NLN – An Institution Builder

Y. Babji

(The Hyderabad Chapter of the Public Relations Society of India, in association with its Past Chairpersons’ Council, jointly organised a Memorial Lecture in honour of Sri N. L. Narasimha Rao on the theme “Legacy and Leadership in Public Relations” on 20 December 2025 at Suravaram Prathap Reddy Telugu University, Hyderabad. The Convener of the Past Chairpersons’ Council spoke on the life and contributions of Sri N. L. Narasimha Rao.)

Narapuraju Lakshmi Narasimha Rao, popularly known as NLN, was born on 20 December 1938 to Sri Narapuraju Seetharama Rao and Smt Ranganayakamma at Chilkur village near Suryapet, in the then Nalgonda District of the Nizam’s Hyderabad State. He was the fourth child of his parents and the second among the sons in a family of ten children—five sons and five daughters.

Sri NLN completed his schooling in Suryapet and pursued his pre-university course and graduation at Nalgonda. In the early phase of his career, he served briefly as a teacher at Pamulapahad near Suryapet.

He married Smt N. Radha at a young age and moved to Hyderabad in 1956. The city thereafter became his lifelong home and workplace. After a short stint in teaching, he joined the Directorate of Field Publicity (DFP) under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India. DFP was a premier government media unit responsible for disseminating development communication through folk media, films, exhibitions and grassroots outreach, particularly in rural India. (DFP has since been integrated into the Central Bureau of Communication.)

Sri NLN pursued a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Relations from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, where he came under the influence of Dr C V Narasimha Reddi. This association drew him into the fold of the Public Relations Society of India in the early 1980s and proved decisive in shaping his lifelong commitment to PRSI.

Sri NLN and Smt Radha were blessed with five children—three daughters and two sons:

• Smt M. Indumathi, homemaker
• Sri N. Shyama Sundar Rao, Osmania General Hospital
• Smt K. Yamuna, homemaker
• Sri N. Ravi Kumar, Osmania Medical College
• Smt C. Vasantha Lakshmi, homemaker

All members of the family are settled and living in Hyderabad.

Sri NLN retired as Administrative Officer from the Directorate of Field Publicity. During his central government service, he was on deputation as Public Relations Officer to the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority and the Andhra Pradesh Fisheries Corporation. After his retirement in 1996, he joined GDC Advertising Pvt. Ltd., where he served as Director in charge of business operations.

Sri NLN passed away on 4 August 2019 following a cardiac arrest. His wife, Smt Radha, predeceased him on 21 September 2017 after battling lung cancer.

Incidentally, Sri NLN was the brother-in-law of Sri Chakkilam Srinivasa Rao, popularly known as “Sardar,” a prominent political leader of Telangana who served multiple terms as a Member of the Legislative Assembly and once as a Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha.

Leadership

Sri N. L. Narasimha Rao was a towering personality in the organisational history of the Public Relations Society of India, particularly the Hyderabad Chapter, which he nurtured and strengthened with unmatched dedication.

He served as Chairman of the Hyderabad Chapter for five terms—1992–1994, 1995–1997, 2002–2004, 2010–2012 and 2012–2014. In all, he led the Chapter for a cumulative period of ten years, during which he played a pivotal role in institution-building, leadership development and professional networking. He also served as National Vice President of PRSI, in charge of the Southern States—a position I had the privilege of succeeding him in.

A meticulous organiser and a leader par excellence, Sri NLN drew extensively from his experience in the Directorate of Field Publicity to organise twelve Andhra Pradesh Public Relations Conferences between 1980 and 2013, including five conferences during his own tenure as Chairman. His efforts significantly enhanced the stature, reach and visibility of the Hyderabad Chapter in the undivided State of Andhra Pradesh.

Following the bifurcation of the State, the tradition he institutionalised has continued. The first Telangana State PR Conference was organised under the chairmanship of Dr J. Chennaiah, followed by the second and third conferences under Dr P. Venugopal Reddy. The present Chairman, Dr Kambhampati Yadagiri, is now contemplating the organisation of the 4th Telangana Public Relations Conference on 21 April next year.

Legacy

While Dr C. V. Narasimha Reddi made seminal contributions to the profession of public relations, Sri N. L. Narasimha Rao devoted his life to strengthening its organisational foundations. Even today, the names Narasimha Reddi and Narasimha Rao are instinctively recalled whenever public relations is discussed—not only in the Telugu States and the South, but across the country.

Sri N. L. Narasimha Rao will always be remembered as an institution builder and mentor of leaders, whose enduring contribution to PRSI continues to inspire generations of public relations practitioners.