Manmohan Singh Death: Former prime minister, academician dies at 92; last rites on Saturday

NEW DELHI: Manmohan Singh, former prime minister of India and an economist, passed away on Thursday night at the age of 92. Singh, who served as the nation’s 13th PM from 2004 to 2014, took his last breath at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. Beyond a political leader, Singh was an academician, holding positions in institutions like the Delhi School of Economics and Punjab University.

Singh had been unwell for an extended period. His last public appearance in 2024 was in January at the India International Centre (IIC), New Delhi, during his daughter's book launch.

Manmohan Singh Death: Academician journey

Manmohan Singh was born on September 26, 1932, in a village in the Punjab province of undivided India. He completed his early education in Punjab and earned a first-class honours degree in economics from the University of Cambridge, UK, in 1957. In 1962, he completed his DPhil in economics from Nuffield College, Oxford University. Singh began his academic career as a faculty member at Punjab University and the Delhi School of Economics before transitioning to government service.

India has lost a multifaceted personality: Union minister Jitendra Singh

Union minister Jitendra Singh expressed his condolences on the passing of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, describing him as a multifaceted personality who brought global recognition to India. In a post on X, he remarked, " "Today I have the conviction to say that more than a former Prime Minister, India has lost a multifaceted personality… an academician who earned global recognition, an economist who went down in history for giving a different turn to economic culture in India."

Manmohan Singh Death: Political journey and contribution

Singh joined the Government of India in 1971 as an economic advisor in the commerce ministry and was appointed chief economic advisor in the finance ministry the following year. Throughout his career, he held prominent roles, including prime minister, finance minister, deputy chairman of the planning commission, governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), and chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) in 1991. Singh also served as an advisor to the PM.

Manmohan Singh’s political journey began with his nomination to the Rajya Sabha in 1991, shortly after becoming union finance Minister. Singh served as India’s Finance Minister for five years, from 1991 to 1996, during PM Narasimha Rao’s tenure. He represented Assam for five terms before shifting to Rajasthan in 2019 for his final term. As Prime Minister, Singh served two consecutive terms from 2004 to 2014, during which his government introduced transformative welfare programs such as MNREGA and the Right to Education. Reforms like Aadhaar and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) were also initiated under his leadership, and the India-US Civil Nuclear Agreement became a landmark achievement of his tenure.

Also read J-K students ask Govt to clarify its position on new reservation policy, put recruitments on hold

Despite these accomplishments, Singh’s tenure was overshadowed by controversies, including the 2G spectrum, Commonwealth Games, and coal block allocation scams. Rising inflation and allegations of corruption marked the later years of his leadership. In 2014, the Narendra Modi-led government succeeded Singh’s administration.

PM Modi expresses condolences over Singh's demise

PM Narendra Modi's X post read, "India mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished leaders, Manmohan Singh Ji. Rising from humble origins, he rose to become a respected economist. He served in various government positions as well, including as finance minister, leaving a strong imprint on our economic policy over the years. His interventions in Parliament were also insightful. As our Prime Minister, he made extensive efforts to improve people’s lives," he said.

(With inputs from PTI)