P. V. Narasimha Rao

Pamulaparthi Venkata Narasimha Rao (?????????? ???? ???????? ???? in Telugu, ??????????? ?????? ??????? ??? in Devanagari) (June 28, 1921 – December 23, 2004) was the ninth Prime Minister of the Republic of India, and led possibly the most critically important administration in national history.

Related Topics:
Telugu - Devanagari - June 28 - 1921 - December 23 - 2004 - Prime Minister - India

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A polyglot, Rao could read and write in 17 languages.He could speak and write Urdu, Marathi, Hindi, Telugu and English like a native. He learnt European languages like French and Spanish too. He translated Jnanpith Award winner Viswanatha Satyanarayana's Telugu novel Veyi Padagalu (literally Thousand Hoods) into Hindi as "Sahasr Phan". Rao studied at Osmania University and the Universities of Mumbai and Nagpur, acquiring Bachelor's and Master's degrees in law.

Related Topics:
Polyglot - Language - Jnanpith Award - Viswanatha Satyanarayana - Telugu - Novel - Hindi - Osmania University - Mumbai - Nagpur - Bachelor's - Master's - Law

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Rao was an active young freedom-fighter, and after independence, joined politics full time. Rao served brief stints in the cabinet (1962 - 1971) and chief ministries (1971 - 1973) for the state of Andhra Pradesh. When the Indian National Congress split in 1969, he remained loyal to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and stayed so during the national emergency (1974-1977). He then rose to the national level in 1972 by serving in several ministries, most significantly home, defence and foreign affairs (1980 - 1984), in the cabinets of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. He was the first PM from South India and Andhra Pradesh.

Related Topics:
Cabinet - 1962 - 1971 - 1973 - Andhra Pradesh - Indira Gandhi - 1972 - Foreign affairs - 1980 - 1984 - Rajiv Gandhi

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After the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi and the general elections of 1991, Rao was chosen to lead the Congress party, and when Congress won a plurality in parliament later that year Rao was invited to head a minority government. He was the first person outside the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty to serve as Prime Minister for five continuous years. He was also the first prime minister to lead a minority government for a full term (five years). This is a singular achievement in the stormy, corrupt and torn world of Indian politics.

Related Topics:
Assassination - General elections - 1991 - Minority government - Nehru-Gandhi

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