L J Ravi 
NewDelhi: Former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh passed away at 92 at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Thursday night. Singh, who was India’s 13th Prime Minister and the first Sikh to hold the coveted post, headed the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre from May 2004 to May 2014.
Manmohan Singh (born September 26, 1932, , West Punjab [now in Pakistan]—died December 26, 2024, India) was an Indian economist and politician who served as PM OF India from 2004 to 2014. A Sigh he was the first person from a minority community to occupy the office.
Singh attended Panjab University in Chandigarh and the in Great Britan. He later earned a doctorate in economics from the . In the 1970s he was named to a series of economic advisory posts with the Indian government and became a frequent consultant to prime ministers. Singh also worked at the serving as director (1976–80) and governor (1982–85). When he was named finance minister in 1991, the country was on the verge of an economic collapse. Singh devalued the rupee, lowered taxes, privatized state-run industries, and encouraged foreign investment, reforms that helped transform the country’s economy and spark an economic boom. A member of the INC he joined the Rajya Sabha (upper chamber of Parliament) in 1991. Singh, who served as finance minister until 1996, ran for the Lok Sabha(lower chamber) in 1999 but was defeated. He continued to serve in the Rajya Sabha, retiring in April 2024.
The Congress Party won the May 2004 parliamentary elections, defeating the ruling (BJP). Congress leader, Sonia Ghandhi (widow of former prime minister widow of former pm), declined the prime ministership, instead recommending Singh for the post. Singh subsequently formed a government and took office. His stated goals included helping improve conditions for India’s poor (who generally had not benefited from the country’s economic growth), securing peace with neighboring and improving relations between India’s various religious groups.
In 1991, with the Indian economy on the brink of collapse, economic liberalization began under the leadership of Dr. Manmohan Singh.
Dr. Manmohan Singh became the first Sikh Prime Minister of India to be re-elected after completing a full five-year term.
The economic liberalization policies he implemented as Finance Minister in the 1990s allowed the country to reap the benefits of globalization and privatization.
During Dr. Manmohan Singh’s tenure, the National Employment Guarantee Scheme and the Right to Compulsory Education Act brought about a paradigm shift in the country.
Dr. Manmohan Singh’s firm stance on the civil nuclear deal with the United States demonstrates his growing strength and commitment as a Prime Minister.
“With profound grief, we inform the demise of Former Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh, aged 92. He was being treated for age-related medical conditions and had sudden loss of consciousness at home on 26th December 2024.
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 hospital said in a statement, confirming the Congress veteran’s passing away.
Dr Manmohan Singh, who retired from public life after the Congress’ defeat at the hands of the BJP in the 2014 Lok Sabha
When he first became Prime Minister, Singh had said, “It was an unexpected blessing to get the opportunity to lead the country.”
The story of a poor boy from a small village rising to the post of Prime Minister is an exciting story.
International financial institutions like the World Bank, IMF, and ADB had decided before the elections that he should be the next Finance Minister of India.
polls, made his last public appearance in the Rajya Sabha, of which he was a member, in August 2023.
Negligible hunger in the face of knowledge
The environment in which he grew up is a gift from the country that made him a great statesman. Negligible hunger in the face of knowledge It was an undeveloped hamlet. There was a family there. What was in that family was not just poverty, it was extreme poverty. That boy did not have slippers to wear, nor did he have good clothes to wear. Let alone slippers and clothes, he had to think about even two meals a day. It was not easy to fill a bag of rice. There were many difficulties in that house. But none of this could hinder the goal of that boy who had a passion for reading and a thirst for knowledge. The hunger in his stomach did not seem big in front of the hunger for knowledge.
The highest achievement of a poor boy
The chimney lamp that shaped a hero In the Singh house, which had no electricity connection, the chimney lamp was the mainstay at that time. The boy who was studying in that dim light was going to make his future days beautiful. There were a hundred and eight dreams in his bright eyes. On the path of those dreams, the boy began to climb the stairs of success one by one, forgetting all the daily hassles. He proved that success is possible if you have the will to achieve and persistent effort.
In 1991, the country’s economy was in a complete state of disarray. Former PM Chandrashekhar, who had been the Prime Minister before Narasimha Rao, had returned with gold stashed abroad. At that time, India had only $1 billion in foreign exchange reserves. In just 15 days, the country had reached the point of bankruptcy. At such a time, the then Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao had invited Singh to become the Union Finance Minister. On one hand, there was apprehension. But Singh did not hesitate to accept the invitation.
