Amid the ongoing row over alleged imposition of Hindi in schools through the National Education Policy (NEP), Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has defended the Union government’s proposal, saying that the former Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao, has become a famed scholar by learning 17 languages.
“P.V. Narasimha Rao was a scholar, fluent in 17 language. Now, we are talking why should we learn Hindi. Narasimha Rao had become a great man as he not only learnt Hindi but other languages too,” Mr. Naidu said while delivering the sixth of the PMs’ lecture series on the topic, ‘The life and legacy of P.V. Narasimha Rao’, at the Prime Ministers’ Museum and Library, in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan and HRD Minister N. Lokesh had already unequivocally supported promoting Hindi as a language.
Mr. Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party and Mr. Naidu-led TDP are partners in the NDA from South India.
Recalling Narasimha Rao’s contribution in nation-building, Mr. Naidu, “I had a very good equation with him and knew him very well. The Telugu community is proud of him. He was a true ‘Telugu Bidda’ who had reshaped the destiny of our great nation,” Mr. Naidu observed.
Speaking about the pre-1991 economic scenario, Mr. Naidu outlined how the country had been shackled under the ‘License Raj’, with growth stagnating at 3-4%. By 1991, India was saddled in an unprecedented economic crisis, and foreign reserves dropped dangerously low, he said.
Comparing Narasimha Rao’s strategic courage to that of Deng Xiaoping of China, who initiated China’s reforms in 1978, Mr. Naidu said the former Prime Minister had recognised crisis as an opportunity and launched the historic 1991 economic reforms, decisively transforming India’s future. “We are all here today enjoying the fruits of the reforms he initiated,” Mr. Naidu asserted.
Praising the political acumen of Narasimha Rao, the Chief Minister said, despite leading a minority government, he had achieved the near-impossible by forging consensus among Socialists, Communists, and Capitalists alike. Narasimha Rao had played a key role in ending the License Raj and welcoming foreign investment, and setting the stage for India’s IT revolution in the mid-1990s.
“Thanks to his reforms, India overcame its balance of payments crisis, opened up its economy, and set the stage for future growth,” Mr. Naidu said.
He credited Narasimha Rao with the IT boom that was witnessed after the economic liberalisation. The Chief Minister also recalled his association with the former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, recognising his vision in building India’s infrastructure and telecom backbone.
Further, Mr. Naidu described 2014 as a turning point, and credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with ushering in a new era of bold, decisive leadership. “Under Mr. Modi’s stewardship, India rose from the 11th to the 4th largest economy, with a clear trajectory to become the 3rd largest by 2028,” Mr. Naidu emphasised.
“Mr. Modi is as a leader who instills national pride, global respect, and strong foreign relations,” he said. Drawing comparisons to other economies, he remarked that “the goal is not just to grow fast, but to grow fairly, where every citizen, every region, and every sector shares fruits of progress, rightly called Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas.”
He also noted that according to the World Bank, India was among the top four most income-equal countries, lifting over 17.1 crore Indians out of poverty in the last decade.
“Public policy must serve the people. For it to work effectively, we need stable governments and visionary leaders,” Mr. Naidu asserted. He highlighted India’s global recognition in space, healthcare, entrepreneurship, and the rise of Indian billionaires as symbols of this transformation.
Later, Mr. Naidu took questions from the audience during which he elaborated his vision for Andhra Pradesh, particularly in the technology sector. He said that the Quantum Valley initiative was in line with the National Quantum Mission, aiming to create India’s answer to Silicon Valley. He highlighted curriculum reforms, youth leadership in his party, and a conscious effort to bring young, educated MLAs into governance.
On agriculture, he said, “We must handhold agriculture as our traditional occupations evolve.” On equitable wealth distribution, he emphasised the need to align the aspirations of farmers with broader policy reforms.
Mr. Naidu added, “I am 100% confident that by 2047, India will be the No. 1 country in the world. When we celebrate 100 years of Independence, Indians will lead the world.” The Chief Minister felicitated the former Prime Minister’s son, P.V. Prabhakar Rao, and grandson N.V. Subhash on the occasion.
Published – July 16, 2025 05:41 am IST
