Dr. Manmohan Singh: From “Silent Prime Minister” to Respected Statesman
Dr. Manmohan Singh, often criticized as a “silent Prime Minister” during his tenure leading the UPA government from 2004 to 2014, firmly addressed this label on several occasions. Known for his reserved demeanor, he defended his legacy with poise and conviction.
In 2018, at the launch of Changing India, a six-volume account chronicling his journey from economist to Prime Minister, Dr. Singh addressed his critics directly:
“People say I was a silent Prime Minister. I think these volumes speak for themselves. I wasn’t afraid to talk to the press. I met them regularly, and after every foreign trip, I held press conferences on my return. The outcomes of these engagements are detailed in the book,” he said, standing his ground.
India’s 14th Prime Minister and one of its most respected economists, Dr. Singh passed away last night at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi at the age of 92.
Born on September 26, 1932, in Gah, Punjab (now in Pakistan), Dr. Singh’s journey is a testament to perseverance and intellect. From a childhood in a village without electricity, he rose to global prominence. He earned a First-Class Honours degree in Economics from the University of Cambridge in 1957 and a D.Phil. from Oxford. Dr. Singh began his career in academia, teaching at Punjab University and the Delhi School of Economics, before transitioning to public service, ultimately shaping India’s economic and political landscape.
Dr. Manmohan Singh’s appointment as Finance Minister in 1991 by then-Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao marked a pivotal moment for India’s economy. With the nation teetering on the edge of financial collapse, Dr. Singh introduced transformative liberalization reforms that reshaped India’s economic trajectory.
He dismantled the restrictive licence raj, empowered private enterprise, and repurchased the gold reserves India had mortgaged just months earlier to avert a crisis.
These landmark initiatives earned him acclaim as the architect of modern India’s economic framework.
