New Delhi, India (DT) – Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh passed away on Thursday at the age of 92. He was admitted to AIIMS in Delhi late in the evening following a decline in his health, where doctors later pronounced him dead. Dr. Singh had been battling prolonged illness.
A distinguished economist and statesman, Dr. Manmohan Singh was India’s 13th Prime Minister, serving from 2004 to 2014. During his tenure, he played a pivotal role in steering India through significant economic and political challenges. As Finance Minister in the early 1990s, he was the architect of India’s economic liberalization, introducing reforms that opened up the economy and laid the foundation for its rapid growth.
Dr. Singh also served as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, and held several other critical positions in academia and governance. Renowned for his humility, intellect, and dedication to public service, his contributions have left an indelible mark on the nation’s development.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences on X, stating, “India mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished leaders, Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji.” The Prime Minister acknowledged Dr. Singh’s remarkable contributions to the nation, both as an economist and a statesman, and highlighted his enduring legacy in shaping modern India.
Dr. Manmohan Singh was the first Indian leader since Jawaharlal Nehru to be re-elected after completing a full first term as Prime Minister and the first Sikh to hold the nation’s highest office. Notably, he delivered a historic public apology in Parliament for the 1984 riots, during which approximately 3,000 Sikhs were killed.
However, his second term in office faced challenges, overshadowed by a series of corruption scandals that tarnished his administration’s image. Many believe these controversies contributed significantly to the Congress party’s resounding defeat in the 2014 general elections.
Born on September 26, 1932, in a remote village in the Punjab province of undivided India, Singh grew up in an area that lacked basic amenities like water and electricity. After completing his education at Panjab University, he earned a master’s degree from the University of Cambridge and a DPhil from Oxford.
While studying at Cambridge, financial hardships posed significant challenges for Singh, as noted by his daughter, Daman Singh, in her book about her parents’ lives. Despite these struggles, Singh’s determination and intellect paved the way for an illustrious career in academia, economics, and politics.
