Former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh passed away in Delhi, India on 26 December 2024 at the age of 92. Widely regarded as the architect of India’s economic liberalisation, Singh served as one of the country’s longest-serving prime ministers, holding office from 2004 to 2014. Prior to his tenure as premier, he played a pivotal role as finance minister, introducing landmark reforms that transformed India’s economy.
In 1957, Manmohan Singh earned a scholarship to Cambridge University, where he completed a first-class degree in economics, subsisting on subsidised dining hall meals. During his time at Cambridge, he developed an awareness of the transformative power of politics in shaping human affairs, a perspective largely shaped by his influential teachers, British economist Joan Robinson and Hungarian-born British economist Nicholas Kaldor, who also served as an advisor to the UK Labour government.
Later, he secured another scholarship to Nuffield College, Oxford, where he completed his doctorate in 1962. Even then, Singh was a visionary, critiquing India’s protectionist economic policies in his 1964 book ‘India’s Export Trends and Prospects for Self-Sustained Growth’.
Dr Singh, known for his signature blue turban, once revealed the inspiration behind the colour in a speech, attributing it to his alma mater, the University of Cambridge. The connection came to light in 2006 when Prince Philip, Chancellor of Cambridge, noted the distinct blue of Singh’s turban while awarding him an honorary Doctorate of Law.
“Blue is one of my favourites and often seen on my head,” Singh remarked with a smile, explaining how the light blue hue symbolised his fond memories of Cambridge. His peers had even nicknamed him “Blue Turban,” a moniker that stayed with him long after his academic years. Singh cherished these memories deeply, with the colour serving as a tribute to the institution that shaped him.
Manmohan Singh's political journey began in 1991 as India's finance minister, a role he reportedly hesitated to accept, uncertain of Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao’s intentions. At the time, India’s economy was mired in inefficiency, excessive regulation, and protectionism, with bureaucrats stifling enterprise and growth.
Today, India stands as a dynamic, entrepreneurial, and globalised economy with a thriving business culture engaging the world on its own terms. This extraordinary transformation owes much to the vision and leadership of Manmohan Singh. Under IMF-imposed conditions, Singh implemented sweeping reforms, including liberalisation, privatisation, and opening the economy to foreign investment. He cut import taxes, privatised public sector companies, and transitioned India from a socialist to a market-driven economy, stabilising inflation and achieving high growth rates.
In 2004, Dr Manmohan Singh became India’s first Sikh Prime Minister, chosen by Congress President Sonia Gandhi after she declined the role. His 10-year tenure saw landmark legislation, including MGNREGA, the RTI Act, the Food Security Act, the Forest Rights Act, and the Right to Education Act. Under his leadership, India achieved its highest GDP growth of 9% in 2007 and became the world’s second fastest-growing economy.
Tributes poured in from around the world following the passing of Dr Manmohan Singh, with global leaders such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and many others offering their condolences. Leaders from countries including the US, Canada, Afghanistan, and Russia also mourned the loss of the former Prime Minister.
The village of Gah in Pakistan’s Punjab province, Manmohan Singh’s birthplace, observed a period of mourning for its most famous son. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor expressed deep sorrow, recalling their close association dating back to Singh’s time at the United Nations. “He, along with Sonia Gandhi, brought me into politics. It’s heartbreaking that he’s no longer with us,” Tharoor said. He praised Singh’s leadership during India’s economic crisis, emphasising the success of his reforms. Reflecting on Dr Singh’s 2014 words, "I honestly believe that history will be kinder to me than the contemporary media or the Opposition," Tharoor added, “Just ten years later, he is already being proven right.”
Even in his ailing condition, Dr Manmohan Singh never missed a Parliamentary session. In August 2023, he attended a Rajya Sabha session in a wheelchair to participate in the discussion on the "Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023," which later became law, shifting control over Delhi's bureaucracy from the Aam Aadmi Party-led government.
He also appeared in a wheelchair during the Winter Session of Parliament in December 2023. When Singh concluded his 33-year tenure in the Rajya Sabha in 2024, he received heartfelt praise from his successor, Modi.
In tribute, Modi declared a week of mourning and a state funeral to honour Singh's enduring legacy.
