President Droupadi Murmu conferred Bharat Ratna upon P. V. Narasimha Rao posthumously. As the ninth Prime Minister of India, P. V. Narasimha Rao led far-reaching economic reforms. Earlier, in his youth, he had taken an active part in the freedom struggle, especially against the misrule and oppression in the Nizam-ruled Hyderabad. He was known for his command over several languages and literatures.
On behalf of the late P. V. Narasimha Rao, Bharat Ratna was received by P. V. Prabhakar Rao, his son.