Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh passed away on Thursday at the age of 92.
“With profound grief, we inform the demise of 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,” AIIMS said in an official statement.
“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,” AIIMS said.
Former Prime Minister #ManmohanSingh passes away at the age of 92 in AIIMS Delhi pic.twitter.com/hlZqLu1NkW
— DD News (@DDNewslive) December 26, 2024
Earlier, Dr Singh was admitted to AIIMS Delhi in critical condition after his health worsened that evening. Singh had recently retired from the Rajya Sabha, concluding a remarkable 33-year tenure in the Upper House of Parliament.
Manmohan Singh held the position of Prime Minister for two terms in the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government from 2004 to 2014. He had been in poor health in recent months.
He is survived by his wife, Gurcharan Kaur, and their three daughters.
Before becoming Prime Minister, Singh served as Finance Minister under Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao. He is widely recognized as the architect of India’s 1991 economic reforms, which helped rescue the country from financial crisis and ushered in a period of economic liberalization that reshaped India’s economic future.
Known as the architect of India’s economic liberalization, Singh retired from the Rajya Sabha in April 2024 after serving for 33 years. He first entered the Rajya Sabha in October 1991, shortly after assuming the role of Union Finance Minister in the government led by PV Narasimha Rao.
Born on September 26, 1932, in a village in undivided Punjab, Dr. Manmohan Singh had a distinguished career, serving as Chief Economic Advisor in the Ministry of Finance in 1972 and as RBI Governor from 1982 to 1985.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, took to X and condoled Dr Singh’s death
India mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished leaders, Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji. Rising from humble origins, he rose to become a respected economist. He served in various government positions as well, including as Finance Minister, leaving a strong imprint on our economic… pic.twitter.com/clW00Yv6oP
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 26, 2024
The Oxford-educated scholar played a crucial role in liberalizing India’s economy, driving unprecedented economic growth. Less often discussed, however, is how Singh, as Prime Minister, shaped the nation’s foreign policy and led negotiations for a civilian nuclear deal with the United States, despite strong political opposition.
“An idea whose time has come cannot be stopped by any force on earth,” Singh declared in his 1991 Budget speech as Finance Minister, adding, “I propose to this distinguished House that India’s rise as a major economic power is one such idea.”
When Singh took office as Finance Minister in 1991, India was facing a severe balance-of-payments crisis, with foreign exchange reserves at critical levels, barely enough to cover two weeks of imports.
