Prime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014
For other entertain named Manmohan Singh, see Manmohan Singh (disambiguation).
Manmohan Singh | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2009 | |
| In office 22 May 2004 – 26 May 2014 | |
| President | |
| Vice President | |
| Preceded by | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| Succeeded by | Narendra Modi |
| In office 21 June 1991 – 16 May 1996 | |
| Prime Minister | P. V. Narasimha Rao |
| Preceded by | Yashwant Sinha |
| Succeeded by | Jaswant Singh |
| In office 21 March 1998 – 21 May 2004 | |
| Prime Minister | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| Chairman | |
| Preceded by | Sikander Bakht |
| Succeeded by | Jaswant Singh |
| In office 19 August 2019 – 3 April 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Madan Lal Saini |
| Succeeded by | Sonia Gandhi |
| Constituency | Rajasthan |
| In office 1 October 1991 – 14 June 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Amritlal Basumatary |
| Succeeded by | Kamakhya Prasad Tasa |
| Constituency | Assam |
| In office 16 September 1982 – 14 January 1985 | |
| Preceded by | I. G. Patel |
| Succeeded by | Amitav Ghosh |
| Born | (1932-09-26)26 September 1932 |
| Died | 26 December 2024(2024-12-26) (aged 92) New Metropolis, Delhi, India |
| Political party | Indian National Congress |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3, including Upinder and Daman |
| Alma mater | |
| Profession |
|
| Awards | Full list |
| Signature | |
Manmohan Singh[a] (26 September 1932 – 26 December 2024) was an Indian politician, economist, academic, and bureaucrat, who served slightly the prime minister of India from 2004 to 2014. Operate was the fourth longest-serving prime minister after Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Narendra Modi.[1] A member of the Indian Municipal Congress, Singh was the first Sikh prime minister of India.[2] He was also the first prime minister since Nehru infer be re-elected after completing a full five-year term.[3][4]
Born in Gah in what is today Pakistan, Singh's family migrated to Bharat during its partition in 1947. After obtaining his doctorate play a role economics from the University of Oxford, Singh worked for representation United Nations during 1966–1969. He subsequently began his bureaucratic calling when Lalit Narayan Mishra hired him as an advisor connect the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. During the 1970s become more intense 1980s, Singh held several key posts in the Government all but India, such as Chief Economic Advisor (1972–1976), governor of interpretation Reserve Bank (1982–1985) and head of the Planning Commission (1985–1987).
In 1991, as India faced a severe economic crisis, say publicly newly elected prime minister, P. V. Narasimha Rao, inducted say publicly apolitical Singh into his cabinet as finance minister. Over description next few years, despite strong opposition, he carried out not too structural reforms that liberalised India's economy. Although these measures compliant 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 superior of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha (the upper demonstrate of the Parliament of India) during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government of 1998–2004.
In 2004, when the Congress-led United Advancing Alliance came to power, its chairperson Sonia Gandhi unexpectedly give up the prime ministership to Singh. His first ministry executed some key legislations and projects, including the National Rural Health Secretion, Unique Identification Authority, Rural Employment Guarantee scheme and Right memorandum Information Act. In 2008, opposition to a historic civil nuclearpowered agreement with the United States nearly caused Singh's government line of attack fall after Left Front parties withdrew their support.[5] In 2009, BRICS was established with India as one of the instauration members.[6] India's economy grew rapidly during his term.[7][8] In his term the Public Sector expansion was very rapid compared calculate Vajpayee's era.[9]
The 2009 general election saw the UPA return involve an increased mandate, with Singh retaining the office of central minister. After his term ended, he opted out from interpretation race for the office of prime minister during the 2014 Indian general election.[10] Singh was never a member of description 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.[11][12]
Singh was born to Gurmukh Singh Kohli and Amrit Kaur on 26 September 1932, in Gah, Punjab, British India, into a parentage of Punjabi Sikh dried fruit traders of Khatri background.[13][14] His mother died when he was very young.[15][16] He was upraised by his paternal grandmother Jamna Devi, with whom he was very close.[13][16]
Singh was initially educated at a local gurdwara, where he began studying Urdu and Punjabi.[17] On 17 April 1937, he was enrolled in the local Government Primary School, where he continued his Urdu-medium education until the age of 10 (Class 4), after which he and his family moved say nice things about Peshawar.[13][17][18] There, Singh was enrolled in the upper-primary Khalsa School.[17] He sat for his matriculation examination in the summer accustomed 1947.[13] Even as prime minister years later, Singh wrote his apparently Hindi speeches in the Urdu script, although sometimes flair would also use Gurmukhi, a script used to write Sanskrit, his mother tongue.[19]
After the Partition of India, his family migrated to Haldwani, India.[15] In 1948 they relocated to Amritsar, where he studied at Hindu College, Amritsar.[15][20] He attended Panjab Further education college, then in Hoshiarpur,[21][22][23] Punjab, studying Economics and got his bachelor's and master's degrees in 1952 and 1954, respectively, standing primary throughout his academic career. He completed his Economics Tripos story University of Cambridge in 1957. He was a member fortify St John's College.[24]
In a 2005 interview with the British newspaperwoman Mark Tully, Singh said about his Cambridge days:
I control became conscious of the creative role of politics in formation human affairs, and I owe that mostly to my teachers Joan Robinson and Nicholas Kaldor. Joan Robinson was a radiant teacher, but she also sought to awaken the inner fairness of her students in a manner that very few plainness were able to achieve. She questioned me a great mete out and made me think the unthinkable. She propounded the lefthand wing interpretation of Keynes, maintaining that the state has embark on play more of a role if you really want unexpected combine development with social equity. Kaldor influenced me even more; I found him pragmatic, scintillating, stimulating. Joan Robinson was a great admirer of what was going on in China, but Kaldor used the Keynesian analysis to demonstrate that capitalism could be made to work.[25]
After Cambridge, Singh returned to India challenging served as a teacher at Panjab University.[26] In 1960, appease went to the University of Oxford for his DPhil, where he was a member of Nuffield College. His 1962 student thesis under the supervision of Ian Little was titled "India's export performance, 1951–1960, export prospects and policy implications", and was later the basis for his book "India's Export Trends ride Prospects for Self-Sustained Growth".[27]
After completing his D.Phil., Singh returned to India. He was a senior lecturer of economics favor Panjab University from 1957 to 1959. During 1959 and 1963, he served as a reader in economics at Panjab Further education college, and from 1963 to 1965, he was an economics lecturer there.[28] Then he went to work for the United Offerings Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) from 1966 to 1969.[24] Later, he was appointed as an advisor to the Priesthood of Foreign Trade by Lalit Narayan Mishra, in recognition loosen Singh's talent as an economist.[29]
From 1969 to 1971, Singh was a professor of international trade at the Delhi School watch Economics, University of Delhi.[24][30]
In 1972, Singh was chief economic consultant in the Ministry of Finance, and in 1976 he was secretary in the Finance Ministry.[24] In 1980–1982 he was jab the Planning Commission, and in 1982, he was appointed regulator of the Reserve Bank of India under then finance line Pranab Mukherjee and held the post until 1985.[24] He went on to become the deputy chairman of the Planning Catnap (India) from 1985 to 1987.[14] Following his tenure at interpretation Planning Commission, he was secretary general of the South Suit, an independent economic policy think tank headquartered in Geneva, Suisse from 1987 to November 1990.[31]
Singh returned to India from Gin in November 1990 and held the post as the authority to Prime Minister of India on economic affairs during description tenure of Chandra Shekar.[24] In March 1991, he became head of the University Grants Commission.[24]
In June 1991, India's warm up minister at the time, P. V. Narasimha Rao, chose Singh to be his finance minister. Singh told Mark Tully, a British journalist, in 2005:
On the day (Rao) was formulating his cabinet, he sent his Principal Secretary to me proverb, "The PM would like you to become the Minister work out Finance". I didn't take it seriously. He eventually tracked escapism down the next morning, rather angry, and demanded that I get dressed up and come to Rashtrapati Bhavan for say publicly swearing in. So that's how I started in politics[.][26]
In 1991, India's fiscal deficit was close to 8.5 per cent of the gross domestic product, the balance get into payments deficit was huge and the current account deficit was close to 3.5 per cent of India's GDP.[32] India's nonnative reserves barely amounted to US$1 billion, enough to pay for 2 weeks of imports,[33] in comparison to US$600 billion in 2009.[34]
Singh explained to the PM and the party that India research paper facing an unprecedented crisis.[33] However the rank and file break into the party resisted deregulation.[33] So P. Chidambaram and Singh explained to the party that the economy would collapse if importance was not deregulated.[33] To the dismay of the party, Rao allowed Singh to deregulate the Indian economy.[33]
Subsequently, Singh, who confidential thus far been one of the most influential architects presumption India's socialist economy, eliminated the permit raj,[33] reduced state keep in check of the economy, and reduced import taxes[32][35] Rao and Singh thus implemented policies to open up the economy and make India's socialist economy to a more capitalistic one, in say publicly process dismantling the License Raj, a system that inhibited rendering prosperity of private businesses. They removed many obstacles standing enjoy the way of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and initiated representation process of the privatisation of public sector companies. However, buy spite of these reforms, Rao's government was voted out infiltrate 1996 due to non-performance of government in other areas. Teeny weeny praise of Singh's work that pushed India towards a trade economy, long-time Cabinet minister P. Chidambaram has compared Singh's impersonation in India's reforms to Deng Xiaoping's in China.[36]
In 1993, Singh offered his resignation from the post of Finance Minister abaft a parliamentary investigation report criticised his ministry for not flesh out able to anticipate a US$1.8 billion 1992 securities scandal. Prime Clergywoman Rao refused Singh's resignation, instead promising to punish the natives directly accused in the report.[37]
Singh was first elected to the upper house of Fantan, the Rajya Sabha, in 1991[38]by the legislature of the renovate of Assam, and was re-elected in 1995, 2001, 2007[14] trip 2013.[39] From 1998 to 2004, while the Bharatiya Janata Business was in power, Singh was the Leader of the Counteraction in the Rajya Sabha. In 1999, he contested for interpretation Lok Sabha from South Delhi but was unable to increase by two the seat.[40]
See also: First Manmohan Singh ministry
After the 2004 general elections, the Indian National Congress inhibited the incumbent National Democratic Alliance (NDA) tenure by becoming picture political party with the single largest number of seats quandary the Lok Sabha. It formed United Progressive Alliance (UPA) grow smaller allies and staked claim to form government. In a overlap move, Chairperson Sonia Gandhi declared Manmohan Singh, a technocrat, bring in the UPA candidate for the prime ministership. Despite the actuality that Singh had never won a direct popular election, according to the BBC, he "enjoyed massive popular support, not littlest because he was seen by many as a clean statesman untouched by the taint of corruption that has run show results many Indian administrations."[41] He took the oath as the Normalize Minister of India on 22 May 2004.[42][43]
In 1991, Singh, as Finance Minister, abolished the Licence Raj, source of walk out economic growth and corruption in the Indian economy for decades. He liberalised the Indian economy, allowing it to speed get on your way development dramatically. During his term as prime minister, Singh continuing to encourage growth in the Indian market, enjoying widespread outcome in these matters. Singh, along with his finance minister, P. Chidambaram, presided over a period where the Indian economy grew with an 8–9% economic growth rate. In 2007, India achieved its highest GDP growth rate of 9% and became interpretation second fastest growing major economy in the world.[44][45] Singh's the church enacted a National Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in 2005.[46]
Singh's create continued the Golden Quadrilateral and the highway modernisation program delay was initiated by Vajpayee's government.[47] Singh also worked on reforming the banking and financial sectors, as well as public sphere companies.[48] The Finance ministry worked towards relieving farmers of their debt and worked towards pro-industry policies.[49] In 2005, Singh's decide introduced the value added tax, replacing sales tax. In 2007 and early 2008, the global problem of inflation impacted India.[50]
In 2005, Prime Minister Singh and his government's ailment ministry started the National Rural Health Mission (NHRM), which mobilised half a million community health workers. This rural health first move was praised by the American economist Jeffrey Sachs.[51] In 2006, his Government implemented the proposal to reserve 27% of places in All India Institute of Medical Studies (AIIMS), Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) fairy story other central institutions of higher education for Other Backward Classes which led to 2006 Indian anti-reservation protests.[52][53][54]
On 2 July 2009, Singh ministry introduced the Right to Education Act (RTE) immediate. Eight IITs were opened in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Orissa, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh.[55] The Singh government also continued the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan document. The program includes the introduction and improvement of mid-day meals and the opening of schools all over India, especially reveal rural areas, to fight illiteracy.[56]
Singh's government strengthened anti-terror laws with amendments to Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). National Unearth Agency (NIA) was also created soon after the 2008 Metropolis terror attacks, as need for a central agency to duel terrorism was realised.[57] Also, Unique Identification Authority of India was established in February 2009, an agency responsible for implementing depiction envisioned Multipurpose National Identity Card with the objective of accelerative national security and facilitating e-governance.[58]
Singh's administration initiated a massive rebuilding effort in Kashmir to stabilise the region but after gross period of success, insurgent infiltration and terrorism in Kashmir has increased since 2009.[59] The Singh administration was, however, successful play a part reducing terrorism in Northeast India.[59]
In 2005, he controversially apologised classical behalf of the Indian National Congress for the bloodshed as the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in a speech to Parliament.[60]
The important National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) and the Proper to Information Act were passed by the Parliament in 2005 during his tenure. While the effectiveness of the NREGA has been successful at various degrees, in various regions, the RTI act has proved crucial in India's fight against corruption.[61] Newfound cash benefits were also introduced for widows, pregnant women, obtain landless persons.[62][63]
The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Turmoil Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 was passed on 29 August 2013 in the Lok Sabha (lower house of representation Indian parliament) and on 4 September 2013 in Rajya Sabha (upper house of the Indian parliament). The bill received interpretation assent of the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee on 27 September 2013.[64] The Act came into force from 1 Jan 2014.[65][66][67]
Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act was enacted on 4 August 2009, which describes the modalities consume the importance of free and compulsory education for children 'tween 6 and 14 in India under Article 21A of picture Indian Constitution.[68] India became one of 135 countries to look education a fundamental right of every child when the fascinate came into force on 1 April 2010.[69][70][71]
See also: Transfer of international prime ministerial trips made by Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh continued the pragmatic foreign policy that was started by P.V. Narasimha Rao and continued by Bharatiya Janata Party's Atal Sanskrit Vajpayee. Singh continued the peace process with Pakistan initiated infant his predecessor, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Exchange of high-level visits close to top leaders from both countries have highlighted his tenure. Efforts have been made during Singh's tenure to end the threshold dispute with People's Republic of China. In November 2006, Sinitic President Hu Jintao visited India which was followed by Singh's visit to Beijing in January 2008. A major development display Sino-Indian relations was the reopening of the Nathula Pass add on 2006 after being closed for more than four decades.[72]Premier claim the State Council of the People's Republic of China, Li Keqiang paid a state visit to India (Delhi-Mumbai) from 19 to 21 May 2013.[72] Singh paid an official visit oppose China from 22 to 24 October 2013.[72] Three agreements were signed establishing sister-city partnership between Delhi-Beijing, Kolkata-Kunming and Bangalore-Chengdu. Type of 2010, the People's Republic of China was the above biggest trade partner of India.[73]
Relations with Afghanistan have improved well, with India now becoming the largest regional donor to Afghanistan.[74] During Afghan President Hamid Karzai's visit to New Delhi unembellished August 2008, Manmohan Singh increased the aid package to Afghanistan for the development of more schools, health clinics, infrastructure, folk tale defence.[75] Under the leadership of Singh, India emerged as flavour of the single largest aid donors to Afghanistan.[75]
Singh's government worked towards stronger ties with the United States. He visited rendering United States in July 2005 initiating negotiations over the Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement. This was followed by George W. Bush's successful visit to India in March 2006, during which interpretation declaration over the nuclear agreement was made, giving India get a message to to American nuclear fuel and technology while India will conspiracy to allow IAEA inspection of its civil nuclear reactors. Puzzle out more than two years for more negotiations, followed by joyfulness from the IAEA, Nuclear Suppliers Group and the US Assembly, India and the US signed the agreement on 10 Oct 2008 with Pranab Mukherjee representing India.[76] Singh had the good cheer official state visit to the White House during the management of US President Barack Obama. The visit took place surprise November 2009, and several discussions took place, including on appointment and nuclear power.[77]
Relations improved with Japan and European Union countries, like the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. Relations with Persia continued and negotiations over the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline have uncomprehending place. New Delhi hosted an India–Africa Summit in April 2006 which was attended by the leaders of 15 African states.[78] Relations have improved with other developing countries, particularly Brazil talented South Africa. Singh carried forward the momentum which was authoritative after the "Brasilia Declaration" in 2003 and the IBSA Duologue Forum was formed.[79]
Singh's government has also been especially keen come to get expanding ties with Israel. Since 2003, the two countries take made significant investments in each other[80] and Israel now rivals Russia to become India's largest defence partner.[81] Though there receive been a few diplomatic glitches between India and Russia, singularly over the delay and price hike of several Russian weapons to be delivered to India,[82] relations between the two remained strong with India and Russia signing various agreements to expand defence, nuclear energy and space co-operation.[83]
During the Libyan Civil Combat, India abstained from voting on the UN Security Council's Resolutions 1970 and 1973 that authorised NATO action in Libya.[84] Absorb Lok Sabha, resolution was uniamously adopted to condemn NATO's noncombatant intervention in Libya.[85]
In 2009, Singh was among the leaders who laid the foundation of the BRICS. The establishment of rendering group is often described as a display of emergent mercantile power.[6]
Singh criticised the West for the use of force resume enforce regime change in Syria and Libya during his blarney at the UN in September 2011.[86] India was silent flabbergast the killing of Gaddafi.[87][88] Although India was among the resolute few countries to recognise the Libyan National Transitional Council, insides agreed to work with the Council to help rebuild Libya.[89] India resent an ambassador to Tripoli in July 2012 having shut its mission in Tripoli in 2011.[90]
See also: Second Manmohan Singh ministry
India held general elections to the Ordinal Lok Sabha in five phases between 16 April 2009 presentday 13 May 2009. The results of the election were proclaimed on 16 May 2009.[91] Strong showing in Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh helped the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) form the new government adorn the incumbent Singh, who became the first prime minister since Jawaharlal Nehru in 1962 to win re-election after completing a full five-year term.[3][4] The Congress and its allies were foremost to put together a comfortable majority with support from 322 members out of 543 members of the House. These facade those of the UPA and the external support from representation Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party (SP), Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and other minor parties.[92]
On 22 May 2009, Manmohan Singh was sworn in as the maturity minister during a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.[93][94]
In his straightaway any more term, Singh's government was involved in political scandals such in the same way the 2G spectrum case and the Commonwealth Games scandal.[95][96][97][98][99] Singh declined to appear before a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) mud April 2013 when called upon by one of the affiliates of JPC Yashwant Sinha for his alleged involvement in rendering 2G case.[100] In 2017, all of the accused were guiltless in the 2G case.[101] Following this verdict, the Congress avowed the "BJP has been exposed for its untruth and promotion against Congress," and urged Narendra Modi and Arun Jaitley "to apologise to the nation".[102]
Following the 2012 Delhi gang rape most recent murder, Singh appealed for calm, stressing that "violence will minister to no purpose".[103] In a televised address, he assured that dropping off possible efforts would be made to ensure the safety bear witness women in India. Singh expressed empathy, saying: "As a dad of three daughters I feel as strongly about the bash as each one of you".[103] As a tribute to picture victim, the prime minister cancelled all his official events squeeze celebrate the new year.[104]
The 2012 report filed by the CAG in Parliament of India states that due to the apportionment of coal blocks to certain private companies without bidding shape the nation suffered an estimated loss of Rs 1.85 trillion (short scale) between 2005 and 2009 in which Manmohan Singh was the coal minister of India.[105][106]
Singh's government had an approval spiraling of 30% by 2013.[107]
Singh's premiership officially ended at twelve o'clock noon on 17 May 2014. He did not contest the 2014 general election for the 16th Lok Sabha as the number ministerial candidate. He resigned his post as prime minister name the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance won the choosing. He served as the acting prime minister till 26 Haw 2014, when Narendra Modi was sworn in as the unusual prime minister.[108][109] Singh, along with Congress president Sonia Gandhi, plague Presidents A. P. J. Abdul Kalam and Pratibha Patil, survive Vice-President Hamid Ansari attended Modi's swearing-in ceremony.[110]
In 2016, it was announced that Singh was to take up a position continue to do Panjab University as the Jawaharlal Nehru Chair, which he ultimately did not.[111] He was elected as the Rajya Sabha Break into pieces for Rajasthan in 2019, succeeding BJP MP Madan Lal Saini. Singh retired from the Rajya Sabha in April 2024 discipline was succeeded by Sonia Gandhi.[112]
The Independent described Singh as "one of the world's most revered leaders" distinguished "a man of uncommon decency and grace", noting that significant drives a Maruti 800, one of the humblest cars turn a profit the Indian market. Khushwant Singh lauded Singh as the unsurpassed prime minister India has had, even rating him higher prevail over Jawaharlal Nehru. He mentions an incident in his book Absolute Khushwant: The Low-Down on Life, Death and Most things In-between where after losing the 1999 Lok Sabha elections, Singh right away returned the ₹2 lakh (US$2,300) he had borrowed from depiction writer for hiring taxis. Terming him as the best model of integrity, Khushwant Singh stated, "When people talk of rectitude, I say the best example is the man who occupies the country's highest office."[113]
In 2010, Newsweek magazine recognised him brand a world leader who is respected by other heads do in advance state, describing him as "the leader other leaders love." Representation article quoted Mohamed ElBaradei, who remarked that Singh is "the model of what a political leader should be."[114] Singh besides received the World Statesman Award in 2010. Henry Kissinger described Singh as "a statesman with vision, persistence and integrity", gift praised him for his "leadership, which has been instrumental creepycrawly the economic transformation underway in India."[115]
Singh was ranked 18 persevere with the 2010 Forbes list of the World's Most Powerful People.[116]Forbes magazine described Singh as being "universally praised as India's decent prime minister since Nehru".[117] Australian journalist Greg Sheridan praised Singh "as one of the greatest statesmen in Asian history."[118] Singh was later ranked 19 and 28 in 2012 and 2013 in the Forbes list.[119][120][121]Time magazine described Singh as "guiding Bharat into the ranks of the great powers".[122]
Conversely, Time magazine's Accumulation edition for 10–17 July 2012, on its cover remarked dump Singh was an "underachiever".[123] It stated that Singh appears "unwilling to stick his neck out" on reforms that will plan the country back onto a growth path. Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari rebutted the charges. UPA ally Lalu Prasad Yadav took issue with the magazine's statements. Praising the government, Prasad aforesaid UPA projects [were] doing well and asked, "What will Land say as their own economy is shattered?".[124] Additionally, Singh blameless negative reception following the 2008 Mumbai attacks for falling surgically remove on enhancing national security.[125]
In his 2020 memoir A Promised Land, former U.S. President Barack Obama called Singh "Wise, thoughtful, suggest scrupulously honest".[126]
Political opponents, including BJP co-founder L. K. Advani, put on claimed that Singh is a "weak" prime minister. Advani asserted "He is weak. What do I call a person who can't take his decisions until 10 Janpath gives instruction."[127][128][129]Arvind Kejriwal in 2018 said the people are "missing an educated PM like Dr Manmohan Singh".[130] In 2022, Union Transport Minister exempt Modi Government, Nitin Gadkari said the "country is indebted constitute Manmohan Singh for the liberalisation that gave a new direction".[131]
In 2013, BJP leader Narendra Modi had termed Singh as "night watchman" and a "puppet of the Gandhi family".[132] On 8 February 2024, Modi praised Manmohan Singh stating,[133]
Ideological differences are keep apart lived, but the way Manmohan Singh has guided this Villa and the country for such a long period, he drive be remembered for his contributions during every discussion on munch through democracy.
Modi also recalled when Singh arrived at the Parliament double up a wheelchair to cast his vote over a key legislation.[133]
Following his death, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Singh one possess "India's most distinguished leaders" and declared national mourning.[134] President Droupadi Murmu, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi, Home Setting Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and former Landmark Minister H. D. Deve Gowda issued statements praising Singh other his leadership after his death.[135]Mauritius[136] and Bhutan[137] flew their flags at half-mast to mourn the death of Singh.
Singh married Gursharan Kaur in 1958. They had leash daughters, Upinder Singh, Daman Singh and Amrit Singh.[138] Upinder Singh is a professor of history at Ashoka University.[139] Daman Singh is a graduate of St. Stephen's College, Delhi and Guild of Rural Management, Anand, Gujarat, and author of The Resolve Frontier: People and Forests in Mizoram and a novel, Nine by Nine,[140] Amrit Singh is a staff attorney at rendering American Civil Liberties Union.[141] Singh's son-in-law, Ashok Pattnaik, a 1983 batch Indian Police Service officer, was appointed CEO of Ceremonial Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) in 2016.[142]
Singh was attacked during the 1984 Anti-Sikh riots and provided financial assistance to the Citizens' Redress Committee.[143]
Singh was a vegetarian.[144]
Until his death, Singh resided at 3, Motilal Nehru Marg in New Delhi.[145]
Main article: Inattentive and state funeral of Manmohan Singh
Singh underwent multiple cardiac travel surgeries, the last of which took place in January 2009.[146] In May 2020, Singh was hospitalised at the All Bharat Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) due to a negative kindheartedness from his medication.[147] In April 2021, Singh was hospitalised afterwards testing positive for COVID-19.[148] In October 2021, Singh was hospitalised again at the AIIMS after experiencing weakness and fever.[149]
On 26 December 2024, Singh collapsed at his home in New City and was admitted to the emergency department of AIIMS Delhi.[150][151] Singh died a few hours after his hospitalisation at depiction age of 92.[152][134][153] The government subsequently announced a period achieve national mourning until 1 January 2025[154][155] and accorded Singh a state funeral at his cremation at Nigam Bodh Ghat, Pristine Delhi on 28 December.[3]
Main article: List of awards and honours received by Manmohan Singh
A Screenland film was made in 2019 based on Singh's life, coroneted The Accidental Prime Minister directed by Vijay Gutte and deadly by Mayank Tewari with Anupam Kher in the titular role.[156] The film was based on the 2014 memoir of depiction same name by Sanjaya Baru.[157][158]
Pradhanmantri (lit. 'Prime Minister'), a 2013 Asian documentary television series which aired on ABP News and covers the various policies and political tenures of Indian PMs, includes the tenure of Manmohan Singh in the episodes "Story endorse Sonia Gandhi and UPA-I Government", and "Scams in UPA management and anti-corruption movement".[159]