14th Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh passes away

The 14th Prime Minister of India and architect of Indian economic reform Dr Manmohan Singh, passed away on 26 December 2024 at the age of 92 years. Dr Manomhan Singh was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), New Delhi, and was being treated for age-related medical conditions.

The government of India has announced seven days of state mourning from 26 December 2024 to 1st January 2025.

During the mourning period, the national flag will be flown at half-mast, and all official entertainment programs will be cancelled. The government will accord a full state funeral to Dr Manmohan Singh.

About Dr Manmohan Singh 

Dr Manmohan Singh was born on 26 September 1932 in Gah village in undivided Punjab (now in Pakistan).

He studied at Cambridge and Oxford University in the United Kingdom. He taught Economics at the Punjab University and the Delhi School of Economics.

Career with the Government of India

He started his career with the government of India in 1971 when he was appointed the  Economic Advisor in the Ministry of Commerce. 

• Appointed the Chief Economic Advisor in the Ministry of Finance in 1972.
• Dr Singh also worked as a Secretary in the Ministry of Finance;
• Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission; 
• 15th Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (1982-85); 
• Advisor to the Prime Minister;
• Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC);
• Leader of Indian Delegations to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting held in Cyprus (1993) and the World Conference on Human Rights, held in Vienna, Austria in 1993.
• He briefly worked in the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development ( UNCTAD) Secretariat.
• Secretary General of the South Commission in Geneva, Switzerland from 1987 -1990.

Architect of Economic Reform 

• Dr Manmohan Singh is known as the chief architect of the New Economic Policy which was introduced during the tenure of Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao from 1991-96.
• Before being appointed as the Union Finance Minister in 1991 he held the post of the Chairman of the UGC. 
• Under his stewardship, India undertook a series of economic reforms which is considered to be a turning point in the economic history of Independent India.

Political Career

• Dr Singh joined the Congress Party and was a member of the Rajya Sabha from 1991-2024 and was its member for five consecutive terms.
• He was the leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha from 1998 and 2004
• In 2004 he became the 14th Prime Minister of India after the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) came into power. He was again sworn in as Prime Minister in 2009 for the second time.
• He was the Prime Minister for 10 years.

Award and Honours 

Some of the important awards conferred on Dr Manmohan Singh are as follows ;

• Padma Vibhushan (1987)- India’s second-highest civilian award:
• 1995- Indian National Science Congress’s Jawaharlal Nehru Birth Centenary Award
• 1993 & 1994 -Asia Money Award for Finance Minister of the Year;
• 1993- Euro Money Award for Finance Minister of the Year; 
• 1956- Adam Smith Prize of the University of Cambridge; 
• 1955- Wright’s Prize for Distinguished Performance at St. John’s College in Cambridge.: