Hyderabad: P.V.R.K. Prasad, then media adviser to the late Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao, and former executive officer of the TTD, died here on Monday at a private hospital following a massive heart attack.
He was admitted to the hospital on Saturday night after complaining of chest pain. He is survived by his wife Gopika, a son and a daughter who were with him when the end came.
The last rites were performed on Monday morning. Pathri Venkata Rama Krishna Prasad, 77, an AP cadre IAS officer held several key posts — chairman Visakhapatnam Port Trust, Executive Officer, Tirumala Tirupati Devastanams (TTD) and additional secretary at the Prime Minister's Office during Narasimha Rao's tenure.
He was also chairman of the Hindu Dharma Parirakshana Trust constituted by the endowments department of Andhra Pradesh.
As TTD Executive Officer, 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.
He was a popular writer and author of several books in Telugu that were translated into English and Hindi, such as Naham Kartha, Hari Kartha (I did not do anything, it was all God's doing), Asalem Jarigindante (Wheels behind the veil), Tirumala Leelamrutham and Tiru-mala Charitamrutham.
In Asalem Jarigindante, he narrated key events during his tenure at the PMO. He revealed that Narasimha Rao wanted the construction of a Ram temple at Ayodhya through a non-political trust, and had even prepared a master plan for it.
Prasad was respected by successive Chief Minis-ters in Andhra Pradesh and was appointed as adviser by governments even after his retirement.
An incident that occurred in 1987, when he was excise commissioner, gives an indication of the kind of man he was.
A liquor baron, who subsequently went on to become a Member of Parliament, paid him a visit at home and offered a box of sweets. When his children opened the box, they found it contained '1 lakh in cash.
Prasad immediately informed the Anti Corruption Bureau and got the liquor baron arrested at Begumpet airport as he was about to board a flight for Bengaluru.
Governor E.S.L. Naras-imhan and Chief Minis-ters K. Chandrasekhar Rao and N. Chandrababu Naidu condoled the death of Prasad.
