India Loses Her Modern Day Icon: Reformer, Statesman, Humanist, Like No Other

Former Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, breathed his last, having lived a full life, at 92.

The legend passed on at the ripe age of 92. Lived a full life, except in his later years, when old age took a toll on him; his being wheeled into Parliament House to attend the session, remains a haunting image, as a testimony to his being the quintessential democrat, a firm believer in parliamentary traditions and an unfailing spirit even when his body seemed lacking. So much has been said and is known about MMS that writing a tribute that is totally fresh and presents a new look is nearly impossible. It is best to capture the lessons that one can imbibe, recalling the many episodes in his life, the man as one came to understand him.

I had the great fortune of meeting him over an interview, in his academic days, when he was a professor in D School, Delhi School of Economics, Delhi University. This was a full 50 years ago. It was for this magazine, an acknowledgement of our long innings in this task of bringing together a cross section of views and subjects critical to India matters. Even then, I recall vividly, he had landed a few hours earlier from a lecture tour, from the US, arrived direct from the airport, his small handbag tucked in a corner of the room, as he fondly recalled his impressions of his visit. My late colleague and friend, Vinod Choudary who studied economics and later taught at St Stephen’s College, had fixed the appointment; we both spent a long hour with the then professor. Over the years, his manner did not change, if at all, his demeanour was the same throughout, then and when he retired from public life. Power and prominence never managed to touch him. Later, I interviewed him again, then as India’s Finance Minister. He was just the same; always, timid and shy, almost self-depreciating, ready to take a bow, on the smallest courtesy extended to him.

On the subject of economics, he held his sway, in a manner that saw the opening of Indian economy, he was truly the torch bearer, for all the reforms that we have witnessed since, and pursuing even today. A mix of government capex and private enterprise, capital instinct and socialism merged to ensure that growth was inclusive and reached out to the lowest of the low. In that sense, he merged his instincts as both the academician and politician; mind you, for all his simplicity, he was never naïve, and fully understood the imperatives of politics.  But then he was firm, when we wanted to be, always had the uncanny habit of being a most patient listener, and do what he thought was best for the country.

As the prime minister for ten long years, serving a full two terms, his contributions were immense. He continued his reformer role, started earlier as finance minister. He was instrumental in ushering in the RTI Act, the RTE Act and also introduced the Aadhar card, which enabled subsequent transformations in public dealing with the government. His insistence on signing the nuclear deal brought out his steely determination, undeterred by the possibility of the government coming down.

He enshrined the values of the true Gandhian, living a simplest of lives. His trademark blue turban, almost muted expression, preferring to speak only when required, he was not prone to hearing himself out. Just like the other prime minister, the other Gandhian, Lal Bahadur Shastri, the two have not seen their equal in simplicity in public life. Both kept their families away, not that the families aspired to any public privileges, being equally subdued, as was their upbringing. There are endless tales of how their children took bus rides to college, stood in queues for concerts and never sought any favour. His integrity remained unmatchable.

Every life is accidental, in one way or the other. Even when one has survived and succeeded in his dreams. Success, expected or otherwise, is always a chance. He may not have been the prime minister by accident, but certainly by a call of divinity.

But his legacy is one that seeks emulation, much like that of Gandhi, from another perspective. In today’s times, humility and empathy are crying needs and we see more and more people in public life are unable to follow this. It is not uncommon to witness both politicians and bureaucrats walking in public fora like the world depends upon them. Exceptions, of course, stay the ground and make that vital difference.

Some gems have appeared in print from nowhere, following his demise. Like the writer from his village in Pakistan, where the late prime minister was born. He had reached out to get the same electrified, with solar lights, in the belief he would like future generations in that village to get a chance to read and write and grow up in the comfort of well-lit homes. Or, the story from the Malaysian PM, Anwar, who revealed that Manmohan Singh had offered his children scholarships while he was in jail in his country. He did not take up the offer, but nevertheless, an offer that was hard to forget. Or, the story when he ran short of cash while buying for himself a cup of tea at the Parliament House canteen, and insisted on paying himself. Such is the stuff that kept him grounded, untouched by the power and the glory of office.

Did this same legacy get scarred? For having presided over a government that relied more upon coalition dharma for survival; black marked for its scams, though some like 2G did not match up in proportions to what was earlier touted. For all the ills that one heard of, especially during the run up to the Commonwealth Games, when the nation was subjected to such public shame, as the infrastructure build-up was far from being on time, he remained insulated personally, even as the government of the day took a beating scarcely seen in our public life. It also became known as the government in paralysis, with its double engine model of power sharing.

So, while these last years remain a big cloud over him, with rampant corruption, keeping the coalition going, as it were, should he have taken the high ground and resigned? Did he, in fact, as some have suggested, that he did, indeed suggest? Was he himself conscious of the fact that he would come under a cloud, later, and thus his hope that history may judge him better and be more kind to him? Did he believe that giving up office, may lead to bigger problems for the country? Whatever be the compulsions, the last few years of the UPA 2 regime remain a stark reminder of paralysis in governance, over which the PM presided mutely.

Above all these, yes, his legacy survives as a major architect of modern India, especially at a time when India has arrived as the fifth largest in the global economy.

No surprises then, tributes have poured in for him, from across the political spectrum, singularly applauding his contribution not just to the economy, but to Indian politics and Indian ethos in public life. A life lived in dignity, never falling prey to criticism, always taking the brunt on his own shin, with his trademark smile or silence. In this hour of mourning, it appeared the nation was one, united in grief, not withstanding a few critical comments here and there. Then, the controversy about his not being given a memorial site in time for his cremation, which are at best overlooked, for the present.

“He left a strong imprint on our economic policy over the years. As our Prime Minister, he made extensive efforts to improve people’s lives.”
NARENDRA MODI, Prime Minister

“His honesty will always be an inspiration for us and he will forever stand tall among those who truly love this country.”
RAHUL GANDHI, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP

“He was a man of few words whose welfare schemes brought relief to millions of Indians cutting across caste, creed & religion.”
MAMATA BANERJEE, West Bengal CM

“He was a godly soul who embodied humility, and tolerance. As the architect of India’s economic reforms, his legacy will inspire.”
SHARAD PAWAR, NCP (SP) president

“His calm, thoughtful leadership reflected a rare quality – a leader who spoke less but achieved more, driven by action rather than rhetoric.”
MK STALIN, Tamil Nadu CM

“Throughout his tenure, he had great empathy for the poor. He did not hide the fact that many millions of Indians are poor and reminded us that the government’s policies must lean in favour of the poor. Examples of his empathy are MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) and the restructuring of PDS (Public Distribution System) and the extension of the mid-day meal scheme.”
P. Chidambaram, Singh’s former cabinet colleague and former Union finance minister on social media website X

“Together with P.V. Narasimha Rao, he brought about a paradigm shift from an India ridiculed for its ‘Hindu rate of growth-an India that faced a catastrophic economic crisis stemming from the twin deficits of a balance-of-payments crisis and a huge fiscal deficit-to an India that achieved about 7% steady growth and emerged as a growth driver of the global economy.”
Manoranjan Sharma, chief economist, Infomerics Ratings, and a former chief economist with Canara Bank

“As Prime Minister, the audaciousness with which he pursued the nuclear deal with the US stands out very sharply. This effort to improve India’s dynamics with the superpower was laudable. He was building on the achievements of high GDP growth following Vajpayee’s reforms as well as a nuke explosion.
In fact, the nuclear deal was part of his vision to make India an attractive investment destination, no matter what was at stake for the future of the government. Regrettably, the full effects of the nuclear deal are yet to be realised due to the lack of enabling changes in laws, particularly regarding insurance, which would allow private party participation. He was the perfect example of domain expertise coupled with an understanding of the political landscape.
Dr Singh was the master of the art of the possible in the political economy of change. We will remain indebted to him for steering India on the path of growth and to- ward its rightful place in the committee of nations.”
N K Singh, former Rajya Sabha member and chairperson of Finance Commission

“At dinner with my wife and me in Kolkata’s Raj Bhavan, no politics was even thought of, much less discussed. And the fare was frugal, exactly as the visiting couple wanted. When all of us had done, he rose and waited for my wife, his junior by some three decades, to pass the dining room door before exiting himself.
Civility has shrivelled, decency withered, in the departure of a great economist and a greater ethicist loaned to politics for its redemption. Dr Singh was in office, not in a war room. His table was a desk, not a battle-board. His pen wrote, not decree. The world is clever but is no fool. Though liable to err, it knows who is who and what is what. It admires the powerful for it must deal with power, but it respects the honest. Siyasat is the Hindustani for politics, sharafat for honesty. Manmohan Singh showed that sharafat could be at home in siyasat, and siyasat in sharafat.”
Gopalkrishna Gandhi, a former administrator, is a student of modern Indian history.

“I was finance secretary in Delhi when I was appointed governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in September 2008. Before moving to Mumbai, I went to call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to thank him for the confidence he reposed in me. It was a brief meeting – just about 15 minutes. We talked about the economic situation, of course-the government’s fiscal challenges as well as RBI’s unlikely problem of defending the rupee against appreciation.
After about 10 minutes of this, I said: “Sir, you were governor of RBI yourself. Do you have any advice to give me?” Dr Singh very characteristically demurred with that faint smile of his which you saw more in his eyes than on his lips. “What advice do I give you, Subbarao? You’ve been in the IAS, you know the country, you know the government, and you are familiar with RBI. Do what you think is best for the economy. I am sure you will do well,” he said.
After a couple of minutes, I took leave of him. As I got up, he rose from his chair, came from around the table and escorted me to the exit. At the door, he put his hand on my shoulder and said: “Subbarao, you asked for my advice a moment ago. I do want to give you one piece of advice. You are moving from the IAS into RBI. That’s a big change. Unlike in the IAS, in RBI, you run the risk of getting lost in numbers like inflation, interest rate, money supply and credit growth, and you will tend to forget how all this matters to people and their livelihoods. Keep your ear close to the ground.”
Duvvuri Subbarao, former governor, Reserve Bank of India (2008-13), now visiting faculty at Yale

@NSITHARAMAN
Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh is no more. He had served as the Governor of RBI and as Finance Minister of India. Present- ed the milestone budget of 1991 which liberalised the Indian economy. Respected by all, he was soft- spoken and gentle. Condolences to his family and friends.

@GAUTAM ADANI
Deeply saddened by the passing of Dr Manmohan Singh. History will forever honour his pivotal role in the transformative 1991 reforms that reshaped India and opened its doors to the world. A rare leader who spoke softly but achieved monumental strides through his actions, Dr Singh’s life remains a masterclass in leadership, humility and service to the nation and will inspire generations to come.

@HVGOENKA
India mourns the loss of Dr Manmohan Singh, a true statesman whose quiet demeanour belled his transformative impact. An architect of economic reforms, he shaped modern India with intellect, grace, and integrity. A leader who let actions speak louder than words. #RIP


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