Dr. Manmohan Singh was born on 26 September 1932 in Gah village of Pakistan. When history will write the story of modern India, Dr. Manmohan Singh’s name will be taken first. Known for his humility and calm nature, Dr Singh left his mark across the country as an economist, policy maker and Prime Minister. His behavior shows how calm and firm leadership can bring a lasting impact.
The Economist who saved India
India was facing one of its worst economic crises in 1991, foreign exchange reserves had fallen to dangerous levels, inflation soared and the economy was on the verge of collapse. The Prime Minister at that time was Shri P V Narasimha Rao and Dr. Singh was serving as the Finance Minister, his reforms changed India forever.
It was Dr. Singh who ushered in the era of liberalization, privatization and globalization. He opened up India’s economy to foreign investment, removed the shackles of license raj, devalued the rupee to boost exports. However, these measures were opposed as many feared that this move would compromise India’s sovereignty. However, Manmohan Singh’s resolve and vision won out.
A Decade of Leadership: Prime Ministerial Tenure
Manmohan Singh vowed to transform India completely and after that Dr. Singh served as the Prime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014. He was made Prime Minister for two consecutive terms by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. His tenure was full of achievements as well as formidable challenges.
Key Achievements
Social Welfare Initiatives: UPA government took many historic steps economically in which MNREGA was a major initiative. Under this program, employment was provided to lakhs of poor people and 100 days of employment was guaranteed under this scheme.
Economic Growth: During his tenure, India experienced unprecedented economic growth. At that time, the GDP growth rate was around 8% and India became the center of global investment, all the credit for which goes to Manmohan Singh’s policies.
The Indo-US Nuclear Deal: During Dr. Singh’s tenure as Prime Minister, a civil nuclear agreement was signed between India and America, which proved to be a milestone. Only after this, India ended decades of nuclear isolation and this opened many new paths which strengthened India’s energy power.
Infrastructure Development: During his tenure, investments in highways, power generation, etc. were promoted and prioritized which helped in the economic development of India.
Challenges and Controversies
However, Manmohan Singh’s tenure was also full of failures, there were many scams and allegations of corruption in which many high profile scams like 2G spectrum Scam, Commonwealth Games Scam, Coalgate Scam tarnished the image of the government. Amidst these scams, questions were raised on the silence of Dr. Manmohan Singh across the country, he was accused of collusion but despite these allegations, Manmohan Singh remained clean on a personal level and he was respected across political boundaries.
The Silent Reformer
Dr. Manmohan Singh had his own unique style of working. He liked to work more quietly, which is why he earned the title of “Silent Reformer“. He was a rare combination of wisdom, humility and firmness.
Whether it was the economic crisis of 1991 or the global financial crisis of 2008, Dr. Singh’s leadership helped India to emerge from both these crises. India was relatively less affected in 2008 as compared to the rest of the world. The entire credit for this goes to Dr. Singh’s policies and his prudent decisions.
Beyond Politics: A Life Dedicated to Service
Dr Manmohan Singh was a man beyond politics. He was a good economist who held many important positions including Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Chief Economic Adviser.
Even after stepping down from the post of Prime Minister in 2014, he lived a simple life and remained a respected voice in Indian politics and economics.
Conclusion: A Legacy That Inspires
Dr. Singh’s life is a testament to honesty and calm nature, his journey from being an ordinary person to becoming one of the most respected leaders in the world will inspire generations to come. There were many controversies and scams during his tenure as Prime Minister but still his contribution to India’s progress cannot be forgotten.
Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh died on 26 December 2024 in Delhi.
To know my views on other issues Visit Here.
