“NARASIMHA SUTRA - SAGA of the Prime Minister, P V NARASIMHA RAO, the ‘Father of ReSurgent INDIA’

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

PROF A GOPALAKRISHNAN IYER Author of Acclaimed BioGraphies 'ATAL SHASTRA - On PM ATAL BIHARI VAJPYEE ji' & 'HYDROguru YOGENDRA PRASAD" & Path-Breaking books Powering-in-Crisis, INDIA BRANDished & BHUTAN BRANDished



SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

Released on the Occasion of ‘75th - Diamond Jubilee Anniversary of INDIA’s FREEDOM’ and 101st Birth Anniversary of Prime Minister of INDIA, Shri P V Narasimha Rao

Born : 28 June 1921 Laknepally Village, Warangal Died : 23 December 2004, New Delhi


SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

Copyright© 2022 - Author : Prof. A Gopalakrishnan Iyer ; MARKENOMY Foundation & Falcon Media 218, Gopi Cine Mall, Nana Shankar Seth Road, Dombivli (West) - 421 202, District Thane, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA. Email : profagiyer@gmail.com / markenomyfoundation@gmail.com Book BioGraphy - “NARASIMHA SUTRA - SAGA of the Prime Minister, P V NARASIMHA RAO, the Father of ReSurgent INDIA - A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)” **Exclusive Imprint Circa 2022 - Print & Digital This Book BioGraphy is presented subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise be lent, sold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the Publisher's prior written consent in any form of binding or cover than that in which it is published and without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above. No part of this Publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the Publisher (other than those digital sourced in Original PDFs from Author / Publishers). The information contained in this Book has been solely provided by the Author and due care has been taken to ensure that the same is correct. This comes from the Author's Professional, Personal and Lifetime Study and Understanding of the Great Legendary 9th Prime Minister of INDIA, Shri Pamulaparthi Venkata Narasimha Rao. The Exclusive Print and Digital Imprint 2022 is Published by : Falcon Media for MARKENOMY Foundation “MARKENOMY Foundation”, an INDIA based “International Economic Think Tank & Policy Advocacy Group” on Global Economy with lead focus on INDIA, South Asia and Asia as such aiming at the Economic shift of GDP of Nations towards the 21st Century now being labelled the “Asian Century” and its Of icial Publication, “MARKENOMY Journal for Sustainable Economy & Infrastructure”. 'MARKENOMY Foundation' is committed to working towards a New World Order with a view to bring 'Economic Equality' and 'Equity Equilibrium' amongst the “Comity of Nations Worldwide”, to achieve a mega-shift and transition from the idea of Classical GDP & GNP based evaluation of “National Economies” and thereafter “Global Economies” to a more holistic proposition of “GNHH - Gross National Harmony and Happiness” of the Global Citizens (adapted and inspired from the BHUTAN Model of GNH). This Book initiative is also supported by NDIM (New Delhi Institute of Management) via the Good Of ices of its Chairman, Vishwa Mohan Bansal. NDIM, established in 1992, is the 1st and the only PGDM-MBA School declared as Mentor B-school of India; and the only B-school continuously declared Best in India 3 years in a row for “Industry Linkages” and under 19 other parameters across the country.

This Book Publishing is assisted by : Ÿ

R Thiagarajan Iyer, Hon. Secretary General, MARKENOMY Foundation & Editorial Director, MARKENOMY journal

Ÿ

Stef i Iyer, Director & Dy. Secretary General, MARKENOMY Foundation & Executive Editor & Project Director, MARKENOMY journal

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

P V Narasimha Rao, then External Affairs Minister, with 4th DRUK Gyalpo / King of BHUTAN together with President Neelam Sanjiva Reddy and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi

3 PMs in the Frame P V Narasimha Rao, Atal Bihari Vajpayee & Dr. I K Gujral

P V Narasimha Rao with President Giani Zail Sing and Sonia Gandhi

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

P V Narasimha Rao in the background as Prime Minister Indira Gandhi addresses and Rajiv Gandhi in the frame at AICC Session

P V Narasimha Rao with US President George H W Bush

P V Narasimha Rao with Young Hilary Clinton

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao given Guard of Honour in then USSR

P V Narasimha Rao with German Chancellor Helmut Kohl

P V Narasimha Rao with Dr. Manmohan Singh

P V Narasimha Rao addressing a Public Rally

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

INDEX

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About the Book BioGraphy Copyright Page P V Narasimha Rao – Glimpses from his ERA

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About the Author

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Foreword : N Murugesan, Former Director General, CPRI

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Prelude : Ajay Mishra, IAS (Retd.), Former Special Chief Secretary, Department of ENERGY, Government of TELANGANA

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Special Tribute-1 : R N Khazanchi, Hon. DRUK Thuksey & Presidential Awardee, PRAVASI BHARTIYA & Chairman, Panel of Experts, Shongtong Karcham Hydroelectric Project, Himachal Pradesh

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Special Tribute-2 : P V S N Murty, Independent Consultant & Advisor ; Former VP, VOITH Hydro

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Chapter 1 - Author’s First Connect with the Great Leader, P V Narasimha Rao

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Chapter 2 - Early Life and Times of the Legend

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Chapter 3 - The Political Rise

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Chapter 4 - P V Narasimha Rao and the INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS – His Special Relationship with Indira Gandhi and later Rajiv Gandhi

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Chapter 5 - P V Narasimha Roa – The Champion of INDIA’s Development cause – Water Resources, Power and Infrastructure

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Chapter 6 - The Unprecedented Economic Crisis of INDIA – Circa 1991

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Chapter 7 - 1991 – 1996 – The Extra Ordinary Prime Minister – Father of ReSurgent INDIA

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Chapter 8 - P V Narasimha Rao and Atal Bihari Vajpayee – The Septuagenarian Duo and their Strategy of COPE

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Chapter 9 - P V Narasimha Rao - The Phenomenal Statesman Politician

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Chapter 10 - The Legacy – An Unmatchable Scholar and Linguist

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Chapter 11 - P V Narasimha Rao - Relevance of a Visionary in 21st Century - INDIA and World Order

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

P V Narasimha Rao and Atal Bihari Vajpayee (INDIA’s 2 Best Prime Ministers)

P V Narasimha Rao - Initiator and Originator of the POKHRAN 2 Nuclear Test

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

AUTHOR PROFILE Prof. A. GOPALAKRISHNAN IYER Prof. A. G. Iyer (DoB – 24th December 1968), has more than 3 Decades of Rich and Wide Experience and had led MAN B&W (joint company of Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nürnberg, Inventor Rudolf Diesels Venture & Burmeister & Wain, Scandinavian Shipbuilding Contractors and 2 Stroke Engine Licensees of MAN) heading their INDIA Business in Power Generation. His experience spans Industry, Power Sector, Media, Strategic Management, Academic, Publishing & Consulting. His columns on Power Sector in the Indian Express B2B media between 1995-2000 generated enormous debate amongst government and Industry Professionals. He has also been instrumental for more than 4,000 MW of Market Upheaval in Captive Power during the period 1996 – 2001 which is the World Record for establishment of 'Decentralized and Distributed Power' anywhere in the World and also GRID Integration (Synchronous / Parallel Operation with the GRID) of these Captive Power Plants. The First Independent Power Plant (IPP) of the Country (LVS Power) was also established under the aegis of Prof. A G Iyer as the Chief of MAN B&W – Augsburg, GERMANY – in INDIA, as well as the Model PPA (Power Purchase Agreement) for the same which became the benchmark for all PPAs in INDIA. It is pertinent to mention here that the First Captive Power Plant in Industry in INDIA was also established for Standard Alkalies (then MAFATLAL Group), ThaneBelapur, Mumbai, MAHARASHTRA, for Caustic Soda Production in the year 1996 – 97 which also happened under the leadership of Prof. A G Iyer, which rolled off several Captive Power Plants in INDIA. He was instrumental in establishing the Captive Power Plants for other Leading Groups as well like JINDAL Steel, Hissar, HARYANA ; ISPAT Group (MITTALs), WEST BENGAL and ODISHA ; FACOR Group (Ferro Alloys Corporation – Balasore Alloys), ODISHA ; L&T – Ultratech Cement (now ADITYA BIRLA Group), Tadpatri, ANDHRA PRADESH ; Gujarat Ambuja Cement (MODI Cement – Takeover), Rawan, near Raipur, CHHATTISGARH (then MADHYA PRADESH) ; JINDAL Steel Strips, Vasind, MAHARASHTRA ; Sree Rayalaseema Alkalies, Kurnool, ANDHRA PRADESH ; YELAHANKA Power Station, near Bengaluru, KARNATAKA (Subsidiary SEMT Pielstick Design) – Standalone State Grid integrated 125 MW capacity Power Plant for the city of Bengaluru ; Kirloskar

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

Ferrous Industries Limited, Solapur, MAHARASHTRA (SEMT Pielstick – Kirloskar Design) ; Saurashtra Cements Limited (JAY MEHTA Group), Verawal, GUJARAT and many more. Prof. A G Iyer has also been responsible for the push for INDIA to Double its initial NSM (National Solar Mission) Targets from 20 GW to around 50 GW+ as on date. He is the proponent of the twin Climate Missions, PACE (Positive Action for Climate Equity) and PACT (Positive Action for Climate Transformation) which is adopted as the Core Theme of REPA for 'Climate Change Mitigation and Af irmative Action' for Nations to combat and reduce dependence on FOSSIL FUELS. His Report as the President, REPA, and ENERTIA Foundation, titled “RUSM (Rashtriya Urja Sourya Mission) – National Energy Solar Mission (NESM) for 100 GW Solar by 2022” was adopted by the MNRE (Ministry of New & Renewable Energy), Government of INDIA, in August 2014 after it was First released in Gujarat in April 2013. The said target has been advocated to be expanded to '400 GW SOLAR by 2027' under RUSM and under his Presidentship at REPA. Prof. Iyer is INDIA's Topmost Technomist ; Engineering, Government Policy & Public Management Strategist. He carries with passion a brand new vision for a futuristic model of the global economy with a key role for India in the new Political Economy. His 2016 authored (Digital Edition 2017 and Updated in 2019), Path Breaking Biography “ATAL SHASTRA - Saga of “Suvarna-Shree, SarvaPriya, BHARAT RATNA ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE” - INDIA's Best Prime Minister, Tallest Parliamentarian Ever and A Champion of Liberalism & Pluralism”; Co-author, Late Brother, Shri A. Prakash Iyer has made waves in the Political & Economic circles and this book-treatise on late PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee is considered amongst the Best readings on the Former Prime Minister of India and his model of “Inclusive Growth based Development Economics”, which the other path-breaking book “INDIA BRANDished - SuperPowering BRAND INDIA 2022” (First Published in 2003 & 4th Uprated Edition – 2015 – Digital Version 2017) describes as COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy), a contemporary work to Late President of INDIA, Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam's INDIA 2020. The Concept of RELSII (Remote Location of Strategic Infrastructure and Industry) espoused by Authors in INDIA BRANDished was furthering of Dr. Kalam's PURA (Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas), thereby RELSII leading to Advocacy of Rural Infra for Inclusive Growth & Rurbanisation.

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

The Concept of Inclusive Growth itself emerged from the larger idea “Investment for Inclusion (I2)” advocated in INDIA BRANDished, another key concept of the several was AGM (Androgynous Growth Model) espousing Gender equality in terms of participation and contribution to GDP and Political Economy. His next book “POWERING in CRISIS” - A Strategic Direction for India's Energy Security, Energy Sustainability & Power Access for All by 2022 (First Edition 2005 & Revised Updated 2015 – Digital Version 2017) has been appreciated by Planners & Energy Sector Professionals as a commendable work on Energy and Power Sector, Strategy and Energy Security + Sustainability. His latest Authored path-breaking International Treatise and Work Titled “BHUTAN BRANDished - SAGA of 21st Century KINGDOM DEMOCRACY & GNH Economy” was released on 11th November 2019 at the Royal University of BHUTAN on the 64 th Birth Anniversary of His Majesty, JIGME SINGYE WANGCHUK, 4th DRUK GYALPO (4th KING) at Thimphu, BHUTAN. His Media Entrepreneurship and Specialized Trade Domain Publications covering Renewable Energy, Power, Water Resources, Infrastructure, Economy, Defence and PSE issues subsequently made waves in Indian & Overseas Market. He has to his credit creating Power & Energy sector, Infrastructure Media Brands, as a founding igure and Chief strategist of “ENERTIA” & “MARKENOMY” under the aegis of 'FALCON MEDIA'. He also founded INDIA's First YouTube based Online Media Interface covering Infrastructure, Renewable Energy, Power, Oil & Gas, Defence, Aviation, Public Sector Enterprises and Economy-at-large titled “ENFRAtv”. He also launched his exclusive 'ENFRA SHOW' covering 'Economy, Nation, Federalism, Renewable and Androgynous” Growth model. The Holding Entity, ENERTIA ENFRAMedia Pvt. Ltd. (EEPL) has also ventured to publish DEFENCE & MARINE BIZ (D&M Biz). While the PSE (Public Sector Enterprise) journal comes through Women's CSR Enterprise initiative, MARS Media Enterprise. Further, he has established under the aegis of 'DEFENCE & Marine' Biz the INDIA DEFENCE TECH Conclave (IDT) – INDIA's irst ever Defence Think Tank (IDTT)

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

for “TOOTH TO TAIL PREPAREDNESS” for Deterrence and 'Make-in-INDIA' for DEFENCE and has advocated more than doubling the Indian Defence Budget to US $ 120 Billion (from US $ 60 Billion) and to sustain the same with annual increments to invest US $ 400 – 500 Billion by 2027 in the INDIAN Defence Economy. He has also recently championed the cause of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) as a thought Leader in this direction and promoting the 'Circular Economy' under the SDG (Sustainable Development Goals), now critical for both Nations and Enterprises. In this direction, in his Presidentship of REPA and its BioEnergy Forum of INDIA (BEFI), the WHITE PAPER titled “SATAT +” is a game changer that envisages / advocates development of 10,000 CBG (Compressed BioGas) / Bio-CNG Projects in Rural / Semi-Urban INDIA using Agro (Sugar Cane Press Mud, Parali, Rice Husk, Oil Seed residue, etc.) Waste + Animal Husbandry (Cow / OX / Buffalo / Any Bovine Dung) Waste in standalone and / or hybrid modes where a 5 tpd to 7 tpd plants of CBG / Bio-CNG Production needs 250 tpd of raw material input from Agro and / or Animal Husbandry waste (150 tpd Agro Cane Sugar Press Mud + 100 tpd Cow / Buffalo Dung). After production of CBG, the residue slurry cum waste is a “High Grade Organic Fertilizer” thereby making it a double whammy highly commercially viable project transforming the Rural Economy under his theme RELSII. The 10,000 Projects / Plants have a US $ 50 Billion (Rs. 3 Lac Crores) CAPEX opportunity and delivering 3,00,000 Plants for our 5,97,000 villages in INDIA is a US $ 1.5 – 2 Trillion opportunity. This WHITE PAPER, “SATAT +” was presented to then Secretary, MoPNG (Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas), Government of INDIA, Shri Tarun Kapoor, and Nodal Of icer at IOCL, General Manager, Shri Shantanu Gupta. Representations have been made simultaneously in March 2022 to Hon'ble Shri Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road, Transport & Highways (MoRTH) ; Shri Hardeep Puri, Hon'ble Minister, MoPNG ; Shri R K Singh, Hon'ble Minister for Power, New & Renewable Energy (MoPNRE) and Shri Giriraj Singh, Hon'ble Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj. SATAT+ will revolutionize by absorbing Agro and Animal Husbandry Waste into the Circular Economy while at the same time providing source of precious income and employment to the Farm Sector and Small Towns while extending the life cycle of ICE (Internal Combustion Engines) based automotives. This is far bigger than the Hydrogen and the EV (Electric Vehicle) economy as production of Bio-methane

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

itself has potential spin-off towards Hydrogen production and also Hydrogen Fuel Cell based EVs (HFCEV). This Prof. Iyer de ines as “RE Mobility” i.e. 'Renewable Energy powered Mobility', a pioneering philosophy in adoption of Renewable Energy in the Transport Sector to power Road, Rail, Marine and Airways Mobility. He has also founded Non-Pro it Organizations contributing Intellectual Think Tank Advocacy to Indian & Global Economy at Large, covering various sectors like Renewable Energy, Power, Water Resources, Infrastructure, Oil & Gas, Natural & Earth Resources, Defence, Mining & Minerals, SMEs (Small & Medium Enterprises), Tourism etc. He is thereof the Founder President of the entities ENERTIA Foundation; REPA (Renewable Energy Promotion Association); MARKENOMY Foundation and ASMEI (Alliance for SME's of India). He has been the Youngest Visiting and Adjunct Professor of Management at the age of 27 years and has taught at Leading Management Institutions in Western India for more than 2 decades in the domains of “International Business (IB); International Marketing (IM); Strategic Management (SM); Business Economics & Trade Environment ; Branding & Brand Management” etc. In addition to his media responsibilities across Falcon Media Group & Advisory activities via Falcon Strategic Advisories INDIA (FSAI), along with the nonpro it movement via Renewable Energy & Climate Equity at REPA & the rest, he is also the Hon. Associate Dean & Professor of Global Business Environment, Government & Public Policy, NDIM (New Delhi Institute of Management) and has recently established REPA – NDIM Centre of Excellence in Renewable Energy in Alliance with this top MBA Institution of the country that has been adjudicated as the No. 1 Industry Oriented B-School in the Country by the AICTE-CII Survey for 3 Consecutive Years 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20. Prof. A G Iyer in his 3 decades of multi-faceted experience in the Industry has also been closely associated with Indian Pharmaceutical Industry set-up during his stint in the Teaching Profession as Professor for International Marketing – Pharma & Health Care for various Institutions in INDIA. He has also worked closely with Alternative Therapy and Medicine in INDIA under AYURVEDA between the Years 2001 to 2004. During this period the growth of Alternative Medicine in INDIA including the study of Virology and Immunology was the key factor. Prof. Iyer had been closely associated with Study and Research in the area of

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

Natural Immunology using the technique of AYURVEDA which advocates the Human Living and Lifestyle Cohorts on 2 factorials namely RITUCHARYA (Seasonal Routines) and DINCHARYA (Daily Routines). The Human Body according to AYURVEDA works on the principles of VATA, PITTA & KAPHA or a Permutation and Combination of the three. This study and its acceptance was later found in the Preventive Medicine Branch and Immunology via the establishment of the AYUSH Ministry in INDIA by the Government of INDIA. Prof. A G Iyer is INDIA's Pioneering “TECHNOMIST” with wide experience spanning Geo-Strategy, Economic Sustainability, Renewable Energy, Defence & Security, Infrastructure, Healthcare, Education, etc. He Champions the Cause of establishing GNHH (Gross National Harmony & Happiness) towards a New World order for GGHH (Gross Global Harmony & Happiness), an Alternative to pure GDP Models and adapted from GNH (Gross National Happiness) Advocacy & its emergence from BHUTAN. Prof. A G Iyer had started his career with Jyoti Limited, Vadodara, where he was responsible for turning the company around and making it pro itable in its Water Technology Sector Division with break-through Orders in the domain of Cooling Water and Circulating Water Pumping System at Reliance Industries and ESSAR at Hazira, near Surat, GUJARAT. Later, he also delivered the famous Patalganga Lift Irrigation Scheme using State-of-the-Art Thyristor based soft-starting system which revolutionized via “Automation of Industrial Water Supply Systems in INDIA”. The system was supplied to MIDC, Patalganga, in MAHARASHTRA (INDIA's largest GDP contributing State). He was associated with several Water Supply and Lift Irrigation Projects in MAHARASHTRA, many of which have seen the light of the day. He further expanded his repertoire from “LIFT IRRIGATION, WATER SYSTEMS AND WATER RESOURCES” expertise to a very niche area of 'Industrial Cooling Towers' where he brought into INDIA and absorbed the Technology for Multi-Cellular State-of-the-Art 'COUNTER FLOW' Design Cooling Towers via Mihir Industries Limited who represented GEA Polacel (Holland) and GEA Kirchner (Germany). The introduction of these technologies in INDIA saved wide-spread use of Assam Pine Wood in Cooling Tower Industry, thereby saving INDIA's Forests and Environments as later on these designs were expanded to it into concrete based design counterlow FRP (Fibreglass Reinforced Plastic) Pultruded Section Cooling Towers. Later

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

this knowledge and in-depth expertise in Auxiliaries (Pumps & Pumping Systems ; Water Systems ; Cooling Water & Raw Water Circuits and recirculation ; Cooling Towers & Heat Exchangers – Heat Transfer ; Piping and Fluidics and a host of other such sub-system auxiliaries of Power & Water) of the Power Plants enabled him to indigenize Balance of Plant (BoP) for the Captive Power Industry where he established 4,000 MW of capacity as Head of MAN B&W Diesel in INDIA (MAN ES now a VolksWagen Company – originally MAN B&W was founded by Rudolf Diesel, the legendary inventor of the Diesel Engine, when he used vegetable oil – Bio Fuel to power the Tech). He has later championed the cause of Hydropower and Hydro Storage in INDIA and BHUTAN over the last 15 years now and the Government of INDIA has adopted his advocacy of “Hydropower as Renewable” as well as its Water Resources perspective with multi-purpose bene its of Irrigation & Agronomy, Potable and Industrial Water Supply, Flood Control, River Navigation, etc. He advocates exploitation of INDIA's 100 GW of Pumped Storage Capacities and the 250 GW + Hydropower potential of the North East (Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, etc.) and those of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand in the Himalayan Terrain. His constant support to the Narmada Sardar Sarovar Project and advocacy of its strategic economic upheaval for Gujarat's Agriculture was a water shed economic outcome of the Hydroelectric Project. Similarly, he has been championing the cause of Hydropower development in BHUTAN to grow its potential of 30 GW for cross-border trade of Hydro Electricity with INDIA. His perpetual pitch to restart construction and commission the 2000 MW Lower Subansiri Project in Arunachal Pradesh ably supported by HYDROguru Yogendra Prasad resulted in the Government of INDIA restarting construction and completion of this Largest Hydro Energy Project of INDIA poised for commissioning in August 2022. Similarly he is of the view that the Grid being agnostic, BHUTAN has potential to deliver 5 GW of Solar to INDIA in the medium term which will enable BHUTAN's Private Sector MSMEs a great opportunity to integrate with the INDIA Electricity Markets opportunity. Not to mention, he has been championing the cause of bringing BHUTAN's 40 GW of Hydropower of a total 45 GW potential into SARG (South Asian Regional Grid) trading mechanism propelled by INDO-BHUTAN bilateral to bring Energy Security and Sustainability to the Region.

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

His 2nd “Book BioGraphy of ICONIC HYDRO Energy LEGEND of INDIA – HYDROguru YOGENDRA PRASAD” - Father of Modern HYDROPOWER Growth in INDIA was released at NDIM (New Delhi Institute of Management) on his 1st PUNYATITHI / NIRVANA Anniversary, 22nd April 2022 at the ENERTIA Foundation – HyFI (Hydropower Forum of INDIA) '14th HYDRO VISION Conclave 2022'. Prof. A G Iyer, the Founder President of REPA and ENERTIA Foundation also authored the 'HYDRO ENERGY WHITE PAPER - INDIA HYDRO 2032 (Target 200GW)' together with BHUTAN & NEPAL's bilateral development in Hydro which was also released on even date. Prof. Iyer's width of knowledge and expertise extends to Sectors as wide as Energy, Defence, Water, Infrastructure (Ports, Airports, Aviation & related Infra, Urban Infrastructure, Real Estate, etc.), Environmental Technologies, Education, Healthcare etc.

Distinguished Alumnus National Institute of Technology (NIT), Kurukshetra (Formerly Regional Engineering College - REC, Kurukshetra) Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (ME), B. Tech PGMM (Post Graduate in Marketing Management) MIM (Masters in International Marketing) ISO Certified - CMS under RvA (Dutch Accreditation Council), Geneva Conventions via CMSI (Certified Marketing Services Inc. USA) Founder President, REPA (Renewable Energy Promotion Association) & Chairman, WIRE (World Institute for Renewable Energy) – REPA – NDIM Centre of Excellence in Renewable Energy; President, ENERTIA Foundation; MARKENOMY Foundation & ASMEI (Alliance for SMEs of India) Editor-in-Chief & Founder Publisher, ENERTIA, MARKENOMY, Defence & Marine Biz & PSE Journal Hon. Associate Dean & Professor of Global Business Environment, Government & Public Policy, NDIM (New Delhi Institute of Management); Life Member & Distinguished Fellow, Institute of Directors (IOD) Email : profagiyer@gmail.com

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Sequel Release in INDIA of “BHUTAN BRANDished – Saga of 21st Century ‘Kingdom Democracy’ and GNH Economy” on 14th November 2019 at the New Delhi Institute of Management (NDIM), Campus Convention Hall, New Delhi. (Left-to-Right) S K Shukla, Former Director, THDC; Yogendra Prasad, Former CMD, NHPC ; Prof. A G Iyer, Author; V M Bansal, Chairman, NDIM; Tarun Kapoor, then Vice-Chairman, DDA & Former JS, MNRE, GOI ; R N Khazanchi, Hon. DRUK THUKSEY and Presidential Awardee, Pravasi Bhartiya & Col. Mahesh Khera (Retd.)

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"HYDROguru"

YOGENDRA PRASAD Father

of

Modern

HYDROPOWER

Growth

in

INDIA

Book BioGraphy Release – NARASIMHA SUTRA (L to R) – Prof. A G Iyer, Author ; G N MATHUR, Ex Secretary, CBIP (Central Board of Irrigation & Power) ; D P GOYAL, Former Director, Jaiprakash Ventures ; RAJESH KAITHWAS, Chairman & Founder, RUDRA Group ; ARVIND KUMAR MISHRA, Managing Director, MHPA (Mangdechuu Hydroelectric Project Authority), BHUTAN ; SANGEETA SINGH, President, IES (Institute of Economic Studies); S K DHARMADHIKARI, Chairman, Road Tunnels Advisory Committee, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH), Government of INDIA (GoI) ; DR. VISHWA MOHAN BANSAL, Chairman & Founder, NDIM ; RAJIV BHATNAGAR, Executive Director (CSM), BHEL ; S G PARETKAR, Director (Hydro & Underground Works), AFCONS Ltd. (Shapoorji Pallonji Group) ; A B AGRAWAL, Former Chairman, BHAKRA BEAS Management Board & Ex ED, NHPC ; ANUPAM HARI, General Manager (Retail Sales), IOCL & K K GUPTA, Former VP - Larsen & Toubro Limited

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

I felt both honoured and privileged when Prof. Gopalakrishnan Iyer asked me to write about one of the greatest Prime Minister of India Sri P V Narashimha Rao. My acquaintance with Professor came through the magazine “ENERTIA” which landed on my table in 2011. It contained technical information for anyone to read fast and assimilate. The quality of the magazine impressed me and subscribed immediately. He is an 'Engineer Journalist' who gave in-depth analysis of any issue concerning Power. He is too good at writing biography of celebrities especially nation builders. This book is also continuation of his efforts in this direction. I belong to those generation which witnessed tight licenced raj to liberalised economy. I still remember the days I paid premium to buy a scooter and waiting for years, waited almost an year to get a landline telephone etc. During 1980's in our 100 acres, I could see only one Ambassador Mark II car of the CEO and remaining were mostly bi-cycles. Sri Narashimha Rao was the irst Prime Minister from the non-Hindi belt and the irst person from a Southern State of INDIA to adorn the post. India was driven by a mixed economy model based on welfare state policies alone that reduced growth and that remained between 2.5 and 3.5% (on old GDP formula) for most of the period. This was an era of License Raj and skewed investments that had limited impact. He decided to retire from active politics after 1991 and by twists of event made him the 9th Prime Minister of INDIA when the country was passing through its biggest economic crisis ever. Today's Generation may not be aware that it was former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao who brought India back from the brink of bankruptcy and onto a growth path that makes our lives easier. Under Narasimha Rao's guidance, Finance Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, whose non-political lineage caused a lutter when he was appointed by him, took measures to reduce income and corporate tax and remove 'licensing raj' all of which had been stunting the country's economic growth. The result – a dramatic turnaround began to take shape. In lation began to fall, iscal de icit improved, domestic and foreign investments began to spur the economy and balance of payments position improved considerably.

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

By the mid-1990s, India was witnessing a growth rate of 7.5% and began attracting a lot of interest from international investors. When Narasimha Rao became the Prime Minister of India, it had only US $ 1 million in reserves, which was just enough to fund imports for 15 days. India was on the doorstep of a major default on the repayment of US $ 4.5 billion that it had borrowed from the IMF. India was forced to transfer 47 tonnes of gold to IMF as mortgage. He managed to complete the 5- Year tenure and left behind a fundamentally strong nation, a platform on which subsequent governments could build upon. He was credited with the abolition of the post of the Controller of Capital Issues which decided the number of shares irms could issue at what prices, introduction of SEBI Act and Global Depository Receipts (GDRs), starting of National Stock Exchange (NSE), increased FDI limit to 51% , etc. few sectors also permitted 100% foreign equity. During his period, the total foreign investment rose from from US $ 132 million in 1991-92 to US $ 5.3 billion in 1996. He was having a cordial relationship with opposition parties and proved beyond party politics. He appointed two opposition party members, Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Sri Subramanian Swamy to important strategic issues as representative of India in a UN meeting Geneva and a Cabinet rank post as Chairman of the Commission on Labour Standards and International Trade respectively. He was a CHANAKYA, who pushed for the 'Cultivate IRAN / Look East Policy' which reaped rich bene its when PAKISTAN tried to push through a resolution in the UN on the human rights situation in Kashmir and it failed because of opposition by IRAN and other Nations. I congratulate Prof. Gopalakrishnan Iyer for bringing up this Book timely on a forgotten hero of India's economic revival.

N. MURUGESAN Director General (Retd.) Central Power Research Institute (CPRI)

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

Shri P V Narasimha Rao is widely regarded as the 'Father of Indian Economy Reforms'. He was a distinguished Lawyer and later among the most renowned Politicians of INDIA who served as INDIA's 9th Prime Minister from 1991 – 1996. This period is considered to be the toughest period of INDIA's Economy and Narasimha Rao steered the Indian Ship of Future skilfully and deftly avoiding the icebergs that came on the way while the economic storm was on. In fact, he brought INDIA out of the woods towards 'Economic ReSurgence'. The next Prime Ministers namely Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Dr. Manmohan Singh continued on the path of Economic Reforms set on course by P V Narasimha Rao. Rao's politics of progress saw Dr. Manmohan Singh emerge as amongst INDIA's best Finance Ministers ever and later on he went on to become INDIA's Prime Minister. Former President of INDIA, Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam, described Rao as a “Patriotic Stateman who believed that Nation is bigger than the Political System”. Rao's term is the time that INDIA made the paradigm shift from a 'Classical Mixed Economy' to a 'Market Driven Economy'. This came out of the fact that Narasimha Rao was a versatile thinker and amongst the Top Statesman Prime Minister of INDIA. Several times Experts and Critics labelled him as “CHANAKYA” for his 'shrewdness in silence' mostly aimed at inal actions oriented towards National Interests. He was unpredictable to most political commentators of his times who could only analyse his decisions after they were made.

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He was the First Prime Minister of INDIA who demonstrated how to run a 'Coalition Government' and championed the idea that this Book Biography Author has rightly termed as COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy). I congratulate Prof. Iyer from bringing up this unique 'Book Biography – NARASIMHA SUTRA' which I am sure will give new insights into Prime Minister, P V Narasimha Rao's distinctive style of delivering 'Developmental Political Economy'.

AJAY MISHRA, IAS (Retd.) Former Special Chief Secretary Department of ENERGY Government of TELANGANA

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

I recall the day when Prof. A G Iyer mentioned to me about his intention to write this book about Shri P V Narasimha Rao, 9th Prime Minister of INDIA 1991-96. The subject took me down the memory lane dating back to early 1970's and early 1990's. Those were the dif icult times of INDIA's involvement in the liberation of BANGLADESH and that of our Country’s one of the worst economic crisis respectively. A Chief Minister in 1971-72 of undivided ANDHRA PRADESH, a State where people had demanded and agitated for its division for long and a Prime Minister wanting to resolve the economic crisis of our Country in 1991-92, happened to be none other than Shri P V Narasimha Rao, fondly known to his friends as PV. People may be knowing of him as a young Freedom Fighter, a Lawyer, a Politician and a Member of Indian National Congress, Chief Minister of a State and important Cabinet Minister at the Centre till 1991. Some may be knowing that he did not contest the 1991 Lok Sabha Election, as at the age of 70 he had decided to quit politics and retire on health grounds. That would have been end to his dream of carrying out major and path-breaking economic reforms of INDIA. In his capacity First as Chief Minister in HYDERABAD and later as a Cabinet Minister in NEW DELHI PV must have felt the necessity for major economic reforms to achieve higher rate of economic growth. But destiny had something else in store as choice fell on him to lead a minority Government, although a number of aspirant stalwarts of his party were available for taking the top post. Once in of ice the new PM was clear about making a change and irst step taken towards that goal was induction of Dr. Manmohan Singh, an Economist who had been Governor of Reserve Bank of India, as the Finance Minister of INDIA. Through Dr. Manmohan Singh and other experts in the new Government the PM got path-breaking economic reforms worked out as per his vision.

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

The economic reforms were adopted for implementation without losing any time. Shri P V Narasimha Rao is called the “Father of Indian Economic Reforms”. His regime saw the worst crash of Indian Stock Market manipulated by an unscrupulous and scammer stock broker who alleged that he had given donations to the ruling party. Hats off to the master tactician and a remarkably bold decisive person PV held to his ground and completed full term of his minority Government. I recall to have heard a lecture delivered by him in Urdu. I couldn't believe my ears hearing a lowery language in proper accent from a South Indian Hindu. I was aware that our PM knew a number of foreign languages other than English and a good number of Indian languages other than his mother tongue and Hindi. That day I realised that he was genuinely a linguist. I am certain that the book written by Prof. Iyer would be received very well by the readers. I ind in Prof. Iyer, a Serious Researcher and a Bold Author known widely for his works as he always has something different to offer to his readers. He has inspired and attracted Professionals / Experts to participate in healthy discussions on various National & International Issues regularly. I wish best of luck for the success of this latest book authored by Prof. A.G. Iyer.

R N Khazanchi, Hon. DRUK THUKSEY & Presidential Awardee (Pravasi Bharatiya) Chairman, Panel of Experts, Shongtong Karcham Hydroelectric Project, Himachal Pradesh, Formerly Managing Director, Tala (1020 MW) ; Punatsangchhu I (1200 MW) & Punatsangchu II (1020 MW) Hydroelectric Project Authorities, BHUTAN

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

Sri P V Narasimha Rao, former Prime Minister of INDIA, was the only “TELUGU BIDDA” who occupied Top executive position of INDIA from present day Telugu States. It is an honor for me to write a few words about reformer Prime Minister, Sri P V N Rao, as I am also from the Telugu States and a TELUGU BIDDA. The life and times of Sri. P V Narasimha Rao are well documented and well known to all of us. He was a scholar who spoke 17 languages. He had strong literary connection also. Sri. P V N Rao translated one of famous Telugu Writer and Jnanapitha Award Winner, Sri. Viswanatha Satyanarayana's Telugu Novel “Veyi Padagalu” (Thousand Hoods) into Hindi as “Sahasra Phan”. As Chief Minister of then ANDHRA PRADESH, he was instrumental in introducing Land reforms in the State. This book of Prof. Gopalakrishnan Iyer “NARASIMHA SUTRA” (Telugu Translation - “Narasimha Suutraalu”) is a rich tribute for the contribution of Sri. P V Narasimha Rao to the Indian Economic revolution in 1991, heading a minority Government. He decided to retire from active Politics and return to Hyderabad, when fate requisitioned the man with long and varied Political and Administrative experience to get back INDIA from brink of economic collapse. He spoke less and his economic decisions have steered the Country in 1991 out of the crisis. With his strong support to his Technocrat Finance Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, (subsequently irst Technocrat Prime Minister of INDIA for 2 terms), radical economic reforms introduced with a market driven and globalization economy. These economic reforms were implemented in spite of strong opposition from within his own party and outside. And he gave credit for the success of reforms to his Finance Minister. That's the magnanimity of the man, which is not a norm in political landscape.

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

He was known as “CHANAKYA” for his ability to get economic and political legislations through Parliament while heading a Minority Government. In the words of Former President, Late Dr. A P J Abdula Kalam, Sri. P V N Rao, described as a “Patriotic Statesman who believed that the Nation is bigger than the Political System”. Also, it is a known fact that Sri. P V N Rao was the one who gave clearance for preparations for Nuclear Weapon Testing Program in 1996. Though “TELUGU BIDDA”, Sri. P V Narasimha Rao, served only one term as Prime Minister of INDIA, the direction of Indian Economy has been de ined by his Government in 1991 changed the direction to a Globalized Market Economy, at the same time with checks to take care of social responsibility needed for a Country like INDIA. This book “NARASIMHA SUTRA” is a Great Tribute to one of INDIA's Great Sons and TELUGU BIDDA, Sri. P V Narasimha Rao. I congratulate Author Prof. Gopalakrishnan Iyer for releasing this book in his Home State TELANGANA at Hyderabad. I am sure this book is an “Inspiring Read” on TELUGU BIDDA, Scholar and Economic Reformer of our times.

P V S N Murty Independent Consultant & Advisor Former Vice President VOITH Hydro

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

Author’s First Connect with the Great Leader, P V Narasimha Rao PAMULAPARTHI VENKATA NARASIMHA RAO was born on 28th June 1921 in then British INDIA in a remote village in then ANDHRA PRADESH going by the name LAKNEPALLY village, in the village panchayat of NARSAMPET MANDAL in WARANGAL District now in the State of TELANGANA post bifurcation of ANDHRA PRADESH. He was adopted at the age of three and his native thereof became Karimnagar District, present-day TELANGANA (then part of Hyderabad State). My irst understanding of the Great Legendary Leader, P V Narasimha Rao, was when I heard his name through the discourses between my Maternal Grandpa, Allambalam Venkateshwaran Sivaraman, who had been a fast friend of

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

the Great Legendary Engineer and Founder of Larsen & Toubro Limited, Henning Holck-Larsen and my Father, Venkataraman Arunachalam Iyer, who both considered him a Great Leader right when he was in Of ice in 1973 as the then 4th Chief Minister of ANDHRA PRADESH (my elephantine memory makes me remember they spoke highly of him at home when I was just 5 years old). Then later in school days in my teens, the interest in PVN Rao grew when he became a Member of Parliament from Ramtek in MAHARASHTRA (December 1984 to March 1991) as before that he was a Member of Parliament from Hanamkonda Constituency in ANHDRA PRADESH. That Rao was the tallest leader from South of INDIA in the then days of MGR (M G Ramachandran), TAMIL NADU and also later NTR (N T Rama Rao), ANDHRA PRADESH. Rao had already proved as a great administrator during his Chief Ministerial tenure in the 1970s and later he became the Minster of Home Affairs in the Rajiv Gandhi Government twice from July 1984 to December 1984 and also later from March 1986 to May 1986. His longest stints were in the Ministry of External Affairs from January 1980 to July 1984 under Indira Gandhi's Prime Ministership ; from June 1988 to December 1989 under Rajiv Gandhi's Prime Ministership and inally March 1992 to January 1994 during his own Prime Ministership later where he handed over charge to his colleague, Pranab Mukherjee for a short stint until May 1996. P V Narasimha Rao also held additional charge of the Ministry of Defence from March 1993 to May 1996 during his Prime Ministerial tenure (Colleague, Sharad Pawar preceded him as Defence Minister from June 1991 to March 1993). It is here that I re-connect with certain developments in 1987 when I entered my Engineering Hostel life at Regional Engineering College (REC) now National Institute of Technology (NIT), Kurukshetra, HARYANA, where the irst 2 Years of the 4 Year B Tech (Mechanical Engineering) Course was more of a period of shaping up for a future career in Technology, Engineering and Nation Building. Right in the Year 3 (1989), we were offered the chance to get a cubicle (individual stay but with shared balcony) with another student being our mate with his own separate cubicle or dwelling at the hostels in then RECK (now NITK). In the year 1 and 2, we shared the single room with 3 more individuals but it was the 3rd Year that we got the chance to have our 'freedom of space' albeit getting the human company of a balcony mate as per our choice. The then Warden of our hostel was Dr. R C. Sharma, who later on went to become the Vice Chancellor of Amity University. It was Dr. Sharma who called me and requested that since I had come from Faridabad and Domicile of HARYANA, I should try to take my balcony mate or the sharing in the Twin Dwelling from preferably another region and a weaker student as I was seen by the Warden as a more accomplished and brilliant student with all round skills especially Sports where I had excelled. 29


SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

When I accepted this and said that since I knew less of south in those days due to my upbringing in Faridabad, HARYANA, I would not mind to have a balcony mate and twin cubicle partner student from a State other than TAMIL NADU and KERALA since my parents came from these States of INDIA. The Hostel Warden, Dr. R C Sharma, recommended me one Ramesh Kempiah, who took admission from Mandya District, KARNATAKA, while his father was posted as a Senior Of icer in the Ministry of Water Resources Secretariat in New Delhi. The family had an accommodation right in R K Puram with Government quarters. Ramesh Kempiah was a student of B Tech (Electrical Engineering) and his father would come and visit him regularly. Since the Father, Mr. Kempiah was a Government Of icial, I used to attend his facilitation of stay, etc. in the College Guest House and many times he would call on me to have long chats preferably at the RECK Guest House or sometimes he would even land at our Hostel Rooms. Somehow more than talking to Ramesh, his father would end up talking more to me as I would also prepare South Indian Filter Coffee using a Crude Hot Plate to boil the milk and had a ilter in my room to prepare the “DECOCTION”. The Senior Kempiah loved the South Indian Coffee and he would narrate several stories of P V Narasimha Rao, who seemed to be his Hero as well. To digress a little once I narrated the story of “DECOCTION” which my Maternal Grandma had narrated to me. She said one of the 'Rock Fellers' Trust Group Ladies had visited Southern India and they went to a Tamilian Local Home. The entire group was served with Filter Coffee and Tif in by this South Indian Mami (Lady) who irst put up the Coffee Powder into the Filter, then dug it up with small instrument and then the luid essence that collected in the lower chamber of the ilter was mixed with milk prior to distributing the Filter Coffee so prepared to the Guests. The leading lady of the delegation asked this South Indian Mami, the Host, what do you call this whole process. The legendary answer was “Dig” and “Auction” and the word “DECOCTION” has its origin there. This story Senior Kempiah heard irst time and enjoyed. I also went one step ahead in explaining the great beauty of South Indian Coffee as its Coffee Seeds (Arabica, Peaberry, Robusta, etc.) grew in the COORG District and CHICKMANGALUR in KARNATAKA while its heavy demand came from TAMIL NADU and KERALA in particular with ANDHRA PRADESH and KARNATAKA following suit. That was the beauty of the integration of the South. This could be also seen in the music arena where overall its called the CARNATIC Music, practiced by a large section of the Tamil population and the language predominantly used goes to TELUGU. Such were the stories that were exchanged with Senior Kempiah who in turn would end up narrating stories connected to the Water Resources issues that spilled over to the External Affairs of INDIA and he

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spoke of how Narasimha Rao trusted him and would always consult Senior Kempiah's Good Of ices in the Ministry of Water Resources, be the issues of the Indus Water Treaty, Prospects of Hydro with BHUTAN and NEPAL or the Water Resources potential of the North Eastern Regions especially ARUNACHAL PRADESH. These topics came to my knowledge right in the college days, thanks to Senior Kempiah who could never catch my irst name as GOPALAKRISHNAN and he would simply address me as RAMAKRISHNA since he was an ardent follower of the Ramakrishna Mission. What I learnt from Kempiah was that the Great Narasimha Rao was a phenomenon who spoke 17+ Languages (11 Indian and 6+ Foreign Languages) arguably making him INDIA's Greatest Linguist ever who adorned the Parliament of INDIA and the only Prime Minister who was a Scholar and Linguist par excellence. That is one reason P V Narasimha Rao was INDIA's Best ever External Affairs Minister and between him and Atal Bihari Vajpayee there is barely a choice of the Best Prime Ministers of INDIA who followed COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy) which this Author irst wrote and explained in the Book, “INDIA BRANDished – SuperPowering Brand INDIA”. The 11 Indian Languages Narasimha Rao was luent in included Telugu, Marathi, Hindi, Urdu, Odiya, Tamil, Sanskrit, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada and Malayalam and the 6+ Foreign Languages that he was luent in included English, French, German, Spanish, Arabic, Persian, Greek and Latin. This ability of both languages and the phenomenal scholar that he was with background of Law made him amongst the rare erudite politicians of INDIA ever. For us the students of NITK (then RECK), P V Narasimha Rao was a towering personality and itted into our ethos of every REC / NIT being the Mini INDIA that it is where 50% of the seats were kept reserved for outside States than the State that hosted these Institutes of Excellence. So at the REC / NIT, student groups from all across INDIA were represented making our Kurukshetra REC a melting pot of Cultures and 'Unity in Diversity of INDIA'. Adding to that was the Kurukshetra University Culture where Foreign Students from Afghanistan and Rest of Middle East as well as Africa (Mozambique, Kenya, Nigeria, etc.) were studying too in Indian environment with global outlook. The Author considers that RECK (1987-91) as the best of times and to get to know P V Narasimha Rao through the Kempiah interactions was a great quirk of fate which got furthered over all these years in understanding this great persona and bringing this BioGraphy up aptly as “NARASIMHA SUTRA”.

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Early Life and Times of the Legend P V NARASIMHA RAO was adopted by Pamulaparthi Ranga Rao and Rukminamma from Sitarama Rao and mother Rukma Bai who hailed from agrarian families at the age of 3 years and brought to Vangara, a village in Bheemadevarpalle Mandal in Hanamkonda District of present-day TELAGANA. PV as he was popularly known completed a part of his primary education in Katkuru village in Bheemadevarpalle Mandal of Hanamakonda District while staying in his relative, Gabbeta Radhakrishna Rao's house and studying for his Bachelor's Degree in the Arts College at the Osmania University. PVNR was part of the 'Vande Mataram' movement in the late 1930s in the Hyderabad State. In his later part of education, he went on to join Hislop College now under the Nagpur University in MAHARASHTRA where he completed his Masters Degree in Law. He had completed his Law Degree from the Fergusson College in Pune which was then under the University of Bombay (now Mumbai). He had a distant cousin named Pamulaparthi Sadasiva Rao and together with Raja Narendra and Devulapalli Damodar Rao, PVNR edited a Telugu Weekly Magazine

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

titled “KAKATIYA Patrika” in the 1940s. Both PVNR and Sadhasiva Rao contributed Articles under the pen name “Jaya-Vijaya”. He also served as the Chairman of the Telugu Academy in the then undivided ANDHRA PRADESH from 1968 to 1974. He had 3 sons and 5 daughters from his marriage to Satyamma. His eldest son P V RANGA RAO became Education Minister during KOTLA VIJAYA BHASKARA REDDY's Chief Ministership in Andhra Pradesh and was part of the Cabinet after becoming MLA from Hanamakonda Assembly constituency in the Warangal District for 2 terms. His 2nd son P V RAJESHWAR RAO also became a Member of Parliament in the 11th Lok Sabha from the Secunderabad Loksabha Constituency As a freedom ighter, P V Narasimha Rao joined the freedom struggle at its peak in the 1940s. He was a passionate patriot trained to be a 'Guerrilla Fighter'. When INDIA became free at the stroke of the midnight hour on 15th August 1947, PVNR was engaged in a deadly batter in a forest location. He survived the battles and the war and joined the emerging national political diaspora post INDIA achieving freedom Circa 1947. He served in the then ANDHRA PRADESH State Legislative Assembly from 1957 to 1977. He was a complete staunch supporter of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. From 1962 and until 1973, he held various ministerial position in the ANDHRA PRADESH Government and served as the Hon'ble Chief Minister of the State from 1971 to 1973. He was later elected to the Lok Sabha (Lower House of the Indian Parliament) in the year 1977 and became a Member of Parliament.

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The Political Rise Continuing from the previous chapter, P V NARASIMHA RAO shifted to the Central Politics from State Politics after a brief stint as the Chief Minister of ANDHRA PRADESH. After becoming Member of Indian Parliament in 1977, he rose handle diverse portfolios in the Cabinet of both INDIRA GANDHI and RAJIV GANDHI including his long stints as External Affairs Minister of INDIA (1980-84 and 1988-89). Then came a period when he almost planned to leave politics but the untimely death due to assassination of the Congress President and then former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, in May 1991, he was forced to rethink his decision to leave politics. The Indian National Congress (INC) chose PVNR as its leader and the following Indian General Elections of 1991 saw P V Narasimha Rao rising to become the Prime Minister of INDIA. The reason PVNR became the automatic choice was the massive void in a succession plan for leadership in the Congress Party post the assassination of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Congress was out of power and it needed a leader with wide spectrum of acceptance and ability to administer the party. PVNR was the senior most amongst the lot of leaders that included stalwarts like Sharad

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Pawar, Vasant Sathe, Vitthalrao N Gadgil, Pranab Mukherjee, A B A Ghani Khan Choudhury, N K P Salve, Madhavrao Scindia, Rajesh Pilot, Ghulam Nabi Azad, etc. That PVNR being a veteran of Indian Politics and a man who had tremendous administrative capabilities together with his calm composure, necessary for crisis management, including ability to work with leaders in opposition, which had stalwarts like Chandra Shekar, the then Prime Minister (when Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated) as well as leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Madhu Dandavate, George Fernandes, Vishwanath Pratap Singh and several others, made him the ideal choice and 'Man of the Moment'. Even after the elections to the 10th Lok Sabha concluded, when the then Indian National Congress Party emerged as the largest political out it in 1991 with 244 seats, PVNR needed to forge a coalition and it was sort of 1st time in the history of INDIA post 1947 that a Leader from the Congress emerged to lead away from the conventional and drive the concept of Coalition Politics in India. That PVNR laid the foundation of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy) and was the pioneer to do so as brought out in my irst Book, “INDIA BRANDished – SuperPowering Brand INDIA” is a historical fact of the matter. In PVNR, INDIA saw the emergence of one of the most seasoned and sagacious politicians ever in the Indian History of Politics and build-up of a modern Nation in the 20th Century. PVNR was and remains the only Leader from the South of Vindhyas (SoV) that not only includes the Southern States but also MAHARASHTRA and GOA to go with (simply because PVNR became an MP from Ramtek in MAHARASTRA too once) and thereof the widest such representation away from the previous times where Indian Prime Ministers had come from what critics and experts term as the COW belt. PVNRs astuteness brought him the label of “CHANAKYA of Indian Leadership”, a title apt only for him as he was 'Suave and Shrewd' both these qualities coming together being very rare. That PVNR had cultural exposure across the country and was a brilliant speaker in both written and spoken Hindi and with origins from SoVs made his popular as well as an enigma of his times. Like Rajaji, he was a lover of liberalization and free economy in favour of doing away with 'Bureaucratic RedTape' and the 'Licence, Permit and Quota Raj'. Fate and Destiny chose and provided PVNR the opportunity and time to address these issues. He was, therefore, by far the 'Father of India's Economic Reforms' and surely thereof 'Father of ReSurgent INDIA' and a True Champion of the idea of COPE.

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P V Narasimha Rao and the INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS – His Special Relationship with Indira Gandhi and later Rajiv Gandhi In the year 1966, INDIA witnessed the sudden death of then Prime Minister, LAL BAHADUR SHASTRI, in the aftermath of the 1965 war versus Pakistan and its ensuing defeat. Then USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republic) mediated in bringing a peace settlement between INDIA and PAKISTAN. Such a meeting was convened in Tashkent by the then USSR leadership of President, LEONID BREZHNEV. Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri died on 11 January 1966, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, under mysterious circumstances.

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Back in INDIA, young INDIRA GANDHI was put on the seat of power after Lal Bahadur Shastri's death and that period saw an emerging tussle within the Indian National Congress party between the factions lead by INDIRA GANDHI and that by another great leader K KAMARAJ (popularly known as Kamarajar) who was the former Chief Minister of then Madras State from April 1954 to October 1963. Kamarajar was close to PANDIT JAWAHARLAL NEHRU as well and he supported Indira Gandhi's Prime Ministership post the death of Lal Bahadur Shastri and in opposition of Senior most Leader of the Congress then being Morarji Desai. In a way Indira Gandhi's becoming Prime Minister owed it to Kamaraj, but that relationship started soaring in due course. By 1969, the internal tussle in the Congress had begun with the camp supporting the popular Indira Gandhi backing her thereof the split between the Congress happened on 12th November 1969 when Indira Gandhi was expelled from the party on disciplinary grounds resulting in the newly formed Congress which got the support of 446 of its 705 members who all walked in support of Indira Gandhi while the Kamaraj and MORARJI DESAI camp was weakened resulting in it being called the INC (O) with its Party and Electoral symbol being retained as “Pair of Bullocks carrying a Yoke” (in Hindi – Bayl aur Hal) while the newly formed entity under Indira Gandhi's leadership known as Congress (R) or Indian National Congress (Requisitionists) which had its Logo of “Cow and Calf” (in Hindi – Gai aur Bachhda). Later on the split away group under Indira Gandhi was called the 'New Congress'. Then came the entry of PVNR who supported Indira Gandhi threadbare and backed her leadership and Prime Ministership to the hilt. He was instrumental in ensuring an Indira win versus the old guard and in 1971 Lok Sabha elections, the INC (O) could only win 10% of the votes polled for the 16th Lok Sabha against the 44% of the votes and the massive mandate of 352 seats for the Congress led by Indira Gandhi. The winning faction later on came to have the name Congress (I) where PVNR's genius of ensuring the win and bringing Indira Gandhi to power is legendary. PVNR was then sent to take control of ANDHRA PRADESH as the Chief Minister.

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This relationship thereof between Indira Gandhi and P V Narasimha Rao expanded with PVNR becoming amongst the most trusted lieutenants of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and a 'Man-Friday' of sorts for all occasions, a political genius and crisis man to go to in the most extra ordinary of circumstances. The closeness between Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and PVNR can be gauged from the fact that it reached a crescendo in 1982 when she was almost on the verge of nominating him for the post of President of INDIA. In fact, it was PVNR and GIANI ZAIL SINGH, who were the principal contenders for the post. However, due to certain political mathematics down south, Giani Zail Singh became a preferred political choice over PVNR for the post of President of INDIA. However, in an after thought that was fatefully a “Blessing in Disguise” as INDIA could witness the Great P V Narasimha Rao becoming the Prime Minister of INDIA Circa 1991. Again after the untimely assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on 31st October 1984, PVNR again played a major role in emergence of RAJIV GANDHI as the next leader and be the choice for Prime Minister. It was already known that PVNR had backed Indira Gandhi's policies of a 'Welfare Economics', he was yet a believer of 'Reforms'. The irst set of Reforms were moved during the tenure of Rajiv Gandhi Prime Ministership. PVNR had attempted to initiate Land Reforms during Indira Gandhi's times but it was not accepted as it came well before it was due. The Land Reforms were irst initiated during Rajiv Gandhi's era. In a window period away from local politics, after 1973, PVNR visited the US and there he gained insight into 'Reform Politics' and its impact on 'Political Economy'. In 1974, when he was back after the brief stint in US, he took charge as the General Secretary of Congress Party at the National level, absolutely a new innings for the future course. Later, post Indira Gandhi's assassination in 1984, the ensuing elections saw the Congress Party winning the record mandate of 404 seats out of 543. In the new cabinet formed post elections, P V NARASIMHA RAO, who was then 23 years older to RAJIV GANDHI became the Defence Minister of INDIA. At a time, when Rajiv Gandhi was trying to induct fresh blood with like minded politicians like ARUN SINGH, MANI SHANKAR AIYAR, SATISH SHARMA, etc., PVNR was from a completely different lot and choice that demonstrated he could not be ignored.

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

Although Rajiv Gandhi wanted a new lot of younger blood to advise him and steer the Government, and even Indira Gandhi loyalists like PRANAB MUKHERJEE and P C ALEXANDER were not in the fray, PVNR got the coveted Defence Ministry to be in-charge of. Pranab Mukherjee talking to media had said “Rao's indispensability was clearly demonstrated when Rajiv Gandhi formed his Government and clearly wanted to have a new team. But it was recognized that without P V Narasimha Rao, there cannot be a team. Therefore, he not only continued as Minister in various ministries with which he dealt directly, but also proved to be indispensable in the Congress Ministry.” PVNR became Rajiv Gandhi's right-hand man. When Rajiv Gandhi rebranded 'Education Ministry' as 'Human Resource Development Ministry (HRDMin)', he wanted PVNR to head it. Rao persuaded Rajiv Gandhi, the then Prime Minister to integrate Departments of Culture, Youth Affairs, Sports, Women and Child Development along with Health and Education into the HRD Ministry. HRD was an arena that PVNR always cherished and he had a background of having served as the Health and Education Minister in the Andhra Pradesh Government in his past. In 1986, PVNR came up with a New Education Policy (NEP) and during this time, Rao oversaw the foundation and creation of the 'Navodaya Vidyalayas (Schools)', a brain child of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi himself.

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

P V Narasimha Roa -

The Champion of INDIA’s Development cause

– Water Resources, Power and Infrastructure

During P V NARASIMHA RAO's time, VIDYA CHARAN SHUKLA held charge of the Water Resources Ministry from June 1991 until January 1995 and was succeeded by another stalwart, Barrister ABDUL RAHMAN ANTULAY from February 1995 to May 1996. While the Ministry of Power was headed by KALPNATH RAI (Independent Charge) from June 1991 to January 1993 followed by mercurial N K P SALVE from January 1993 to May 1996. While the Ministry of Urban Development was headed by SHEILA KAUL from June 1991 to September 1995 followed by R K DHAWAN from September 1995 to February 1996 and later PVNR held additional charge at the fag end till May 1996.

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

The above facts of the Cabinet representations during Rao's tenure are critical as INDIA was not only going through an unprecedented inancial crisis when he took charge, it was also at a very important stage of moving matters for the Nation. At the forefront was the story of Water Resources and access to water which was a necessitating circumstances as not much had happened post INDIRA GANDHI's tenure in that direction. The major project that was hanging ire was the Indira Sagar Hydroelectric and Water Storage Project then billed as the largest storage dam of the Country located in MADHYA PRADESH and bigger than the Bhakra Hydroelectric Storage Scheme in PUNJAB. Also downstream was the Omkareshwar Hydroelectric (Run-of-theRiver) Scheme, while on the GUJARAT side, the massive Sardar Sarovar Dam was to be commissioned all of these Projects on the Narmada River Basin. These were very critical as the country was struggling for Water Resources and Power. In this period, while the Water Resources development revived, it must be noted that in the period 1991 to 1996 a gross capacity of 21 GW was added to installed Power Capacity at an approximate of 4.2 GW per annum at a growth rate of close to 6% per annum. This was excellent as it may be noted that it was a period of inancial crisis and seems far superior than the present growth rate which hovers around 4.1% from 2017 to 2022. In this the Hydropower Capacity growth was close to 3,000 MW (Hydropower grew from around 18.5 GW to 21.5 GW) or a share of 14%+ of the total capacity added in the said period, gross capacity index of installed power generation being 85 GW in 1996 compared to 64 GW in 1991. Also Nuclear Energy grew from 1.6 GW to around 2.2 GW which in a way we must say started the furtherance of the Nuclear capacity addition which later on picked up during both ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE and Dr. MANMOHAN SINGH's tenure as Prime Ministers. It must also be mentioned that it was PVNR who secretly commissioned the POKHRAN II Nuclear tests and con ided about it with the next Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. As per the words of Dr. A P J ABDUL KALAM, the then DRDO Chief, and later went on to become the President of INDIA during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's tenure, “The Election result was quite different than what he anticipated”. Atal Bihari Vajpayee took over as Prime Minister on 16th May 1996 with the NDA Coalition. PVNR, Dr. Kalam and Senior Atomic Scientist, R CHIDAMBARAM, went to meet new Prime

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

Minister and as per Dr. Kalam, this was done to ensure that “smooth take over of such an important programme can take place”. PVNR knew he had only one chance to test before International sanctions kicked off that is he could not test both conventional Atomic Bombs in 1995 as well as the Hydrogen Bomb separately in April 1996. So, PVNR knowing the limitations and feedback from his Scientist for more time needed, started running or taking preliminary steps towards the test without actually intending to do the test immediately. On 8th May 1996, Dr. Kalam got the message to meet the Prime Minister immediately. PVNR told him, “Kalam, be ready, with the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and your Team for the N-Test and I will be going to Tirupati. You wait for my authorisation to go ahead with the Test. DRDO-DAE Teams must be ready for the action”. PVNR energised thereof the National Nuclear Security and Ballistic Missiles Programme. His efforts of 1996 resulted in 1998 POKHRAN Nuclear Test II carried out under the leadership of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Two days after P V Narasimha Rao's body was cremated in 2004, an emotional Atal Bihari Vajpayee paying glowing tributes to his old friend had said that Rao was the “TRUE FATHER” of INDIA's Nuclear Programme. Vajpayee said that, in May 1996, a few days after he had succeeded Rao as Prime Minister, “Rao told me that the bomb was ready. I only exploded it”. “Saamagri tayyar hai,” Rao had said. (“The ingredients are ready.”) “You can go ahead”. The story of Indira Sagar dam build-up started moving in PVNR's time inspite of heavy opposition from Environmental activism but this largest Storage Hydro Project of INIDA was commissioned in Atal Bihari Vajpayee's tenure as Prime Minister led by HYDROguru Yogendra Prasad leadership of the Project. Later, the progress of Sardar Sarovar Narmada dam also owes to PVNR starting it and which got all clearances and approval during H D DEVE GOWDA's tenure as Prime Minister of INDIA as the project got cleared for Construction and Commissioning. The Project was inally commissioned during Dr. Manmohan Singh's time as Prime Minister in the year 2007. It must be also noted that the Chief Minister of MADHYA PRADESH during Indira Sagar Water Storage and Hydroelectric Project commissioning was Digvijay Singh and during Sardar Sarovar Dam and

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

Hydroelectric Project commissioning, the Chief Minister of GUJARAT was NARENDRA MODI, the present Prime Minister of INDIA. As it is clear PVNR was a man for sorting out all crisis and he faced the similar situation on the Water Resources front where activists were stalling the progress of the Hydroelectric and Water Storage Project on the Narmada River Basins across MADHYA PRADESH and GUJARAT as mentioned earlier. It was at that time the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund both started objecting to the development of these projects. PVNR's Minister in-charge of Water Resources, Vidya Charan Shukla, was faced with the crisis of dealing with the International Development Financial Institutions denying INDIA the funds at a critical time when the economy was also in its most vulnerable state barely reviving Circa March 1993. INDIA announced that they will forego the US $ 170 Million World Bank Loan and yet complete the massive Indira Sagar Hydro and Water Storage Project with its own resources. The Narmada Valley Project, then the World's largest Irrigation Project covering 3 Indian States namely MADHYA PRADESH, GUJARAT and MAHARASHTRA at an estimated cost of then US $ 3 Billion had come under scathing attack by environmentalists. The Project aimed at harnessing the waters of River Narmada and that would submerge around 250 villages and displacement of estimated tens of thousands of villagers. The decision to forego the World Bank loan was taken a day before the deadline was set by the Bank for meeting requirements for relocation of the project affected and displaced persons as well as progress on environmental issues. Indian authorities and of icials took a view and stand that the World Bank guidelines were an infringement of INDIA's National Sovereignty. The Water Resources Minister in PVNR's cabinet, V C Shukla, made a statement in the Parliament that the Narmada Valley Project in Central INDIA would be completed on schedule. INDIA also announced as a sequel the cancellation of US $ 450 Million World Bank pledged loan in a move to further the irm position of stopping dependence on the Development Bank. This was when the World Bank had already dispersed around US $ 280 Million of the loan. On the other hand, the then World Bank President, Lewis Preston, made a Press Statement that “the Narmada decision would not affect the Bank's relations with INDIA”.

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

It must be mentioned for record that under the mounting domestic and international criticism from environmental activists who barely made any noises in Water Resources and Hydro Development in CHINA but were hyperactive in INDIA, saw the World Bank appoint an Independent Commission to review the Narmada Valley Project which INDIA under PVNR's leadership took strong umbrage to and labelled it as “Undue Interference in INDIA's Sovereign Rights”. The Commission in the last report charged Indian Federal and State authorities with negligence towards Social and Environmental impacts of the Project. The history has it today that the 1,000 MW Indira Sagar Hydroelectric Project together with the Indira Sagar Dam are a marvel serving INDIA with the Indira Sagar Dam being the largest in the Country in terms of volume of water stored in the reservoir with spill way capacity of 83,400 cubic metres per second (2,950,000 cubic feet per second) and an inactive capacity of 2.470 cubic kilometre (2,002,000 acre-feet). On 28th June 2014 speaking on P V Narasimha Rao's 93rd Birth Anniversary, then Urban Development and Housing Minister and present Vice President of INDIA, VENKAIAH NAIDU, paid rich tributes to the Former Prime Minister, “Pamulaparthi Venkata Narasimha Rao was a distinguished legend in the public life of the Country for several decades. One of the most notable of his contributions being Economic Reforms (he introduced) in early 1990s as Prime Minister”. Describing the former Prime Minister as an “Erudite Scholar and Embodiment of Vision”, Naidu further said he had made “Path-breaking contributions as Minister and the Chief Minister of erstwhile ANDHRA PRADESH and also as Union Minister and Prime Minister during his long stint in Public Life”. PVNR was therefore the irst “Development Leader of Modern INDIA” who not only brought the Country out of the brink of 'Economic Crisis' but steered the Country into the path of development with the Infrastructure build-up taking ground roots in his tenure and later progressed by later Prime Ministers, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Dr. Manmohan Singh, who was his chosen Finance Minister in the Cabinet and led the inancial turn around of the Country under Rao's Visionary Leadership.

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

The Unprecedented Economic Crisis of INDIA –– Circa 1991 The genesis of Economic Crisis has its roots in the point when V P SINGH was the Finance Minister in the Cabinet of RAJIV GANDHI led Government Circa 1984 to 1989. Insiders state that Rajiv Gandhi initially took lightly the advice of two Finance Secretaries and Finance Minister V P Singh's own Secretary more or less failed to provide crucial advice on an impending inancial crisis and of balance of payment for INDIA. By the time Rajiv Gandhi made up his mind to go to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) it was too late. In March 1988, the then Managing Director of IMF, MICHAEL CAMDESSUS, while in INDIA told Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, that if INDIA asks for a loan, the IMF would take a sympathetic view. The Finance Ministry and the Prime Minister Of ice advisory to Rajiv Gandhi was to go for it but due to the hostile political atmosphere and since elections were contemplated to be preponed into October that year, Rajiv Gandhi took a stand of not availing the IMF loan at that juncture.

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

The Finance Ministry however had opened its gates towards a covert negotiation through a delegation a bit later to do the initial ground work. By around the middle of 1988, Rajiv Gandhi had been persuaded by his then Political Advisors to stay on course for the full term of his Prime Ministership which would inish by the end of 1989. The Finance Ministry did sound him off a couple of more times on the IMF loan issue. Rajiv Gandhi had inally agreed that it would be prudent to approach the IMF for a inancial bail-out. But he was of the opinion that this must be done only after the elections. Hence, that option was more or less ruled out as the electoral results of 1989 threw up a different formation with V P Singh as the Prime Minister of the National Front Government receiving “Outside Support” from BJP and the Communist Parties. By around March of 1990, it was crystal clear that INDIA was heading towards a serious problem and only IMF could help the cause, The decision was upto Finance Ministry headed by V P Singh favourite from the days he was the Finance Minister (Circa 1985 to 1987) to make a recommendation to the Prime Minister. It seems here that the then Finance Secretary made a massive blunder as he construed that it would be politically inconvenient for the Prime Minister to go to the IMF especially in the background of support from outside of the Communist Parties of INDIA who were seen as averse to World Bank and the IMF. This resulted in V P Singh not acting on the IMF front for 3 critical and continuous months. By August, to counter the Mandal issue, it was too late as BJP had started the 'Rath Yatra' under L K ADVANI's leadership and SADDAM HUSSEIN had invaded KUWAIT sending oil prices rocketing Northwards. The then RBI Governor, R N MALHOTRA's warnings had come true. By December of 1989, even the State Bank of INDIA (SBI) could not get its paper rolled over. Credit to INDIA dried up completely in the International Market. Then to make matters worse, the V P Singh Government fell due to withdrawal of support by BJP and the Rajiv Gandhi led Congress agreed to 'support from outside' CHANDRA SHEKHAR as Prime Minister. By January 1990, INDIA was broke. It was then that the new Finance Minister, YASHWANT SINHA, went to JAPAN asking for inancial help but to no avail. The crisis of debt servicing, keeping overseas inancial commitments and complete dry out of FOREX Reserves had set out an unprecedented historical economic crisis for INDIA Circa 1990-91.

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

1991–96 – The Extra Ordinary Prime Minister – Father of ReSurgent INDIA At the onset of 1991, INDIA faced its worst Economic Crisis and was on the brink of a 'Sovereign Default'. The Gulf War of 1990-91 had led to a sharp increase in the Crude Oil Prices and hence the Fuel Oil Prices together with a fall in 'Overseas Remittances' from Indian workers working in the Middle East including IRAQ had set the duress. This led to a sharp and sudden depletion in INDIA's FOREX Reserves which were at less than US $ 6 Billion and this was just enough to meet around 2 weeks of imports for the country. This deteriorating iscal de icit scenario together with burgeoning Foreign Debt put the new Government led by Prime Minister, P V Narasimha Roa in a quandary. FD (Fiscal De icit) was at 8% of GDP while the CAD (Current Account De icit) was 2.5% of the GDP. 'Double Digit' in lation had also put the common Indian at duress. The PVNR led Government had its irst priority to prevent the Sovereign Default which would have put INDIA's stature down and out and hence was avoidable. The immediate step was the devaluation of the Indian Rupee where RBI (Apex Bank)

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

took a 2-step devaluation of the Rupee where in the irst step, Rupee was devalued by around 9% on the 1st of July 1991 followed by another 11% 2 days later. The aim was to simply make Indian Exports more competitive that would start reversing the fortunes on the FOREX Reserves front. This was a sort of 'MASTER STROKE' from a politically astute PVNR. The next big move was that the RBI pledged INDIA's Gold holdings (Reserves) with the Bank of England in 4 tranches starting 4th July and ending 18th July 1991 that helped in raising around US $ 400 Million. Another MASTER STROKE move in sequel by the duo of PVNR and Dr. MANMOHAN SINGH. Prior to this, during the elections, the State Bank of INDIA (SBI) had sold 20 Tonnes of Gold on 16th May 1991 to the Union Bank of SWITZERLAND (UBS) to raise around US $ 200 Million. The Government also secured a emergency loans in 2 phases grossing around US $ 2 Billion from the IMF (International Monetary Fund). Following this up a New Trade Policy was announced by the Government of INDIA which brought changes in the licensing process. It also linked for the irst time non-essential Imports to Export commitments in order to prune down such unnecessary Imports. Further to this the Government also did away with Export subsidies since the Rupee was already heavily devalued making Indian Exports competitive. It then introduced the concept of 'Tradeable Exim Scrips' granting such scrips to exporters for their use or for sale in the market. Such scrips were calculated based on the value of Exports. This policy enabled to do away the need for routing imports via State owned Firms. The Private Sector was allowed for the irst time to make its own imports. What came in further was a brand 'New Industrial Policy' which was unveiled on the eve of the presentation of the Union Budget 1991. It proposed massive changes in the way INDIA treated its Industries and Foreign Investment by moving away from the License Permit and Quota Raj Regime. The Policy relaxed some of the provisions in the MRTPA (Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act) to facilitate easy entry and remodelling of businesses via Mergers and

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

Amalgamations. This Policy also brought an end to the Public Sector monopolies by introducing competition in many sectors and also announced automatic approval route for FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) upto 51% raising it strategically from the earlier cap of 40% for Foreign Equity Investment participation. Public Sector monopolies were only retained in a few areas pertaining to National Security. It also abolished Industrial Licensing for all industries barring 18 irrespective of levels of investments. All the above changes made 'Business in INDIA' and 'Business with INDIA' substantially easier and INDIA witnessed a deluge of Foreign Goods and Investments looding the Indian Market in the following years post 1991. Also, the Union Budget 1991-92, opened up Mutual Funds to the Private Sector and relaxed rules for investment into INDIA and Indian Securities for NRI (Non-Resident Indians). An Amnesty Scheme for people to declare unaccounted wealth was announced and immunity was given from prosecution and from levy of interest and penalty. Further to the Budget, the Government brought a second Trade Policy package to boost Exports and also a package for SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises). PVNR Government also found a Committee under the then RBI Governor, M NARASIMHAM for pronouncing Financial Sector Reforms. This was doubled up by constitution of another Committee under eminent public inance economist, RAJA CHELLIAH. The ball was simply set rolling for Economic Reforms by none other than visionary P V NARASIMHA RAO, the then Prime Minister of INDIA, truly the 'Father of ReSurgent INDIA' together with his able ally, then Finance Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh. The work of the duo to transform INDIA into a mega economy started in their tenure upping-the-ante and leading to the infrastructure and socio-economic push that was witnessed in the era of Atal Bihari Vajpayee as the two Septuagenarian Prime Ministers will be truly credited for bringing INDIA to the forefront of the 'Global Comity of Nations'.

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

P V Narasimha Rao and Atal Bihari Vajpayee – The Septuagenarian Duo and their Strategy of COPE The P V NARASIMHA RAO (PVNR) - ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE (ABV) relationship and Saga probably no parallel in the Political History of Post - Freedom INDIA. They were arguably the most wellknown “Mutual Admiration Club” who crosses party lines smoothly to be extraordinary statesmen that my generation witnessed and adored as role models. Both were principal claimants to be Prime Ministers for a long-time before they literally followed one-another. Both had labelled the other as their “GURU” in politics. But it was not ABV but LAL KRISHNA ADVANI who called PVNR the “The Best Indian Prime Minister since LAL BAHADUR SHASTRI”. Inspite of a phase in Parliament where the two leaders went versus each other as well in a political bid for the top spot when PVNR was the Prime Minister, their personal admiration and bonhomie could barely be challenged or broken.

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

Vajpayee was once thrilled that Rao once selected to recite two of his lines in his poetry, Vajpayee himself considered the best. In that mutual admiration and respect, Rao called Vajpayee, a person whom none will ind revolting. “There is no aspect of Atal Ji's personality which repels a person. His entire personality attracts like a magnet” Rao had said Eulogising his affable friendly adversary. There were several detractors on both political spectrum who tried to play truant on the RAO - ATAL relations but could barely achieve much headway. For memories, it was only two top personas of Rao and Vajpayee who never went to the disputed complex in Ayodhya in 1991-92 post the demolition by a mob that went out of control post L K Advani leading the Rath Yatra. Vajpayee was never in favour of any unilateral moves on the Masjid at disputed Ayodhya site and always favoured persuasion and peaceful settlement of the dispute through dialogue between the Hindu and Muslim communities. He was extremely shocked by the demolition and always held it as a folly. Rao more or less endorsed that position too. Rao's excellent relationship with Vajpayee bloomed in 1994, when he chose him to Head the Indian Delegation to UN Human Rights Convention in Geneva, SWITZERLAND. Vajpayee used his brilliant oratory and diplomatic skills to defeat a Pakistani motion on Kashmir calling for censuring INDIA. In a Press article / brie ing circa August 2018, Vajpayee's Media Advisor had said that thanks to Atal Bihari Vajpayee's close friendship with former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao, the BJP stalwart had an inkling that US would be lobbying to deny him Premiership in the event of a hung Lok Sabha post the 1996 General Elections. Washington's apathy towards Vajpayee was clearly re lected in some declassi ied e-mails sent to Washington by US Embassy in New Delhi. One such mail was based on notes prepared by the US Embassy from conversation between Vajpayee and then US Ambassador to INDIA, Frank Wisner, which took place prior to the 1996 General Elections.

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

In his report to Washington, Wisner appeared averse to the idea of Vajpayee as the next Indian Prime Minister, because he said “From the body language of BJP's future Prime Minister Vajpayee, there was an indication that he would favour a (Nuclear) Test.” Before the non-BJP parties could work on an alternative choice of consensus, SHANKAR DAYAL SHARMA, the then President of INDIA, appointed Atal Bihari Vajpayee as Prime Minister and asked him to prove his majority on the Floor of the House. Former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao was certainly pleased with the President's decision. But he knew what was in store for his friend Vajpayee. Without losing much time he quietly passed on a chit to Vajpayee at the Rashtrapati Bhavan swearing-in-ceremony which said “now is the time to accomplish my un inished task”. The task he was referring to was the POKHRAN 2 Nuclear Tests lying in limbo. Rao himself was at the receiving end of US pressure tactics to prevent INDIA's Nuclear Tests when he was the Prime Minister. Vajpayee lost the Prime Ministership within days of his appointment and these tests were later culminated in Vajpayee's 2nd Term Circa May 1998. When Eminent Strategic Affairs Expert K SUBHRAHMANYAM had asked P V Narasimha Rao whether he owed it to the country and the future generations to give his account to the evolution of a Nuclear Policy, Rao had said “he felt obliged just to one person and it was Atal Bihari Vajpayee, his successor”. So what became a con idential move (POKHRAN 2 Nuclear Tests) irst for RAJIV GANDHI when he was Prime Minister and he chose to con ide in only P V Narasimha Rao when he was his Cabinet Minister and closest ally, inally saw the baton being passed on by Rao to Adversary, yet a Con idant and Friend for the then Nation's Political cause, Vajpayee for culmination.

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

P V Narasimha Rao - The Phenomenal Statesman Politician It was the great statesman in P V NARASIMHA RAO that facilitated INDIA's Foreign Policy by upping-the-ante with South Asian Countries, USA, IRAN and ISRAEL. The seeds and the irm roots of the much talked about “Look-East” Policy lies in the PVNR era, which was later on nurtured further by the Governments of both ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE and Dr. MANMOHAN SINGH. One of the notable moves is the 'EXERCISE MALABAR' which is a multi-lateral (tri-lateral) war-gaming Naval Exercise between the USA and INDIA that started in 1992 under the able stewardship of PVNR. The exercise irst started along the Malabar Coast as a bilateral exercise between INDIA and the UNITED STATES, which was later expanded in 2007 with the participation of JAPAN, SINGAPORE and AUSTRALIA with JAPAN becoming a permanent Partner in 2015. AUSTRALIA participated in the exercise again in 2020, marking the second time that the Quad will be jointly participating in a military exercise.

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

The aim of the exercise includes increasing interoperability between the Naval Forces, Fighter Combat Operations from Aircraft Carriers through Maritime interdiction Operations, Anti-Submarine Warfare, Amphibious Operations, CounterPiracy, etc. Over the years the 'Exercise Malabar' has been conducted in the Philippines Sea off the coast of JAPAN, the Persian Gulf, in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. As the Minister of External Affairs, PVNR travelled extensively to UK, FRG (Federal Republic of Germany), SWITZERLAND, ITALY and EGYPT in 1974. Rao's keen personal interest in International Economic issues resulted in his personally leading the Indian delegation to the Conference of Group of 77 on ECDC (Economic Co-operation among Developing Countries) held at Caracas in May 1981. During the period PVNR was the Minister of External Affairs, he successfully brought to impact his scholarly background and rich Political and Administrative expertise on to the ield of International Diplomacy. He Chaired the 3rd Conference of UNIDO (United Nations International Development Organization) in New Delhi in January 1980. Later his in luential and telling role was highly commended in both National and International Circles, during the Conference of Foreign Ministers of non-aligned Nations in February 1981 (which PVNR Chaired as well) and which was the prelude to the 1982 7th NAM (Non-Aligned Movement) Summit held under the Chairmanship of INDIRA GANDHI, the then Prime Minister and INDIA was the Host Country of the meet in March 1983. PVNR was strategically engaged in the initiative of NAM, informal consultations among Heads of State and Governments from diverse Nations across the World that were held in Newyork, USA. PVNR was also the Leader of the Special Non-Aligned Mission that visited countries in West Asia in November 1983 in an effort to resolve the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) issues. Rao was also associated actively with the Commonwealth Heads of Government in New Delhi and with the Action Group set up by the meeting on the question of CYPRUS. In his capacity as EAM (External Affairs Minister), Rao Chaired on behalf of INDIA a number of joint commissions including those with the USA, USSR, BANGLADESH, IRAN, PAKISTAN, VIETNAM, TANZANIA and GUYANA.

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In the year 1993, Prime Minister, P V Narasimha Rao, visited CHINA for the complicated border issue resolutions, PVNR had moved to better the INDOCHINA relationship albeit keeping an eye on the PLA (People's Liberation Army) factor in the back of the mind. PVNR was of the view that “this is only possible when we bring about a complete resolution of our problems as well as a stable relationship in all ields”, Rao said in the Indian Parliament. The Agreement signed between INDIA and CHINA during the visit of Prime Minister, P V Narasimha Rao, in September 1993 was predominantly focused on evolving a framework of CBMs (Con idence Building Measures) between INDIA and CHINA. In the post cold war era context, it became ASIA's irst major Agreement on Conventional Military Disengagement. The historic visit of his predecessor, RAJIV GANDHI, had played a big role in moving towards such an Agreement. Chinese Premier, Li Peng, had visited INDIA in December 1991 followed by visit of then President of INDIA, R VENKATARAMAN, to CHINA in May 1992. This Agreement inally resulted in the SINO-INDIAN Joint Working Group on the border question which during its 8th round in August 1995 in New Delhi agreed to close four closest military posts on the border and set up four Border Trade Ports besides four meeting points between the two armies of INDIA and CHINA. The sequel CBM of 1996 was in continuation of the positive processes initiated in the 1993 pact. PVNR had great admiration for the then German Chancellor, HELMUT KOHL. Rao's irst visit overseas was to meet Kohl in BONN. PVNR adopted Kohl's strategic lessons in reforming the Indian Economy in 1991 when he opened the economy, cut taxes, opened the markets and released the animal spirit of the Indian Enterprise. The Rao–Kohl friendship which started when he was EAM during Indira Gandhi's premiership in 1983 strengthened and continued for the INDOGERMAN cause, Circa 1991 onwards when he became INDIA's Prime Minister. During PVNR era, the INDO-RUSSIA equation also grew to expand cooperation in wide ranging areas including geo-politics, defence, economy, science and technology, etc. At a joint press conference in MOSCOW in July 1994, Rao expressed how the prospects of INDIA-RUSSIA relationships are “VERY BRIGHT” and the then President of Russia, BORIS YELTSIN, seconded it saying “We have

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

smoothly running mechanism for cooperation”. This was in the aftermath of the USSR disintegration that brought RUSSIA to the front and cold war was seen as ended while the entire world moved into a “New World Order” where new friends had to be made and the old ones re-assured. The importance of INDIA during Rao era for the newly formed RUSSIA came in the statement of VICTOR SAMOYLOV, the then Director General of Rosvoorouzhenie, the State Cooperation for Export and Import of Armament, who said “after we rethought our position last year, we realized that it would be silly to lose such a partner”. In many ways the high point of Prime Minister PVNR's visit reciprocating the one by Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, in January 1993, was the signing of a Joint Venture to form a company for supplying spares and servicing ighter aircrafts of Russian origin. The then INR 400 Million Joint Venture was between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and ICICI, together holding 53% of the Equity and the balance 47% by the Russian Agencies such as Moscow Aircraft Production Organization, Mikoyan Design Bureau, the Ryazan State Instrument Plant, an Avionics Instrumentation Company and Rosvoorouzhenie. While Samoylov was futuristic, YURI YAROV, the then Russian Deputy Prime Minister and then Co-Chairman of INDO-RUSSIAN Joint Commission made a de ining statement, “we have changed from an Ad-hoc Policy towards INDIA to more long-term one. It may take till the next century to develop fully.” Rao's initiatives in RUSSIA to expand trade relations bore fruits as from 50 Indian Companies with of ices in MOSCOW it had expanded to 250 by 1994 covering diverse industries like chemicals, computers, engineering goods, electronics, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and general trading. In Vladivostok, INDIA's behemoth ITC, Pharmaceutical giant TORRENT Group and Nahar Spinning had set foot on Russian soil which later on expanded to several Indian Companies making a bee-line for expanding INDO-RUSSIA trade. Therefore, it must be said that Rao's statesmanship and far-sighted vision expanded from political economy, national defence security and right into expanding INDIA's trade overseas, a great mix and steering clear from the past baggage of looking inwards converting INDIA to a more outgoing and forward looking Nation of the future.

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

The Legacy – An Unmatchable Scholar and Linguist

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

As in an earlier Chapter, I had mentioned that P V NARASIMHA RAO was a phenomenal linguist who had mastered 17+ Languages (11 Indian Languages and 6+ International). The Indian Languages he was luent in included Telugu, Marathi, Hindi, Urdu, Odiya, Tamil, Sanskrit, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada and Malayalam while the Foreign Languages he had mastered were English, French, German, Spanish, Arabic, Persian, Greek and Latin. It is a legend that in one of his meetings with German Chancellor, HELMUT KOHL, Circa 1991, when he made his irst overseas visit, he is said to have commenced and sustained the entire discussion with the Chancellor in German Language. The Indian Stenographer who accompanied his entourage was caught unaware as she was trained in taking the notes in English. Seeing her discom iture, the German Chancellor's Stenographer also took notes of the Indian Prime Minister and comforted the Indian side that they would share the entire discussions and the notings. While PVNR was the irst Prime Minister from the South of INDIA, a non-Hindi speaking belt, he himself was a master of the Hindi Language. In addition, he had deep interest in Music, Cinema and Theatre. His special interest spread across in Indian Philosophy and Culture, writing iction and political commentary, learning languages, writing poems in Telugu and Hindi and keeping abreast of literature in general. He successfully published “SahasraPhan”, a Hindi translation of late Shri Viswanatha Satyanarayana's famous Telugu Novel, “VEYI PADAGALU”, published by the Jnanpith and “Abala Jeevitam”, Telugu translation of late Shri Hari Narayan Apte's famous Marathi Novel, “PAN LAKSHAT KON GHETO”, published by the Central Sahitya Academy. He translated several other famous works from Marathi to Telugu and from Telugu to Hindi and published many articles in different Magazines under pen-names. He lectured in Universities in USA and then West Germany (FRG – Federal Republic of Germany) on political matters and allied subjects. Rao also published semi-autobiographical Novel, “The INSIDER”, which kicked up a storm in the then political circles.

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In the Book, “To the Brink and Back”, senior Indian National Congress (INC) Leader, JAIRAM RAMESH, has written that “Rao's mastery over Sanskrit was the high point of his speech in Parliament during the vote of con idence faced by the then Government in July 1991”. In its obituary to Rao on his death on 23rd December 2004, “The Guardian” pro iled him as a man who was much respected for “his scholarship and astonishing linguistic prowess”. PVNR, the vivacious reader that he was, left behind a library of over 10,000 books in multiple languages, many of them were rare editions. The library was set up by Rao at the Swami Ramananda Tirtha Trust in Begumpet, ANDHRA PRADESH. His quest for learning never ended as when he was in his 60's he got his son to send him a computer and hired a tutor to learn the intricacies of the machine in 1986. Rao eventually went on to write code in programming languages Basic, Cobal and Unix, according to his another Biography, “Half Lion : How P V Narasimha Rao transformed INDIA”, written by Vinay Sitapati. Remembering Rao's passion for computers, Members of Swami Ramananda Tirtha Trust, told “Telangana Today”, in an article celebrating the Legend's Birth Centenary, “When doctors advised him to use a stress ball at the age of 80 to exercise his ingers, he used a keyboard and typed documents on the Computer”. Such was his determination and enthusiasm for learning.

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

P V Narasimha Rao - Relevance of a Visionary in 21st Century - INDIA and World Order The Indian Nation was awakened to the legacy of the legendary 9th Prime Minister of INDIA, P V NARASIMHA RAO, on his centenary year Circa 2020 and the anniversary celebration continued until June 2021. This book aptly comes on his 101st Birth Anniversary as a rejoinder of that legend, among the greatest Prime Ministers of INDIA ever. The present economic situation and the World order in the aftermath of the RUSSIA – UKRAINE war of sorts needed a Genius and Quintessential 'CHANAKYA of Indian and Global Politics', Narasimha Rao to have been there for us. He was the man to go to in crisis as the then 1991 was a tumultuous year in the global order. The Gulf War was raging with the intervention of global coalition led by US which launched operation “DESERT STORM” to push back IRAQI forces under the leadership of SADDAM HUSSEIN from KUWAIT.

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

The con lict between the 2 countries was responsible at the time for over 4.3 million barrels of oil per day that cost a dramatic shock to the global oil supply chain. The price of crude doubled over night, triggering economic rifts within countries that found their oil import price bills rise northwards and uncontrollably, including INDIA which was heavily dependent on oil imports for its energy needs and continues to do so even today. The present situation has every similarity to the 1991 – 1996 scenario but with a rider that we may be in a rather preceding era of 1984 – 1989 in real terms. The emergence of P V Narasimha Rao on the scene was a calming impact that put all warring factions in Indian politics to come together and deliver the golden era of coalitions that continued in the ATAL era. In P V Narasimha Rao, the Indian Nation was blessed with a legend who championed the INDIA cause and its dramatic resurgence like the proverbial “phoenix from the ashes”. Also, the Nation was lucky to have a Scholar, Intellectual and Polyglot at the helm of the affairs. He kept a near Minority Government (that had only 256 seats or 47% of a total of 543) in power for the full 5-Years of its tenure and that coalition politics with its 'COALITION DHARMA' became the Hall-Mark of even the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government which followed suit which had almost 24+ Parties in its coalition in the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) that came to power a third time Circa 1999 to 2004. Even Dr. Manmohan Singh led Government of the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) was established on the Coalition Dharma principle Circa 2004. In his book, “Malevolent Republic”, a short history of New INDIA, publisher C Hurst & Co., (2019), the Author, Kapil Komireddi, states, “If Nehru 'discovered' INDIA, it can reasonably be said that P V Narasimha Rao reinvented it”. While Dr. Manmohan Singh has got due credit for Economic Reforms, it was PVNR who led and faced all the ires and the mine ields that came on the political front both in INDIA and International. PVNR had once famously said about his partnership with Dr. MMS that, “When he gets into political trouble, I bail him out ; when I get into economic trouble, he

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

bails me out”. Rao's biggest success was his 'Foreign Policy Doctrine' which was able to keep together the INDIA relationships with even staunch adversaries namely the US and RUSSIA as he was able to forge equanimous alliance with both driving INDIA's domestic and economic interests with the 2 Giants of the World Order. Also, as already mentioned earlier, his 'Look-East' Policy came in handy. Throughout his 'OVERSEAS ODYSSEYS', the underline message Narasimha Rao carried was that INDIA was an 'Open Market' for business and a completely natural ally and partner in the sub-continent and also South Asia. He never failed to stress on the many common cultural, social and geo-political similarities including the “Inclusive Democratic Characteristics of INDIA” which he pitched made the engagement with INDIA enable diversity necessary for success of Trade and Enterprise. In this Author's Book, “INDIA BRANDished – SuperPowering Brand INDIA”, the Rao Saga and his unique contribution is listed in the “Chapter 3 – 1991 & Beyond : The Era of Globalization and Glocalization”. Rao was able to steer clear from what I described as “Cranti Capitalism” more or less a “Confused Economy (CE)” disguised as “Mixed Economy (ME)” thereof CE = ME syndrome with more or less is of Cracpot Nature and ante-thesis to the idea of a real Hybrid Economy that combines 'Welfare State' and 'Prudent Capitalism' with the masthead of 'DCTS (Democratic Capitalism Tinged with Socialism)'. PVNR was able to demonstrate and laid the foundation of such pragmatic yet reformist political economy for INDIA steering clear of the erstwhile “Licence-Permit-Quota Raj”. It is this unique treatment of the economy and polity that needs to be 'Made a FineArt' for giving a True Tribute to the Great Legendary Leader, PAMULAPARTHI VENKATA NARASIMHA RAO as envisioned in this path-breaking Book BioGraphy “NARASIMHA SUTRA – SAGA of the Prime Minister, P V NARASIMHA RAO, the Father of ReSurgent INDIA - A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)”.

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

Acknowledgements This exclusive Book BioGraphy is dedicated to to the Great Legendary Leader, PAMULAPARTHI VENKATA NARASIMHA RAO - “NARASIMHA SUTRA – SAGA of the Prime Minister, P V NARASIMHA RAO, the Father of ReSurgent INDIA - A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)” on his 101st Birth Anniversary falling on 28th June 2022. PVNR by all means was amongst INDIA's greatest Prime Ministers and in this Author's view P V NARASIMHA RAO and ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE remain INDIA's 2 top Best Prime Minsters ever with barely a choice between the two. While Rao brought INDIA out of the brink of economic crisis that could spell disaster, Vajpayee fast forwarded PVNR's work further through Infrastructure Upheaval. While both the Septuagenarians practiced the idea of “Inclusive Growth” through “Investment for Inclusion”. This book is a quick read and must read for most in this generation who know very little of P V NARASIMHA RAO and his extra ordinary legacy.

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SAGA of P V NARASIMHA RAO the Father of ReSurgent INDIA & A True Champion of COPE (Consensually Operated Political Economy)

We wish to thank all those who enabled the Release of this Book BioGraphy and our Special Gratitude must go to the following. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Rajesh Kaithwas, Founder & Chairman, RUDRA Group of Companies N Murugesan, DG (Retd.), CPRI Ajay Mishra, Former Special Chief Secretary, Department of ENERGY, Government of TELANGANA R N Khazanchi, Former MD, THPA and PHPA, Hon'ble Druk Thuksey and Presidential Awardee, PRAVASI BHARTIYA. Dr. V M Bansal, Chairman, NDIM (New Delhi Institute of Management) S Paramasivan, MD, AFCONS Infrastructure Ltd (Shapoorji Pallonji Group) K Nandakumar, CMD, Chemtrols Industries Pvt. Ltd. PVSN Murty, Independent Consultant & Advisor; Former VP, Voith Hydro K Ravikumar, Former CMD, BHEL Prof. Dr. Hirdesh K Khanna, Former Director, MTU Onsite Energy, Germany Hetal Mehta, Chairman, SETU Foundation Santosh Goenka, Former Executive Publisher, Indian Express Group S K Dharmadhikari, Former VP & Chief of Hydro, HCC S G Paretkar, Director & BU Head (Hydro & U/G Works), AFCONS D P Goyal, Former Director, Jaiprakash Power Ventures Ltd. M K Dube, Former Director (IS&P), BHEL T C Arora, Former Director, Toshiba INDIA Rajiva Kumar Srivastava, Former ED, RE-ROD, BHEL Sandeep Shrivastava, VP, ANDRITZ Hydro Col. R M Khosla (Retd.), Former Head (Hydro), Patel Engineering Ltd. K K Gupta, Former VP, L&T Om Prakash, Former GM (PR) - PFC Ltd.

Once again, we are thankful to all who have enabled and encouraged this 3rd BioGraphy of the Author, the 1st being “ATAL SHASTRA – Saga of SuvarnaShree, SarvaPriya Bharat Ratna ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE – INDIA's Best Prime Minister, Tallest Parliamentarian Ever and a Champion of Liberalism and Pluralism” & 2nd being “HYDROguru YOGENDRA PRASAD – The ICONIC Hydro Energy Legend of INDIA, Late Shri Yogendra Prasad, Former CMD NHPC ; Father of Modern Hydropower Growth in INDIA”

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Never made money despite holding the post of PM for 5 years. Faced difficulties in paying daughter's fees for medical education



Prof. A. Gopalakrishnan Iyer Distinguished Alumnus - National Institute of Technology (NIT), Kurukshetra (Formerly Regional Engineering College - REC, Kurukshetra) Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (ME), B. Tech PGMM (Post Graduate in Marketing Management) MIM (Masters in International Marketing) ISO Certified - CMS under RvA (Dutch Accreditation Council), Geneva Conventions via CMSI (Certified Marketing Services Inc. USA) Founder President, REPA (Renewable Energy Promotion Association) & Chairman, WIRE (World Institute for Renewable Energy) – REPA – NDIM Centre of Excellence in Renewable Energy; President, ENERTIA Foundation; MARKENOMY Foundation & ASMEI (Alliance for SMEs of India) Editor-in-Chief & Founder Publisher, ENERTIA, MARKENOMY, Defence & Marine Biz & PSE Journal Hon. Associate Dean & Professor of Global Business Environment, Government & Public Policy, NDIM (New Delhi Institute of Management); Life Member & Distinguished Fellow, Institute of Directors (IOD)

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