New Delhi, Dec 27 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge were among the top leaders who paid homage to former prime minister Manmohan Singh at his home here on Friday.
Modi described his predecessor’s death as a big loss to the nation, asserting that his commitment to the people and the country’s development would always be respected.
In a video message, Modi recalled Singh’s life journey after his family’s migration to India, leaving behind everything following Partition, as he noted that his numerous achievements since then were no mean feat.
Singh, the architect of India’s economic reforms and a consensus builder in the rough world of politics, died at AIIMS, Delhi, late on Thursday. He was 92.
The Union Cabinet also condoled Singh’s passing and hailed him as an eminent statesman and a distinguished leader who left an imprint on national life.
During a meeting chaired by Modi, the Cabinet observed a two-minute silence in honour of the departed soul and adopted a Condolence Resolution in the memory of Singh.
“Dr Manmohan Singh has left his imprint on our national life. In his passing away, the Nation has lost an eminent statesman, renowned economist and a distinguished leader,” the resolution read.
The government has announced a seven-day State mourning as a mark of respect to the former prime minister.
Draped in the Tricolour, Singh’s body was brought to his 3, Motilal Nehru Road, residence — the sprawling bungalow in Lutyens’ Delhi that served as his retirement abode for more than 10 years.
Leaders cutting across party lines paid their last respects to the former prime minister in the presence of his wife Gursharan Kaur and other family members.
Singh’s final journey will commence from the AICC headquarters at 9:30am on Saturday, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said.
Modi said Singh’s life would always serve as a lesson for the future generations on how someone can rise above deprivation and struggles to attain the heights of success.
Noting that he served in various capacities in the government, the prime minister said Singh was Reserve Bank of India governor during challenging times and put the country on a new economic path as finance minister in the government headed by PV Narasimha Rao.
“As prime minister, his contribution to the country’s development and progress will always be remembered,” he added.
President Droupadi Murmu, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Union ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, and BJP president JP Nadda also paid their tributes to Singh.
Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were also present at Singh’s home.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat and general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale condoled his passing, saying his contributions to Bharat would always be remembered.
Born to Gurmukh Singh and Amrit Kaur on September 26, 1932, in Gah village of the Punjab province of undivided India (now Pakistan), Singh passed his matriculation examination in 1948.
His academic career took him from Punjab to the University of Cambridge, UK, where he earned a First Class Honours degree in Economics. Singh followed this with a DPhil in economics from Nuffield College of Oxford University.
Singh’s half-brother Surjit Singh Kohli said the former prime minister had deep affection for his grandmother, who raised him following his mother’s death when he was very young.
After migrating to India, the Singh family settled in a small rented house in Amritsar till he graduated.
A few years ago, Singh attended the convocation-cum-alumni meet of the Hindu College in Amritsar as chief guest and interacted with the staff like an ordinary person, reminiscing old memories, retired Hindu College professor Rajinder Loomba said.
Raj Kumar (71), an Amritsar resident, told PTI Videos that Singh used to live in Petha Wala Bazaar near the Golden Temple.
The house where the Singh family lived is in a dilapidated state now, Kumar said.
Some locals recalled Singh as someone who always took pains for Amritsar, saying the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government he headed sanctioned several projects for the holy city.
His passing also witnessed people from various fields sharing their anecdotes about him.
Actor and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) alumna Swara Bhaskar recalled how the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) intervened to prevent the administration from acting against students who had displayed black flags at him during a campus event.
Uttar Pradesh minister Asim Arun, who served as Singh’s close protection officer for nearly three years during his tenure as a Special Protection Group (SPG) officer, shared his experiences and insights into Singh’s personality, emphasising his simple lifestyle and connection with the common man.
One anecdote Arun shared reflected Singh’s simplicity — his attachment to his personal car, a modest Maruti Suzuki 800. Despite having a fleet of high-security vehicles, including a luxurious BMW for official travel, Singh would often express his preference for the modest car.
Singh, who steered the country for 10 years from 2004-2014 and helped set up the country’s economic framework as finance minister before that, was a renowned name in the global financial and economic sectors.
His UPA government introduced pathbreaking initiatives such as the Right to Information Act, Right to Education Act and the MNREGA.
Singh is survived by his wife and three daughters. PTI TEAM SZM SZM
About the Author
