By Aroonim Bhuyan
New Delhi, December 27. “Wise, thoughtful, and scrupulously honest”. These were the words former US President Barack Obama used in his 2020 memoir A Promised Land to describe Manmohan Singh, who led India as Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014.
Singh passed away on December 26, 2024, at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi at the age of 92. According to an AIIMS statement, Singh was being treated for age-related medical conditions and had sudden loss of consciousness at home on December 26.
“Resuscitative measures were started immediately at home. He was brought to the Medical Emergency at AIIMS, New Delhi at 8:06 PM. Despite all efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 9:51 PM,” the statement read causing gloom to people of the country who revered him as a visionary economist and statesman.
Singh served as 13th Prime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014. He was the fourth longest-serving Prime Minister after Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Narendra Modi. A member of the Indian National Congress, Singh was the first Sikh prime minister of India. He was also the first prime minister since Nehru to be re-elected after completing a full five-year term.
A towering figure in Indian politics and global diplomacy, Singh’s legacy is etched in the annals of history as the architect of modern India’s economic transformation and a leader committed to inclusivity and integrity. He is credited for setting the stage for India to sit on the global high table.
Born on September 26, 1932, in Gah, Punjab (now in Pakistan), Manmohan Singh’s life was a testament to resilience and excellence. From humble beginnings, he rose to become one of the most respected leaders globally, renowned for his intellect, humility, and statesmanship.
After completing his education in economics, with degrees from Panjab University and Cambridge University, and a doctorate from Oxford University, Singh embarked on a distinguished career as an economist, policymaker, and academic before taking up the role of a politician.
Singh worked for the United Nations from 1966 to 1969. He subsequently began his bureaucratic career when Lalit Narayan Mishra hired him as an advisor in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. During the 1970s and 1980s, Singh held several key posts in the Government of India, such as Chief Economic Advisor (1972–1976), Governor of the Reserve Bank (1982–1985) and head of the Planning Commission (1985–1987).
However, he is most is widely recognized as the architect of India’s economic liberalisation in the early 1990s as the Finance Minister. How an apolitical person like Singh became the country’s finance minister is a story in itself.
In 1991, as India faced a severe economic crisis, the newly elected Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao decided to induct Singh, the economist of repute, as the Finance Minister in the Union Cabinet. Though Singh is known widely as the “accidental prime minister”, he actually describes himself as the “accidental prime minister”
During the launch of his book Changing India in 2018, Singh recalled how he became the finance minister. After Rao became the Prime Minister, he sent his adviser PC Alexander to Singh, who was then the Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) to inform him that he would be made the finance minister. Singh initially did not take the offer seriously. The next day, Rao tracked Singh down to his office in the UGC.
When Singh said that he did not take the offer seriously, Rao negated him and told to go, dress up and come to the Rashtrapati Bhavan for the swearing-in ceremony.
“That’s how I became an accidental finance minister,” Singh recalled. The rest, as they say, is history. As Finance Minister, he steered the country away from the economic crisis, introducing landmark reforms that opened India’s economy to the world. His policies laid the foundation for sustained growth, industrialisation, and global integration, shaping India into a rising economic power.
Although these measures proved successful in averting the crisis, and enhanced Singh’s reputation globally as a leading reform-minded economist, the incumbent Congress Party fared poorly in the 1996 general election. Subsequently, Singh was leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government of 1998–2004.
In 2004, when the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) came to power, its chairperson Sonia Gandhi unexpectedly relinquished the prime ministership to Singh. That is how he came to be known as the “accidental prime minister”.
During his first term as Prime Minister, Singh executed several key legislations and projects, including the National Rural Health Mission, Unique Identification Authority, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme and the Right to Information Act.
In terms of foreign policy, Singh’s lasting legacy will be the historic India-US civilian nuclear deal that was signed in 2008. In fact, it was this agreement that has led to the India-US strategic partnership in the geopolitical space today.
In his condolence message following the passing away of Singh, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken described how the former Prime Minister played a crucial role in strengthening the India-US relationship.
“Dr. Singh was one of the greatest champions of the US-India strategic partnership, and his work laid the foundation for much of what our countries have accomplished together in the past two decades,” Blinken stated. “His leadership in advancing the US-India Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement signified a major investment in the potential of the US-India relationship. At home, Dr. Singh will be remembered for his economic reforms that spurred India’s rapid economic growth. We mourn Dr. Singh’s passing and will always remember his dedication to bringing the United States and India closer together.”
The 2009 general election saw the UPA return with an increased mandate, with Singh retaining the office of Prime Minister. After his term ended, he opted out from the race for the office of Prime Minister during the 2014 Indian general election. Singh was never a member of the Lok Sabha but served as a member of the Rajya Sabha, representing the state of Assam from 1991 to 2019 and Rajasthan from 2019 to 2024.
Despite all his tremendous achievements, Singh was known for his simplicity and unassuming nature. He remained a deeply private individual who avoided political theatrics, focusing instead on his work and vision for the country.
Congress leader P Chidambaram, who held the Home and Finance portfolios at the Centre under Manmohan Singh, told NDTV news channel that he had never met someone who was as humble and self-effacing.
“I have not met a person more humble and self-effacing than Dr Singh,” Chidambaram said. “He wore his scholarship lightly and never claimed credit for any of his historic achievements.”
As simple as his nature, Singh’s dietary choices were also simple. A vegetarian by choice, Singh’s preferred dish was curd rice paired with papad, pomegranate, and pickles.
President Draupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi among other leaders all referred to Singh’s simplicity and humility in their tributes to the former Prime Minister.
“Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh Ji was one of those rare politicians who also straddled the worlds of academia and administration with equal ease,” Murmu stated on the Rashtrapati Bhavan’s X handle. “In his various roles in public offices, he made critical contributions to reforming Indian economy. He will always be remembered for his service to the nation, his unblemished political life and his utmost humility.”
In his condolence message, Modi said that Singh’s commitment to the people and the nation’s development will forever be held in high regard.
“Dr. Manmohan Singh ji’s life was a reflection of honesty and simplicity,” the Prime Minister stated. “He was an extraordinary parliamentarian. His humility, gentleness, and intellect defined his parliamentary life.”
Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said that he has lost a guide and mentor. His sister and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi described Singh as “wise, strong-willed and courageous”.
Indeed, Manmohan Singh’s life epitomised the virtues of hard work, integrity, and service to the nation. His vision and leadership transformed India’s trajectory, leaving behind a legacy that will continue to inspire generations.
Singh leaves behind his wife Gursharan Kaur and three daughters. The nation bids farewell to a statesman par excellence, whose life was dedicated to the idea of a better India.
