India mourns the death of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, architect of economic reforms. Seven days of national mourning and a state funeral were declared for this discreet man who lifted India…
An immense wave of emotion has engulfed India since the announcement of the death of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday evening in New Delhi. Aged 92, the man who led the country from 2004 to 2014 died peacefully in a hospital in the capital after losing consciousness at his home, according to a close source. The Indian government has declared seven days of national mourning in tribute to this major figure in political life, whose national funeral will be celebrated soon.
Manmohan Singh will go down in history as the man who brought India into the 21st economic century. Appointed Minister of Finance in 1991 when the country was going through an unprecedented financial crisis, this trained economist, who studied at Cambridge and Oxford, initiated decisive liberal reforms. Devaluation of the rupee, opening to foreign investments, reduction of customs duties… Its structural adjustment measures will profoundly transform the Indian economic landscape and lay the foundations for the country’s formidable rise.
The architect of the Indian economic miracle
Promoted Prime Minister in 2004 to everyone’s surprise, Manmohan Singh never held an elective office before accessing this position. But his stature as an economic expert and his reputation for integrity earned him the nickname “Mr. Clean.” During his first term, Indian growth soared to 9% per year, giving the country unprecedented geopolitical weight. He also sealed a historic nuclear cooperation agreement with the United States.
However, his second term will be tarnished by a slowdown in the economy and a series of corruption scandals which taint his government. Without ever affecting him personally, these affairs taint his record. Removed from power in 2014 by Narendra Modi, Manmohan Singh claimed that he would be treated better by History than by his contemporaries.
An extraordinary destiny
Born in 1932 in a village in Punjab located in what is now Pakistan, Manmohan Singh had an extraordinary destiny. Coming from a modest background, he rose through the ranks of the Indian intellectual elite. Top of his class at university, he won a scholarship to study at Cambridge and then taught at the best universities in the country.
His appointment as governor of the Reserve Bank of India in 1982 marked a turning point. He built a solid reputation as a competent and honest manager which earned him a call back to the Indian economy at the worst of the crisis. His time at the Ministry of Finance from 1991 to 1996 transformed the country and gave him the stature of a statesman.
A mixed heritage
Despite an exceptional economic record, Manmohan Singh leaves a mixed legacy. His critics accuse him of not having done enough to stem corruption and reduce growing inequalities. Some also accuse him of having been too timid in the face of rising community tensions.
In the last years of his life, Manmohan Singh became a virulent critic of Narendra Modi’s economic policy. He also warned of the risks posed by inter-religious tensions on Indian democracy. A fight that he led until his last breath.
As India pays its last tribute, Manmohan Singh will remain as one of the most important and paradoxical figures in the country’s contemporary history. Genius economist who transformed India into a world power, but also discreet and self-effacing Prime Minister who was unable to eradicate all the ills of his country. A chiaroscuro portrait reflecting his singular destiny.
In the last years of his life, Manmohan Singh became a virulent critic of Narendra Modi’s economic policy. He also warned of the risks posed by inter-religious tensions on Indian democracy. A fight that he led until his last breath.
As India pays its last tribute, Manmohan Singh will remain as one of the most important and paradoxical figures in the country’s contemporary history. Genius economist who transformed India into a world power, but also discreet and self-effacing Prime Minister who was unable to eradicate all the ills of his country. A chiaroscuro portrait reflecting his singular destiny.
