship of K. Yerran Naidu and expressed shock at the demise of "the first Prime Minister from Andhra Pradesh." "He has taken the country to a new direction by bring out economic reforms in the country. By his death, the national has lost an able leader." The meeting observed two minutes silence in his memory.