Legendary divine personality Sri Pathri Venkata Rama Krishna Prasad, popularly known as PVRK Prasad, is one of independent India's most illustrious IAS officers. He had served as Additional Secretary and Media Advisor to former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao during 1991 and 1996.
Prasad belongs to 1966 I.A.S Batch. He worked as a collector of Khammam district and as a secretary to the then Chief minister, Kasu Brahmananda Reddy. An an IAS officer of Andhra Pradesh cadre, Prasad held several important positions before moving to the Centre on deputation as additional secretary to the PM. As an adviser, Prasad had forced PM P.V. Narasimha Rao to take the most path breaking decision of allowing foreign investments into India that went on to change the financial scenario of our country.
The most important assignment Prasad took up was that of Executive Officer of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the body that administers Lord Venkateswara Temple at Tirupati. Prasad had introduced several reforms and projects in the TTD functioning between 1978 and 82 that made the hill shrine more pilgrim friendly. He was responsible for publishing audio cassettes for the first time on saint-poet Annamacharya, as also kirtanas sung by prominent singers, including M.S. Subbalakshmi.
Besides these, here are few interesting facts you need to know about the man and his illustrious career:
1. The Vaikhuntam Queue Complex, the massive idol of Lord Hanuman on the mountain top, and the ‘Dwaja Stambam are at Lord Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati because of him.
2. He also held the position of Chairman of Visakhapatnam Port Trust.
3. He wrote several books in Telugu, out of which "Asalemi Jarigindante" (What Actually Happened) was most popular. In it, he narrated key events during his tenure at the PMO. He revealed that Narasimha Rao wanted to construct a Ram temple at Ayodhya through a non-political trust, and had even prepared a master plan for it.
4. He was an advisor to the TTD all his life post retirement as its chief. He engaged in spiritual work and served as chairman of the Hindu Dharma Parirakshana Trust (HDPT), which was set up by the TTD ‘to promote, propagate and preserve Hindu Sanatana Dharma as the official dharmic face of TTD by organising spiritual discourses, dharmic and devotional programmes.’
At the age of 77, Prasad passed away due to heart attack on August 21, 2017 at a private hospital in Hyderabad. Thank you for your great contribution sir and may your noble soul rest in peace.
