Manmohan Singh, one of India’s most transformative leaders and a confidant of the Gandhi family, has passed away. Known for freeing India’s economy from Soviet-era controls, Singh’s reforms as finance minister in the 1990s laid the foundation for India’s emergence as Asia’s third-largest economy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed Singh as “one of India’s most distinguished leaders” and mourned his loss in a post on the social media platform X.
Early life and education
Born on September 26, 1932, in the village of Gah, now part of Pakistan, Singh spent his early years in humble circumstances, often studying under the dim light of a kerosene lamp. “I am what I am today because of education,” Singh once said. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics from Punjab University before pursuing further studies at the University of Cambridge and later completing his doctorate at the University of Oxford.
Key milestones
Singh’s career spanned multiple roles, including serving as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India from 1982 to 1985, finance minister from 1991 to 1996, and eventually as India’s first Sikh prime minister. His tenure as finance minister under Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao coincided with a severe economic crisis that compelled Singh to dismantle decades of protectionist policies.
“We were in the midst of an unprecedented crisis, and it was time to think big, not to shrink,” Singh told PBS in 2001.
Singh’s reforms included scrapping industrial licenses, reducing import tariffs, and opening India to foreign investment. “No power on earth can stop an idea whose time has come,” he famously told lawmakers in his 1991 budget speech, quoting Victor Hugo.
Leadership
Singh’s premiership began in 2004, a decision made by Sonia Gandhi, who led Congress to victory but chose not to assume the top role due to her foreign ancestry. During Singh’s tenure, India experienced record economic growth, averaging 8.3% from 2004 to 2010, even weathering the 2008 global financial crisis under his leadership.
Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Singh’s long-time colleague, noted in his book Backstage: “Manmohan Singh was no ordinary PM. He had a long experience in dealing with the international economy and had also dealt with the 1991 crisis.”
However, Singh’s tenure was not without challenges. Critics labelled him a weak prime minister, and allegations of corruption in his cabinet marred his second term. These controversies contributed to Congress’s defeat in the 2014 elections, paving the way for Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party to assume power.
While Singh’s detractors questioned his leadership, he defended his record, highlighting the rapid economic growth and poverty alleviation during his tenure. “There may be zigzags along the way, but the path is the one I set,” he said in a 2011 interview with Bloomberg.
Singh, survived by his wife Gursharan Kaur and their three daughters, left an indelible mark on India’s economic and political landscape. From his groundbreaking reforms to his steady leadership through turbulent times, Singh’s legacy remains a pivotal chapter in India’s modern history.