Manmohan Singh, one of the longest-serving Prime Ministers of India and the first Sikh to hold the prestigious position, passed away on December 26, 2024, at the age of 92. The former Prime Minister was admitted to the emergency department of AIIMS, New Delhi, on Thursday evening.
“With profound grief, we inform the demise of the former Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh, aged 92. He was being treated for age-related medical conditions and had a sudden loss of consciousness at home on 26 December 2024. Resuscitative measures were started immediately at home. He was brought to the Medical Emergency at AIIMS, New Delhi at 8:06 PM. Despite all efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 9:51 PM,” the official statement from the hospital read.
Singh is survived by his wife, Gursharan Kaur, and three daughters: Upinder Singh, Daman Singh, and Amrit Singh, along with their families.
Early Life And Education
Born on September 26, 1932, in Gah, West Punjab (now in Pakistan), Manmohan Singh was the son of Gurmukh Singh and Amrit Kaur. The family migrated to India during the partition in 1947, first settling in Haldwani and later moving to Amritsar in Punjab.
Singh pursued his education in Economics at Panjab University, earning both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He then went on to study at the University of Cambridge, completing his Economics Tripos in 1957. Later, Singh earned a doctorate in Economics from the University of Oxford in 1960. His career as an economist took him to the United Nations between 1966 and 1969, where he also began his journey into public service.
His time in government began when Lalit Narayan Mishra appointed him as an advisor in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, a pivotal moment that marked the start of his distinguished bureaucratic career.
A Family Of Achievers
In 1958, Singh married Gursharan Kaur, a history professor and author. Together, they raised three accomplished daughters:
Upinder Singh, a history professor and Dean of Faculty at Ashoka University, is also a renowned author with six published books. Formerly the head of the History Department at the University of Delhi, she has won multiple awards, including the Infosys Prize for Social Sciences. Notable books by her include Ancient Delhi and A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India.
Daman Singh, an author and graduate of St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, and the Institute of Rural Management in Anand, Gujarat, is known for works such as The Last Frontier: People, Forests in Mizoram, and the biography Strictly Personal, which chronicles the lives of her parents. She is married to Ashok Pattnaik, an Indian Police Service officer, who served as the CEO of the National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) in 2016.
Amrit Singh, the youngest daughter, is a staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), advocating for civil liberties and human rights.
A Legacy Of Leadership
Manmohan Singh’s leadership as Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014 was marked by economic reforms that transformed India’s global standing. His tenure is remembered for the liberalization of India’s economy, moving the country towards greater market integration and fostering rapid growth.
His death marks the end of an era for Indian politics, leaving behind a rich legacy that shaped the nation’s economic landscape.
Also Read: Manmohan Singh: ‘A Technocrat with A Vision,’ Remembered As A Master Of Politics And Policy
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