Former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh Passes Away At 92

Former Indian prime minister and architect of economic reforms in India, Dr Manmohan Singh passed away at the age of 92. He became seriously ill on Thursday night. He was taken to AIIMS by his family, after which he was treated at AIIMS. Even after hectic treatment from the doctors since admission to the emergency ward of AIIMS at 8:30 PM, the veteran could not survive, as he had died at 9:51 PM. He was claimed to have lost consciousness because of old age complications. The 92-year-old veteran could not be revived in the hospital. Behind Dr Singh are left wife Gursharan Kaur and his three daughters. President Draupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Kharge mourned his death.

A Life of Humility and Service

Born in a humble family, the journey of Dr. Singh from studying by kerosene lamps to becoming the Prime Minister of the country is inspiring. He was the Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014 during the UPA regime. A Rajya Sabha member for 33 years, he had kept himself away from active politics in the recent past due to ill health. The Indian government awarded him the Padma Vibhushan in 1987 for his contributions.

A Legacy of Economic Reforms

  • Finance Minister (1991): Dr. Singh was the Finance Minister under Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao, initiating landmark economic reforms that liberalized India's economy. His name became synonymous with India's economic revival during this period.
  • Prime Minister (2004–2014): As Prime Minister, he continued to shape India's financial and developmental policies, collaborating with leaders like P. Chidambaram to modernize the financial sector.

Tributes and Mourning

Condolences from Leaders:

  • President Draupadi Murmu: "Manmohan Singh's inputs towards India's economic reform made him one of its proud sons."
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi: "His wisdom and humility stand as an example today. He changed lives, becoming a globally respected economist."
  • Rahul Gandhi: "I have lost my mentor and guide."
  • AP CM Chandrababu Naidu: "He was a statesman whose wisdom and integrity nobody matched."
  • Telangana CM Revanth Reddy: "His death is an irreparable loss to India. His place in history is unmatched."

Government Response

  • The central government declared a seven-day mourning period as a tribute to Dr. Singh. His last rites will be carried out with full state honors.
  • A special cabinet meeting will be held on Friday at 11:00 AM in his honor.
  • The Congress party has called off all programs for the next seven days.

Achievements During His Tenure

Dr. Singh encountered numerous key decisions and launches in the tenure:

  • Economic Reforms: Foundation laying of the Special Economic Zones (SEZs).
  • Legislatives: Right to Information Act, Right to Education Act, and Food Security Act.
  • Developmental Programs: Launch of the National Employment Guarantee Scheme.
  • Technological Development: Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan.
  • International relations: The Indo-US Nuclear Deal.
  • Aadhaar programme: Aadhaar Card scheme.

Last Mile and Influence to the nation

The Congress Working Committee, seated in Belagavi, Karnataka, was adjourned as soon as the news of his death came out. Leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi flew to Delhi, while Sonia and Priyanka Gandhi reached the hospital. The passing of Dr Singh marks the end of an era of humility, intellect, and absolute dedication to the progress of India.