NT Rama Rao (28 May 1923 – 18 January 1996), a public figure (actor, politician and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister popularly known as NTR) who stood tall in the public life of Andhra Pradesh would have been 100 if he lived today. To mark the centenary celebrations of NTR, Visakhapatnam campus of GITAM (Deemed to be University) hosted the NTR Memorial Lecture on ‘Empowerment – Road to Good Governance’ and was delivered by Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman on Oct 29.
Technology has come as a very big instrument through which human folly and human temptation can be contained in governance said the Finance Minister. “The human tendency to take something out which probably does not belong rightfully to one, is there, one cannot bypass that. Today, the way we have adopted technology is ensuring that benefits reach common public, one of the goals of good governance has been achieved. I am not saying this is fool proof. Ingenuity will have some element in which people will know to hack even this, but now it is for sure that who should get what, is going absolutely without any kind of pilferages. Good governance is about looking for instruments with which you are able to implement the objectives,” she added.
Paying tributes to the memory of NTR, Sitharaman, said: “I pay my humble respects to a leader who’d be 100 had he lived today, and to his family. I feel touched that in a yearlong celebration, I’ve been given a small role to play. Whether it is Rama or Krishna, until modern day there is nobody else who can bring that image so perfectly than NT Rama Rao. The films had a very good blend of authentic references to the Puranas. There were no fabrications, and the acting was just incomparable.”
The event was presided by Daggubati Purandeswari, National General Secretary, BJP, and the daughter of NT Rama Rao. She spoke about her father NT Rama Rao and his welfare schemes. She mentioned that most of NTR’s schemes were later followed by the Central government. She added that they are planning to conduct year-long programs as part of NTR centenary celebrations.
Among the dignitaries present were Mathukumilli Sri Bharat, President, GITAM (Deemed to be University) and sons, daughters, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren of NT Rama Rao. K. Niveditha, the granddaughter of NT Rama Rao, delivered the vote of thanks.
