India's Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Passes Away

Manmohan Singh, often called a "reluctant king" during his first term as prime minister, passed away on Thursday, December 26, at 92 years old. A soft-spoken leader, Singh served as India's prime minister from 2004 to 2014, making him one of the nation's longest-tenured leaders in recent history. Although he had a reserved personality, his tenure in office witnessed significant strides in India's progress, with Singh acknowledged for steering the nation through a period of remarkable economic growth and elevating millions out of 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 encountered numerous challenges during his childhood. Originating from a poor family in what is now Pakistan, he studied by candlelight and gained entry to Cambridge University, later attending Oxford, where he earned a doctorate specializing in India's economy. A skilled economist, Singh initially did not wish to follow a political path. In 1991, he was appointed as India's finance minister, a role in which he played a vital part in rescuing the country from a balance of payments crisis. His reforms, including deregulation and opening India to global trade, altered the nation's economic structure.

Singh's rise to the role of prime minister in 2004 represented an unexpected turn in his political journey. Sonia Gandhi, the leader of the Congress Party, appointed Singh to head the government after an unforeseen electoral victory. Despite her Italian roots and being in a leadership role, Sonia was concerned that her foreign heritage might invite criticism, so she asked Singh, a respected economist, to take on the position.