CM Dhami pays tribute to PV Narasimha Rao on birth anniversary
Synopsis
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami on 28 June 2026 honoured former PM P.V. Narasimha Rao on his birth anniversary, calling his contribution to India's economic liberalisation and global recognition unforgettable.
Key Takeaways
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami posted a tribute on 28 June 2026 marking the birth anniversary of former PM P.V.
Dhami credited Rao's economic liberalisation reforms with strengthening India's progress and global standing.
Narasimha Rao , born 28 June 1921 , served as India's Prime Minister from 1991 to 1996 .
The 1991 reforms , launched alongside Finance Minister Manmohan Singh , dismantled the licence raj and opened India to global investment.
The tribute reflects a growing cross-party acknowledgement of Rao's economic legacy, with a senior BJP leader honouring a former Congress Prime Minister.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday, 28 June 2026, paid tribute to former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao on his birth anniversary, crediting the late leader's economic liberalisation reforms with strengthening India's progress and global standing.
Context
Posting on X, CM Dhami wrote in Hindi: 'पूर्व प्रधानमंत्री स्व. पीवी नरसिम्हा राव जी की जयंती पर कोटिशः नमन।' — 'Heartfelt salutations on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister, the late P.V. Narasimha Rao.' He added that Rao's contribution to strengthening the country's progress and global recognition through economic liberalisation 'will always be unforgettable.'
P.V. Narasimha Rao, born on 28 June 1921 in present-day Telangana, served as India's ninth Prime Minister from 1991 to 1996. He is widely regarded as the architect of India's landmark economic liberalisation, initiated alongside then Finance Minister Manmohan Singh in 1991.
Policy Backdrop
The 1991 economic reforms under Rao's government dismantled the licence raj, opened Indian markets to foreign investment, and set the country on a high-growth trajectory. The reforms are credited with pulling millions out of poverty and integrating India into the global economy over the following three decades.
Rao's government also navigated a severe balance-of-payments crisis in 1991, when India's foreign exchange reserves had fallen to levels sufficient for barely two weeks of imports. The structural adjustment that followed transformed India's economic architecture fundamentally.
Stakeholders and Impact
Tributes to Rao on his birth anniversary come from across the political spectrum, reflecting the broad consensus on the lasting significance of the 1991 reforms. The BJP, despite belonging to a different ideological tradition than the Congress party that Rao led, has in recent years increasingly acknowledged his economic legacy.
CM Dhami's tribute is notable as a senior BJP leader offering unambiguous recognition to a Congress-era Prime Minister — a gesture that underscores the cross-party stature Narasimha Rao has come to occupy in India's political memory.
What's Next
Commemorations marking Rao's birth anniversary are typically observed in Telangana and at the national level, with political leaders, economists, and civil society reflecting on the enduring impact of the 1991 liberalisation. As India continues to pursue structural economic reforms, Rao's legacy remains a reference point in policy discourse and is likely to draw renewed attention in the days ahead.
Point of View
Gradual rehabilitation of Rao's legacy within mainstream Indian politics — one that cuts across party lines. For the BJP, acknowledging the architect of 1991 liberalisation serves a dual purpose: it reinforces a pro-reform economic identity while also drawing a contrast with the Congress party's own complicated relationship with Rao's memory. The gesture signals that Rao's stature as a nation-builder has now transcended partisan ownership, making such tributes a recurring feature of India's political calendar rather than an exception.
NationPress
28 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is PV Narasimha Rao's birth anniversary celebrated?
P.V. Narasimha Rao, born on 28 June 1921, is remembered as the architect of India's 1991 economic liberalisation, which transformed the country's economy and integrated it into global markets. His birth anniversary is observed by political leaders and economists across the spectrum.
What did CM Dhami say about PV Narasimha Rao?
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami said that Rao's contribution to strengthening India's progress and global recognition through economic liberalisation 'will always be unforgettable,' offering his salutations on the former PM's birth anniversary.
What were PV Narasimha Rao's major achievements as Prime Minister?
As Prime Minister from 1991 to 1996, Rao led India's landmark economic liberalisation alongside Finance Minister Manmohan Singh, dismantling the licence raj, opening markets to foreign investment, and steering the country out of a severe balance-of-payments crisis.
Why is a BJP leader paying tribute to a Congress PM like Narasimha Rao?
Rao's economic legacy has earned him cross-party recognition in India. Senior BJP leaders have increasingly acknowledged his role in liberalising the economy, reflecting a broader consensus that his reforms were transformational regardless of party affiliation.
When did India's 1991 economic liberalisation happen?
India's economic liberalisation was launched in 1991 under Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao's government, with Manmohan Singh as Finance Minister, in response to a severe balance-of-payments crisis that left the country with barely two weeks of foreign exchange reserves.
