Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday paid tribute to his predecessor Manmohan Singh on his 93rd birth anniversary and recalled his contribution to the country in various roles.
"Tributes to former PM Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji on his birth anniversary. We recall his contributions to our nation during his long years in public life," PM Modi wrote in a post on X.
Singh passed away at the age of 92 on December 26, 2024. He was undergoing undergoing treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi following health issues.
AIIMS confirmed the news of his demise, saying that resuscitation measures were initiated immediately before he was brought to the hospital, where he was declared dead at 9:51 p.m.
Singh was creamred with full state honours in the presence of top leaders from India and abroad. PM Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla paid their last tributes to him and laid wreaths on his mortal remains.
Manmohan Singh headed the Congress-led UPA government between 2004 and 2014. His tenure as finance minister in the P V Narasimha Rao-led government between 1991 and 1996 is considered a significant phase for India as it initiated market reforms and reduced the control of state on the economy.
He retired from the Rajya Sabha last year after representing Assam for five terms before shifting to Rajasthan in 2019. Singh has also served as the Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House between 1998 and 2004.
Manmohan Singh was born in Punjab in 1932 and graduated with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Economics from Panjab University. He then went to Cambridge University, where he earned an Economic Tripos in 1957, followed by a D.Phil in Economics from Oxford University in 1962.