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Transfer of welfare benefits straight to the account of the recipient, the rural jobs scheme named after Mahatma Gandhi that offers a legally guaranteed fall-back option to many whenever the weather-dependant rural economy suffers a shock, and a law guaranteeing food security shine through India’s welfare framework, while the Aadhaar-backed identification system powers India’s digital economy success.

Also read | P. Chidambaram on Manmohan Singh: One journey ends, another continues

A towering statesman and the driving force behind India’s economic reforms, Singh passed away on Thursday at 92, leaving a legacy that has reshaped India’s economic and welfare landscape.

“He was an economist par excellence and ensured economic stability and liberalization of the economy. He effectively handled inflation and unemployment. Additionally, when the entire world faced the financial crises of 2008, he ensured that all banks in India were stable,” M. Veerappa Moily, former Union minister of petroleum, law, power and corporate affairs, and former chief minister of Karnataka, said in a social media post. Moily, who served in Manmohan Singh’s cabinet, said Singh “was a good man, and I will miss him very dearly.”

Economic liberalization

Singh, prime minister from 2004 to 2014 and finance minister from 1991 to 1996, is seen as the visionary behind India’s economic liberalization. His reforms not only rescued India from the 1991 financial crisis, but also reshaped its economy into a globally integrated, market-driven powerhouse.

“Throughout his tenure, he had great empathy for the poor. He did not hide the fact that many millions of Indians are poor and reminded us that the government’s policies must lean in favour of the poor. Examples of his empathy are MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) and the restructuring of PDS (Public Distribution System) and the extension of the mid-day meal scheme,” said P. Chidambaram, Singh’s former cabinet colleague and former Union finance minister, on social media website X.

Also read | Manmohan Singh, the leader who liberalized India

Singh abolished the licence raj, dismantling restrictive regulations that stifled private enterprise and encouraging entrepreneurship and foreign investment during a critical balance of payments crisis. He reduced import tariffs, slashing them to around 50% from over 300%, promoting trade and spurring domestic innovation.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows surged under his leadership as restrictions eased in sectors like telecommunications, insurance and retail, boosting job creation and infrastructure development. Singh’s tax reforms simplified compliance, reduced tax slabs and lowered maximum tax rates, fostering economic activity and improving government revenues.

Inclusive growth

As prime minister, Singh championed inclusive growth through welfare initiatives like the 2013 National Food Security Act, which provided subsidized food grains to two-thirds of India’s population, addressing hunger and malnutrition.

Singh’s enduring legacy lies in his ability to balance economic growth with social equity, leaving an indelible mark on India’s development trajectory.

Under his prime ministership, the government also implemented MGNREGA in February 2006, which aims to provide livelihood security to rural households in India by guaranteeing at least 100 days of wage employment annually.

“Together with P.V. Narasimha Rao, he brought about a paradigm shift from an India ridiculed for its ‘Hindu rate of growth’—an India that faced a catastrophic economic crisis stemming from the twin deficits of a balance-of-payments crisis and a huge fiscal deficit—to an India that achieved about 7% steady growth and emerged as a growth driver of the global economy,” said Manoranjan Sharma, chief economist, Infomerics Ratings, and a former chief economist with Canara Bank.

“While advancing extensive economic reforms in India and scrapping license, permit and quota raj to extricate India from an imminent economic disaster, he was fully conscious of the compelling need to promote ‘development with a human face,’ financial inclusion, Aadhaar and MNREGA. Despite the threat to his government, he firmly stood his ground over the nuclear deal with the US and ably steered the country’s economy through the global financial crisis of 2008,” he added.

Transformative legislation

Under Singh’s leadership, the United Progressive Alliance government also introduced transformative rights-based legislation, including the Right to Education and Right to Information Acts.

These landmark laws have since become pillars of governance, shaping policies and practices across successive administrations, including the current government.

However, his ability to reform got somewhat constrained during his prime ministership due to pressures of coalition politics.

“I am deeply saddened by the passing away of former Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, a visionary economist and former RBI (Reserve Bank of India) Governor. His contributions as the architect of India’s economic reforms have left an indelible mark. RBI joins the nation in mourning this huge loss,” RBI governor Sanjay Malhotra said in a post on X.

Also read | Manmohan Singh: The archetypical insider who guided India towards its economic potential

Indu Shekhar Chaturvedi, former private secretary to Singh and former secretary in the ministry of new and renewable energy told Mint: “I worked with Dr. Manmohan Singh for six years when he was Prime Minister of India. As we mourn his passing away, I would like to remember the person he was. I think Harish Khare (Singh’s media adviser) has got it just right while describing him as a man possessing ‘lofty decency’. Add to this his deep empathy for others, which often found expression in concern for those around him, his refusal to engage in negative conversations, even when discussing his political opponents, his ability to listen with complete attention and his love for detail in work, and you get an idea of his persona. His was a broad, liberal world view, in which smallness and pettiness had no place. In the 6 years I spent with him, not even once was there a dilution of the high standards he had set for himself. You come across such men but rarely in life. He was a person who would make you feel uplifted each and every time you met him.”

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gestures during the ceremonial reception of Maldives President Abdulla Yameen at the forecourt of India’s presidential palace Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on January 2, 2014.
| Photo Credit: REUTERS

During his last days in office as Prime Minister in May 2014, Manmohan Singh jokingly told an aide he had never been busier. He said it seemed his work had only increased as he prepared to leave South Block after having headed the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre for 10 years.

He was indeed extremely busy as he prepared to make way for the new occupant of the Prime Minister’s Office, Narendra Modi. He cleared pending files. There was a steady stream of visitors who called on him to bid him farewell. He also wrote to world leaders and called up many of them.

Singh was popularly seen in those days as a tragic figure, described by critics and political rivals as a Prime Minister who had, especially during the second half of the UPA’s 10-year-rule, presided over a corrupt government. He was also projected as a weak Prime Minister who had failed to establish his authority over his Cabinet. Indecision and policy paralysis were said to mark his government towards the end. His own party, the Congress, appeared to shun him. He was kept away from the Congress’ electioneering for the Lok Sabha election of 2014 and he did not campaign even in Punjab, where he had earlier been a star campaigner for the party.

Discussions about the legacy he would leave behind ended up focussing on the failings of UPA-II, overshadowing his earlier successes, which included liberalisation of the economy as Finance Minister in the 1990s and reshaping foreign policy as Prime Minister.

Also Read | Manmohan Singh (1932-2024): The maker of modern Indian economy, is no more

However, people close to him said he went about wrapping up his work in the Prime Minister’s office (PMO) with his usual calm and equanimity and did not appear disheartened at all. They said he was actually in a “jolly mood” and in conversations with his close circle in the PMO he said he had done what he could and had no regrets.

His response to criticism that he did not communicate his side of the story adequately was that he could not indulge in slanging matches with his political opponents. Against criticism that he did not wield control over his ministers, his defence was that he was not a dictator and believed that the Prime Minister was first amongst equals in the Union Cabinet.

Singh was careful, though, that his name did not get dragged in any corruption scandal. In the wake of the many allegations of corruption against his government, he reportedly asked his staff to go through all the files that bore his signature.

Did he ever seriously consider resigning as Prime Minister? It is widely believed that Singh wanted to resign when the then Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi publicly criticised an ordinance the government was planning to bring to save convicted legislators from losing membership of the House. Rahul Gandhi had said the ordinance should be torn up and thrown in the dustbin. Singh was travelling abroad at that time, and Rahul’s comments were seen as an insult to him.

According to an official in Singh’s PMO, who was travelling with him, he did not get ruffled by news about Rahul’s statement. He saw the comments on YouTube and merely said he would deal with the matter when he returned to India. Singh, according to the former PMO official, did not offer to resign. The government later gave up plans of promulgating the ordinance.

It is learnt that the only occasion when Singh offered to step down was in 2008 when the India-US nuclear agreement was opposed by Left parties, which were supporting the UPA from outside. He faced criticism from within the Congress for going ahead with the deal despite widespread opposition to it in the country.

Also Read | Manmohan Singh: Architect of India’s economic reforms ends Rajya Sabha innings after illustrious career

As he was wrapping up his tenure, and his own party was muted in its acknowledgement of his prime ministerial years, praise came his way from the enemy camp. BJP leader Arun Jaitley wrote in his blog about Singh, saying he would like to read his memoirs if he were to write it. Jaitley wrote that he was especially interested in reading about Singh’s experience as Finance Minister during the 1991-96 period when he opened up India’s economy.

Singh never wrote a memoir. A couple of years after the end of the UPA era, when he was asked about why he did not write a memoir, he said, “The truth hurts. And I don’t want to hurt anyone”.

But even in his last days as Prime Minister, Singh was hardly worried about his legacy. According to an aide, he was convinced that there was no blemish on his own personal record in office. He was firm in his belief that once the dust kicked up by elections settled, people would see him in a different light. He believed that the people would realise that the 10 years of the UPA government under his leadership were good for the country.

Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) President Sonia Gandhi on Friday condoled the death of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, expressing her sadness over the ‘deep personal loss’.

“For me, Dr Manmohan Singh’s death is a deeply personal loss,” Sonia Gandhi wrote in her obituary for the deceased former PM. She described Manmohan Singh as an “epitome of wisdom, nobility, and humility, who served our country with all his heart and mind”.

Manmohan Singh, hailed as the economic architect who opened India’s doors to the global economy, passed away on Thursday, December 26. He was admitted to the emergency ward of AIIMS New Delhi, where he breathed his last at 9:51 pm.

‘Manmohan Singh left a void in national life’

Sonia Gandhi added that Manmohan Singh was a friend, philosopher and guide to her.

“He leaves a void in our national life that can never be filled. We in the Congress Party, and the people of India will forever be proud and grateful that we had a leader like Dr Manmohan Singh whose contributions to India’s progress and development are immeasurable,” Sonia Gandhi concluded her emotional letter for the deceased former prime minister.

Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi

While the ‘gentle’ and ‘soft-spoken’ Manmohan Singh, during his tenure as the Prime Minister, was often dubbed Sonia Gandhi‘s ‘puppet’, he refused to be bogged down by the jabs. He focused on what was important and brought together a strong economic foundation: from securing the India-United States nuclear deal to enacting rural jobs schemes to the Right to Education Act for children, Dr Singh did it all.

Sonia Gandhi also did not heed the ‘puppet’ label and “eagerly sought and deeply valued” Manmohan Singh’s opinions. “I knew my limitations… I knew Manmohan Singh would be a better Prime Minister,” Sonia Gandhi opened up in 2014 after BJP came to power.

One of the longest serving Prime Ministers of India and the first Sikh to hold the powerful position, Manmohan Singh passed away on December 26, 2024. He was 92. The former PM of India, Manmohan Singh, was admitted to AIIMS hospital’s emergency department on Thursday evening. “With profound grief, we inform the demise of the former Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh, aged 92. He was being treated for age-related medical conditions and had a sudden loss of consciousness at home on 26 December 2024. Resuscitative measures were started immediately at home. He was brought to the Medical Emergency at AIIMS, New Delhi at 8:06 PM. Despite all efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 9:51 PM. Kimalade,” an offiial statement by the hospital read.
He is survived by his wife Gursharan Kaur and three daughters namely: Upinder Singh, Daman Singh, and Amrit Singh and their families.
All about Manmohan Singh’s illustrious family

Dr. Manmohan Singh (File photo)

Born on September 26, 1932, in Gah, West Punjab (present day Pakistan), Manmohan Singh was the son of Gurmukh Singh and Amrit Kaur. During the India-Pakistan partition in 1947, Manmohan Singh and his family had migrated to Independent India. The family first migrated to Haldwani, India and a year later relocated to Amritsar in Punjab, India, as per Wikipedia. Manmohan Singh studied Economics from Panjab University, followed by the University of Cambridge and a doctorate in Economics from University of Oxford. He worked for the United Nations from 1966–1969, after which he started his bureaucratic career when Shri Lalit Narayan Mishra hired Singh as an advisor in the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry, as per Wikipedia. This was the beginning of his illustrious career and the rest, as they say, is history.
In 1958, Manmohan Singh married Gursharan Kaur, who went on to be his partner for life. Just like Singh, his wife Gursharan Kaur was also quite learned as she was a history professor and an author.

NEW DELHI, INDIA – FEBRAURY 05: In this photo provided by the German Government Press Office (BPA), (L-R) Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, his wife Gursharan Kaur and Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi are seen ahead of the state banquet at the official residence of the state president on February 5, 2014 in new Delhi, India. Gauck is in India for an official six day visit. (Photo by Guido Bergmann/Bundesregierung via Getty Images)

Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur have three daughters– Upinder Singh, Daman Singh, and Amrit Singh– who are just as well-educated as their parents. Here are more details about them:
Upinder Singh is a History professor and Dean of Faculty at the Ashoka University, and she is also an author with six books to her credit. She is also the former head of the History Department at the University of Delhi, and she has won several awards including the 2009 Infosys Prize for Social Sciences. Some of her notable books are: ‘Ancient Delhi’ and ‘A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India’.
Their second daughter, Daman Singh studied from St. Stephen’s College in Delhi and the Institute of Rural Management in Anand, Gujarat (IRMA). She too is an author and some of her books are ‘The Last Frontier: People’, ‘Forests in Mizoram’, a novel titled ‘Nine by Nine’. She also wrote her parents Manmohan Singh and Gursharan Kaur’s biography titled ‘Strictly Personal’. Daman Singh is married to Ashok Pattnaik, who is an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of 1983 batch. In 2016, he served as the CEO of the National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID).
Meanwhile, Manmohan Singh and Gursharan Kaur’s youngest daughter, Amrit Singh, is a human rights lawyer and a Professor at the Stanford Law School where she teaches the Practice of Law. She is also the founding Executive Director of Rule of Law Impact Lab, as per reports.
Former-PM Manmohan Singh’s works often spoke much louder than his words. He was described as “one of the world’s most revered leaders” and “a man of uncommon decency and grace”, by The Independent. Meanwhile, the late Khushwant Singh once even lauded Singh as the best prime minister India has had, as per Wikipedia.
The scholar, economist, bureaucrat and the 13th Prime Minister of India, Shri Manmohan Singh will forever be remembered for his works and integrity.

Manmohan Singh Passes Away: RBI Governor, Union Finance Minister, and two time Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh passed away at the age of 92 on Thursday, 26 December.

Dr Manmohan Singh, who served as India’s Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014 and as Finance Minister from 1991 to 1996, is widely regarded as the architect of India’s economic liberalisation.

Manmohan Singh’s policies transformed the Indian economy, steering it towards a market-driven model and integrating it into the global economy. Here are five major reforms that defined his tenure and legacy.

1. Abolition of the Licence Raj

One of Manmohan Singh‘s most significant reforms was the dismantling of the Licence Raj, a complex system of permits and regulations that stifled private enterprise and economic growth.

This reform was crucial during the economic crisis of 1991 when India faced severe balance of payments issues. Manmohan Singh’s decision to abolish these restrictions allowed for greater freedom in business operations, encouraging entrepreneurship and attracting foreign investment.

As he noted, “We were importing significantly more than we were exporting, and our foreign exchange reserves were critically low.”

2. Trade Liberalisation and Import Tariff Reduction

Manmohan Singh’s policies included substantial reductions in import tariffs, which facilitated trade and made foreign goods more accessible to Indian consumers.

By slashing tariffs from over 300% to around 50%, De. Manmohan Singh opened up the Indian market to global competition. This move not only benefited consumers through lower prices but also stimulated domestic industries to innovate and improve their products.

The introduction of these measures marked a significant shift towards a more open economy.

3. Encouragement of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)

Under Manmohan Singh’s leadership, India saw a remarkable increase in foreign direct investment. His government implemented policies that eased restrictions on FDI across various sectors, including telecommunications, insurance, and retail.

This influx of foreign capital not only bolstered economic growth but also created jobs and improved infrastructure. Manmohan Singh’s approach to FDI was instrumental in positioning India as an attractive destination for international investors.

4. Tax Reforms

Dr Manmohan Singh introduced comprehensive tax reforms aimed at broadening the tax base and simplifying the tax structure. He raised the income tax exemption limit while reducing the number of tax slabs from four to three, which made compliance easier for taxpayers.

Additionally, Manmohan Singh lowered the maximum marginal rate of personal income tax from 56% to 40%. These reforms improved revenue generation for the government while fostering a more conducive environment for economic activity.

5. National Food Security Act

During his tenure as Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh championed social welfare initiatives, including the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in 2013. This landmark legislation aimed to provide subsidised food grains to nearly two-thirds of India’s population, ensuring that food security became a fundamental right for citizens.

The NFSA represented a significant step towards addressing hunger and malnutrition in India, highlighting Singh’s commitment to social equity alongside economic growth.

Manmohan Singh, India’s former Prime Minister, who was also known as the ‘architect of India’s economic liberalisation,’ passed away on Thursday. He breathed his last at the AIIMS New Delhi emergency ward, after being in ‘critical condition.’

Manmohan Singh retired from the Rajya Sabha in April 2024. Despite his age-related illness, Singh attended some sessions of Parliament in a wheelchair — a rare display of dedication by the 92-year-old academician and economic strategist.

Manmohan Singh entered politics in June 1991 when he joined the Congress. He was appointed Finance Minister by then Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao.

Manmohan Singh is known for introducing a series of bold reforms to revive and transform India’s economy. Apart from being an economist, he served as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor from 1982-1985. The 92-year-old was also one of the only four top level bureaucrats, and finance ministers who later went on to become the Prime Minister of India.

Manmohan Singh’s expanse of knowledge

In addition to being credited with economic reforms and policies, Manmohan Singh was known for his witty speeches in Parliament and interviews that set him apart from his contemporaries. Be it responding to criticism or quoting French author Hugo for his maiden speech, the former PM’s speeches weaved in quotes from former US Presidents, highlighting his vast knowledge. His knowledge of Urdu poetry is also known. Singh used to make his point by citing Urdu couplets in Parliament.

In his maiden speech as Finance Minister in Parliament on July 24, 1991, Manmohan Singh famously quoted the French writer and politician Victor Hugo, saying, “No power on earth can stop an idea whose time has come.”

Thirty years later, on the anniversary of economic liberalisation on July 23 2021, Manmohan Singh recalled Robert Frost’s poem, “But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep”.

Manmohan Singh’s tenure in 2004 and 2009

During the UPA-I tenure in 2004, the average annual GDP growth rate under Manmohan Singh was 8.3 per cent, a figure that had never been reached in any prior five-year period. Renowned economist Isher Judge Ahluwalia, in her column on Mint, stated that while luck was definitely at work, India also had to thank Manmohan Singh for the reforms undertaken in 1991.

However, before India could reap the benefits of the seeds by Manmohan Singh the UPA-II government was cornered into what began to be called ‘policy paralysis,’ stated Ahluwalia.

Manmohan Singh’s academic achievements

The former PM has achieved a string of degrees. From bagging a first class from Cambridge University to securing a first class even in matriculation, Manmohan Singh bagged it all.

Manmohan Singh completed his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Economics at Panjab University in 1952 and 1954, respectively, and earned his Economic Tripos from Cambridge University in 1957. He then went on to complete a D.Phil in Economics at Oxford University in 1962.

Following his academic achievements, Singh taught at Panjab University and the Delhi School of Economics. In 1971, he joined the Government of India as an Economic Advisor in the Ministry of Commerce, and in 1972, he was promoted to Chief Economic Advisor in the Ministry of Finance.

Manmohan Singh’s birthday: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and several other political leaders wished former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on his birthday on Thursday, September 26.

“Birthday greetings to former PM Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji. I pray that he is blessed with a long and healthy life,” PM Modi posted on X.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said Manmohan Singh’s “humility, wisdom, and selfless service in shaping our country’s future continue to inspire me and millions of Indians”. He posted on X, “Happy Birthday to Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji…Wishing you good health and happiness always!”

Meanwhile, Union minister Jitin Prasada said, “Wishing good health and happiness to former PM Dr Manmohan Singh ji on his birthday.”

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar also said, “Warm birthday wishes to former PM Shri. Manmohan Singh. The simplicity and vision with which you have led the nation, displaying utmost determination and integrity, is truly remarkable and continues to inspire leaders across party lines. Wishing you good health and joy.”

Manmohan Singh was India’s Prime Minister between 2004 and 2014, and was the country’s finance minister in the government headed by P V Narasimha Rao during 1991-96, a period marked by transformative economic reforms.