NEW DELHI/JAMMU, Dec 26: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the architect of India’s economic reforms, died here on Thursday night. He was 92.Singh’s death was announced by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, where he was admitted in the Emergency ward around 8.30 PM in a critical condition.
An AIIMS bulletin said “he was treated for age related medical conditions and had sudden loss of consciousness at home” on December 26.
“Resuscitative measures were started immediately at home. He was brought to medical emergency at AIIMS Delhi at 8.06 pm. Despite all efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 9.51 pm,” said the bulletin.
Singh, who was Prime Minister for two terms in the Congress-led UPA Government from 2004 to 2014, had been in poor health for the last few months.
He is survived by wife Gurcharan Singh and three daughters.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and her mother Sonia Gandhi reached the hospital as soon as the news of his hospitalisation became known.
Singh, who was Finance Minister under the then Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao, was the architect and the brainchild of economic reforms in 1991 that pulled India from the brink of bankruptcy and ushered in an era of economic liberalisation that is widely believed to have changed the course of India’s economic trajectory.
Singh died as the Congress party concluded its Congress Working Committee meeting at Belagavi in Karnataka, where all top party leaders were present.
It is believed that party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi are on their way to Delhi from Belagavi.
Meanwhile, President Droupadi Murmu has condoled the demise of Manmohan Singh, calling him “one of the greatest sons of Bharat” who made critical contributions to reforming the Indian economy.
In a post on X, Murmu said Singh will always be remembered for his service to the nation, his unblemished political life besides his utmost humility.
“His passing is a great loss to all of us. I pay my respectful homage to one of the greatest sons of Bharat and convey my heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and admirers,” she said.
Paying tribute to his predecessor Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished leaders whose wisdom and humility were always visible.
Rising from humble origins, he rose to become a respected economist, Modi said, noting that Singh served in various government positions as well, including as finance minister, leaving a strong imprint on our economic policy over the years.
In a post on X, Modi said, “His interventions in Parliament were also insightful. As our Prime Minister, he made extensive efforts to improve people’s lives.”
Recalling their interactions when he was the Gujarat Chief Minister and Singh the country’s Prime Minister, Modi said they would have extensive deliberations on various subjects relating to governance.
“His wisdom and humility were always visible,” Modi said, adding, “In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the family of Dr Manmohan Singh Ji, his friends and countless admirers. Om Shanti.”
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has also condoled the demise of Singh and said he was a renowned economist and enlightened politician.
In a post on X, Birla also said Singh served the country for decades as an efficient administrator, Finance Minister and Prime Minister.
Union MoS in PMO Dr Jitendra Singh has also condoled the demise of Manmohan Singh. He wrote on X: As a Teacher in a Medical School, I myself and so also many of my contemporaries… we got absolutely enamoured of Dr Manmohan Singh when we learnt that after 52 years of prestigious assignments, he had decided to return to his alma mater Punjab University as a Professor of Economics. Today I have the conviction to say that more than a former Prime Minister, India has lost a multifaceted personality… an Academician who earned global recognition, an Economist who went down in the history for giving a different turn to economic culture in India, a Statesman who for 10 years presided over a Congress led Government blemished with a series of scams & scandals and yet never a single insinuation on his person and above all, a thorough gentleman who would, despite the constraints of protocol, choose to walk out to the road to see off his personal guests in much the same way as he did when he was a Professor … and may I say this with all the humility at my command, on one occasion, I too was privileged to receive this courtesy from him, much to my embarrassment. Hailing from district Jhelum, now in Pakistan, Dr Manmohan Singh was among the last iconic leaders groomed through the eventful period of the partition of Indian subcontinent.”
LG Manoj Sinha has expressed condolences over the death of Manmohan Singh.
“During his long career in public service, Dr. Manmohan Singh made extremely significant contributions to India’s growth. As Prime Minister, he took bold steps for nation building. In his passing away, the nation has lost a towering politician and a distinguished luminary,” the LG wrote on X.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has expressed profound sorrow and grief over the demise of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.
In his condolence message, the Chief Minister described Dr Singh as a towering statesman and the architect of India’s economic reforms in the early 1990s, which transformed the nation’s economy.
“Dr Singh’s visionary leadership and pathbreaking reforms laid the foundation for India’s economic boom, liberalizing markets and elevating the country to new heights of growth and development,” Omar Abdullah said.
Recalling Dr Singh’s tenure as Prime Minister, the Chief Minister highlighted his relentless efforts to uplift millions of Indians out of poverty through inclusive policies.
He also expressed gratitude for Dr Singh’s significant contributions to jammu and Kashmir. “Dr Manmohan Singh’s deep concern for the development of Jammu and Kashmir was evident throughout his tenure. His initiatives, including the extension of rail connectivity to the Kashmir Valley, brought new opportunities for the region and its people,” he said.
