Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, who is fondly known as KCR, has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to rename Hyderabad Central University after former PM PV Narasimha Rao.

The TRS government hosted an event to mark PV Narasimha Rao's 99th birthday anniversary at PV Ghat in Hyderabad on Sunday. K Chandrasekhar Rao also started a year-long centenary celebration of the former PM. Telangana Chief Minister not only compared him to Jawaharlal Nehru but also demanded the Bharat Ratna for him.

K Chandrashekar Rao paying tributes to former PM Late PV Narasimha Rao on Sunday
K Chandrashekar Rao paying tributes to former PM Late PV Narasimha Rao on SundayTwitter

Rao's letter to PM Modi

Telangana CMO tweeted a copy of K Chandrashekar Rao's letter requesting Narendra Modi and wrote, "Hon'ble CM Sri K. Chandrashekar Rao written a letter to Hon'ble Prime Minister Sri @NarendraModi requesting to name Hyderabad Central University after former Prime Minister Late Sri PV. Narasimha Rao."

"Sri PV Narasimha Rao, former Prime Minister of India was born on 28th June 1921 in Telangana and we are celebrating his birth centenary from today. Although he is famously recognised as a leader who ushered in economic reforms to bring the stagnant economy of India on a trajectory of high growth at a time of unprecedented economic crisis in 1991, he was at the same time a multi-faceted son of India, who contributed to the growth of our nation in several other crucial spheres also," reads a statement in the letter.

K Chandrasekhar Rao added in the letter, "His contribution to education policy and setting up of residential schools first at the state level and later in the form of Navodaya Schools at national level was a radical step to provide quality education to meritorious students from rural areas with poor economic background."

K Chandrashekar Rao paying tributes to former PM Late PV Narasimha Rao on Sunday
K Chandrashekar Rao paying tributes to former PM Late PV Narasimha Rao on SundayTwitter

Talking about renaming the University, K Chandrasekhar Rao stated, "There is a strong local public demand in Telangana to name Hyderabad Central University after Sri P.V.Narasimha Rao. Incidentally, this university was set up in 1974 as a result of Telangana agitation at that time under the six-point formula to address the imbalance in education infrastructure in Telangana."

K Chandrasekhar Rao concluded his letter requesting Narendra Modi, "I take this opportunity to request the Government of India through your good offices to name this institution as P.V.Narasimha Rao Central University of Hyderabad, which will be a fitting tribute to him during his birth centenary year."

However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid tributes in his Mann Ki Baat. The PM of India said, Today, we remember a great son of India, our former PM Shri Narasimha Rao Ji. He led India at a very crucial time in our history. He was a great political leader and was a scholar."