Dr. Manmohan Singh, the Oxford-educated economist who steered India away from a severe economic crisis in 1991 and later served as the country’s first non-Hindu Prime Minister for a decade, died on December 26, 2024, in New Delhi. He was 92.
His death was announced by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), where he was taken after falling unconscious at home. “Despite all efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 9:51 PM,” the hospital stated. He is survived by his wife Gurcharan Singh and three daughters.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his condolence message, called Singh “one of India’s most distinguished leaders” who “made extensive efforts to improve people’s lives” and left “a strong imprint on our economic policy over the years.”
Manmohan Singh’s legacy
Singh’s legacy is most prominently marked by his role as Finance Minister in 1991, when he orchestrated sweeping economic reforms that transformed India’s socialist-style economy into a market-driven one. At a time when India stood on the brink of bankruptcy, Singh implemented bold measures including currency devaluation, reduction of tariffs, and opening the economy to foreign investment – actions that would lay the foundation for India’s subsequent economic boom.
In his watershed maiden speech as Finance Minister, Singh captured the zeitgeist of a changing India by paraphrasing Victor Hugo, saying “No power on earth can stop an idea whose time has come.” The statement would prove prophetic, as his reforms ushered in an era of economic liberalization that fundamentally altered India’s economic trajectory.
Singh’s journey from humble origins to the highest offices of Indian government was paved by academic excellence. He studied at Punjab University before earning his doctorate from Oxford University. His expertise led him to serve in various crucial positions, including as Governor of the Reserve Bank of India and economic adviser to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
In 2004, Singh ascended to the role of Prime Minister, leading a Congress Party-led coalition government until 2014. As India’s first Sikh Prime Minister, recognizable by his signature powder-blue turban, he presided over a period of significant economic growth and social development programs.
“History will judge me more kindly than the contemporary media”
Following his party’s decisive defeat in the 2014 elections, Singh made a prescient observation that would prove to be one of his most memorable quotes: “History will judge me more kindly than the contemporary media.” Indeed, while his tenure as Prime Minister faced criticism, his role in liberalizing India’s economy and steering the country through significant reforms has secured his place as one of India’s most consequential economic architects.
A technocrat who spoke softly but acted decisively when India needed it most, Dr. Manmohan Singh’s passing marks the end of an era in Indian politics and economic policy-making. His transformation from economist to reformer to Prime Minister embodied the very changes he helped bring about in his beloved nation.
