Skip to main content

Architect of economic reforms, icon of humble leadership

By Vikas Meshram*
The sad demise of Dr. Manmohan Singh marks the end of a rare political leadership. His exceptional intellectual capability, integrity, transparency, and unparalleled humility were his defining leadership qualities. A man of few words, he was always willing to listen to everyone, regardless of their stature. With his intellect, he resolved highly complex issues, making decisions that were in the best interest of the nation.
The rapid growth of India's economy today is rooted in the economic liberalization policies introduced by Dr. Manmohan Singh. These policies opened the doors for foreign investments in the Indian market, ended the license raj, and paved the way for an era of economic reforms. His visionary thinking also led to the launch of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, now known as MGNREGA, which served as a lifeline for the poor, villagers, and laborers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As Prime Minister, despite strong opposition from both the right and left wings, he steadfastly pursued the Indo-US Nuclear Deal. Even though his UPA government faced a no-confidence motion in Parliament, his firm stance ensured India's emergence as a nuclear power. Under the agreement, India gained exemptions from the Nuclear Suppliers Group, allowing it to separate its civilian and military nuclear programs and import uranium from countries possessing nuclear technology.
During his tenure from 2004 to 2014, significant strides were made, including the implementation of the Right to Education Act for children aged 6 to 14, stricter laws to curb violence against women, and the enactment of the Lokpal Act to combat corruption. Although the Supreme Court struck down the judicial appointment law, Dr. Singh's government approved the Right to Information Act, empowering citizens to seek information from public authorities and enhancing transparency and accountability in governance. Initiatives like Bharat Nirman, the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission, the National Rural Health Mission, mandatory marriage registration, gender budgeting, Aadhaar, and Direct Benefit Transfer brought transformative changes to society and paved the way for national progress.
During an agrarian crisis, his government waived ₹60,000 crore in farmer loans, providing much-needed relief. Born in 1932 in a modest family in undivided India, now Pakistan, Dr. Singh pursued economics and served in key positions such as Finance Secretary, Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, and Chief Economic Advisor. He became a Rajya Sabha member in 1991 and served as Finance Minister, later representing Assam in Parliament five times and Rajasthan once.
Under his leadership, India strengthened diplomatic ties with the United States, Japan, and the European Union. As Finance Minister during a critical economic crisis, India was compelled to mortgage its gold reserves due to adverse circumstances. Beyond his economic expertise, Dr. Singh will always be remembered for his deep commitment to national interests. During the early 1990s, under Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao, he spearheaded India's economic reforms and later, as Prime Minister, underscored India's entrepreneurial spirit.
During the 2008 global financial crisis, his decisive actions shielded India from severe repercussions. Despite opposition within his party, he negotiated the Civil Nuclear Agreement with the United States, establishing India as a responsible global power. His dedication to improving relations with neighboring countries was extraordinary, fostering stronger people-to-people connections between India and Pakistan even after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, while holding Pakistani military establishments accountable for the attacks.
Dr. Singh's career, whether as an administrator, central minister, or Prime Minister, exemplified adherence to moral principles without seeking publicity. Even when facing challenges within his political party, he remained steadfast in his commitment to ethical governance. For decades to come, he will be remembered with reverence. His demise is a profound loss for India and the world. Leaders like him, with sharp intellect and simplicity, are rare.
Even in adversity, Dr. Singh maintained his humility and composure. In his farewell address as Prime Minister on May 17, 2014, following the Congress-led UPA's defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, he reiterated his characteristic modesty, emphasizing that his life was an open book despite the immense responsibilities he bore. As Finance Minister and Prime Minister, he consistently strived to give his best for the nation. He often remarked, "Hard work is my tool, and truth is my guiding light."
The enactment of the Right to Information Act in 2005 was a landmark achievement of his government, empowering citizens and ensuring accountability in governance. This act removed the veil of secrecy surrounding administrative processes, making people realize that democracy granted them rights beyond voting. Another significant reform during his tenure was the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in 2005, a milestone in rural development that continues to transform the lives of rural families by ensuring livelihood security.
Despite the positive response received in subsequent general elections, Dr. Singh refrained from boasting about his government's initiatives. His priority was always to serve the nation before himself. However, the UPA government ultimately fell due to its failure to counter allegations of corruption, which the BJP capitalized on to wrest power from Congress.
Under his visionary leadership, the implementation of the Indo-US Civil Nuclear Agreement acted as a game-changer, taking bilateral relations to new heights. Despite the devastating 2008 terror attacks, he prudently avoided retaliatory action against Pakistan, preventing both nations from being drawn into another war. While generally soft-spoken, he never hesitated to speak his mind when faced with unacceptable circumstances.
In a letter released before the final phase of voting in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he strongly criticized divisive rhetoric for electoral gains, calling it unfortunate, and urged NDA leaders to uphold the dignity of public discourse. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid tribute to him, acknowledging his commitment to India's development.
Dr. Manmohan Singh's legacy offers valuable lessons for future leaders of the nation. There is no doubt that he will be remembered as an extraordinary leader whose life and work will continue to inspire generations.
---
*Journalist

Comments

Post a Comment

TRENDING

Lata Mangeshkar, a Dalit from Devdasi family, 'refused to sing a song' about Ambedkar

By Pramod Ranjan*  An artist is known and respected for her art. But she is equally, or even more so known and respected for her social concerns. An artist's social concerns or in other words, her worldview, give a direction and purpose to her art. History remembers only such artists whose social concerns are deep, reasoned and of durable importance. Lata Mangeshkar (28 September 1929 – 6 February 2022) was a celebrated playback singer of the Hindi film industry. She was the uncrowned queen of Indian music for over seven decades. Her popularity was unmatched. Her songs were heard and admired not only in India but also in Pakistan, Bangladesh and many other South Asian countries. In this article, we will focus on her social concerns. Lata lived for 92 long years. Music ran in her blood. Her father also belonged to the world of music. Her two sisters, Asha Bhonsle and Usha Mangeshkar, are well-known singers. Lata might have been born in Indore but the blood of a famous Devdasi family...
2 comments
»

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

​ By Syed Ali Mujtaba*  ​The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.
Post a Comment
»

'Batteries now cheap enough for solar to meet India's 90% demand': Expert quotes Ember study

By A Representative   Shankar Sharma, Power & Climate Policy Analyst, has urged India’s top policymakers to reconsider the financial and ecological implications of the country’s energy transition strategy in light of recent global developments. In a letter dated April 10, 2026, addressed to the Union Ministers of Finance, Power, New & Renewable Energy, Environment, Forest & Climate Change, and the Vice Chair of NITI Aayog, with a copy to the Prime Minister, Sharma highlighted concerns over India’s ambitious plans for coal gasification and the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR).
Post a Comment
»

Manufacturing, services: India's low-skill, middle-skill labour remains underemployed

By Francis Kuriakose* The Indian economy was in a state of deceleration well before Covid-19 made its impact in early 2020. This can be inferred from the declining trends of four important macroeconomic variables that indicate the health of the economy in the last quarter of 2019.
Post a Comment
»

Incarceration of Prof Saibaba 'revives' the question: What is crime, who is criminal?

By Kunal Pant* In 2016, a Supreme Court Judge asked the state of Maharashtra, “Do you want to extract a pound of flesh?” The statement was directed against the state for contesting the bail plea of Delhi University Professor GN Saibaba. Saibaba was arrested in 2014, a justification for which was to prevent him from committing what the police called “anti-national activities.”
Post a Comment
»

Food security? Gujarat govt puts more than 5 lakh ration cards in the 'silent' category

By Pankti Jog* A new statistical report uploaded by the Gujarat government on the national food security portal shows that ensuring food security for the marginalized community is still not a priority of the state. The statistical report, uploaded on December 24, highlights many weaknesses in implementing the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in state.
Post a Comment
»

Why Indo-Pak relations have been on 'knife’s edge' , hostilities may remain for long

By Utkarsh Bajpai*  The past few decades have seen strides being made in all aspects of life – from sticks and stones to weaponry. The extreme case of this phenomenon has been nuclear weapons. The menace caused by nuclear weapons in the past is unforgettable. Images of Hiroshima and Nagasaki from 1945 come to mind, after the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the cities.
Post a Comment
»

Subaltern voices go digital: Three Indian projects rewriting history from the ground up

By A Representative   A new wave of digital humanities (DH) work in India is shifting the focus away from university classrooms and English-language scholarship, instead prioritizing multilingual, community-driven archives that amplify subaltern voices . According to a review published in the Journal of Asian Studies , projects such as the People’s Archive of Rural India (PARI), the Oral History Narmada archive , and the Bhasha Research and Publication Centre are redefining how the country remembers its past — often without government funding or institutional support.
Post a Comment
»

Beyond Lata: How Asha Bhosle redefined the female voice with her underrated versatility

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  The news of iconic Asha Bhosle’s ‘untimely’ demise has shocked music lovers across the country. Asha Tai was 92 years young. Normally, people celebrate a passing at this age, but Asha Bhosle—much like another legend, Dev Anand—never made us feel she was growing old. She was perhaps the most versatile artist in Bombay cinema. Hailing from a family devoted to music, Asha’s journey to success and fame was not easy. Her elder sister, Lata Mangeshkar, had already become the voice of women in cinema, and most contemporaries like Shamshad Begum, Suraiya, and Noor Jehan had slowly faded into oblivion. Frankly, there was no second or third to Lata Mangeshkar; she became the first—and perhaps the only—choice for music directors and all those who mattered in filmmaking. Asha started her musical journey at age 10 with a Marathi film, but her first break in Hindustani cinema came with the film "Chunariya" (1948). Though she was not the first choice of ...
Post a Comment
»