Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Passes Away at 92

Manmohan Singh, frequently referred to as a "reluctant king" in his initial term as prime minister, died on Thursday, December 26, at the age of 92. A gentle-spoken leader, Singh was India's prime minister from 2004 to 2014, positioning him among the nation's longest-serving leaders in recent times. Though he was reserved in nature, his time in office saw some of the most important progress in India's advancement, with Singh recognized for leading the country during a phase of extraordinary economic expansion and lifting millions from poverty.

The first Sikh to hold the office of prime minister, Singh had been receiving treatment for age-related health issues prior to his death. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed the nation's grief, saying, "India mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished leaders."

Singh faced many difficulties in his early life. Hailing from an impoverished family in present-day Pakistan, he studied by candlelight and secured admission to Cambridge University, subsequently attending Oxford, where he obtained a doctorate focused on India's economy. An accomplished economist, Singh originally had no desire to pursue a political career. In 1991, he was designated as India’s finance minister, a position where he was crucial in saving the nation from a balance of payments crisis. His reforms, such as deregulating and exposing India to international trade, transformed the country's economic framework.

Singh’s ascent to the position of prime minister in 2004 marked an unforeseen twist in his political path. Sonia Gandhi, the Congress Party leader, selected Singh to lead the government following an unexpected electoral win. Although Sonia, originally from Italy and in a leadership position, worried that her foreign background would attract criticism, she requested that Singh, an esteemed economist, assume the role.