Former PM Manmohan Singh turned 85 today. He was the Prime Minister amid 2004 and 2014 throughout the United Progressive Alliance, i.e. UPA regime. PM Narendra Modi wished him and tweets “Warm birthday wishes to our former PM Manmohan Singh. May he lead a long life full of good health”.
Following the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, few expected Manmohan Singh to become the PM. Congress president Sonia Gandhi threw a blow by proposing Singh’s name as the party’s prime ministerial contender. He was approved by party members, as Gandhi was implicit in being the natural claimant for the post. Below are some facts about his life
Political career of Manmohan Singh
- He was Born on26th September 1932 in Gah village of Pakistan’s Punjab province. Manmohan Singh held numerous key positions counting as an economic adviser to the government and deputy chairman of Planning Commission before taking the position of the PM in 2004. He was the first Sikh PM of India sworn in by then president APJ Abdul Kalam.
- Manmohan Singh accredits with playing a key role in guiding in economic reforms in the 1990s when India opens its economy. He entered politics during the peak of the 1991 financial crisis when late PM PV Narasimha Rao introduced him into the government as a finance minister. Together they raised the economy out of the balance of payments crisis. They also paved the way for economic reforms on which no succeeding government has looked back.
- The government led by Manmohan Singh carried a robust 8.5 percent GDP growth for most of his tenure . also his first five years were marked by initiatives counting MNREGA and RTI.
- The highlight of Manmohan Singh’s initial term was also the strong stand taken by the soft-spoken PM on the India-US civil nuclear deal. In spite of strong opposition from Congress allies. The Left parties did remove hold up to his government, but it endures in the confidence vote with the aid of the Samajwadi Party and BSP.
- Manmohan Singh-led government’s second term was spoiled by three main scams, i.e. 2G, CWG and coal blocks allocations fraud cases. Its mutual amount was of Rs 4 lakh crore, prompting the Opposition to claim that there was “unprecedented” dishonesty.
- Adding to the despair of his government was the Anna Hazare-led anti-corruption campaign that acquires widespread dimensions at the cost of the Congress. Party leaders supposed that the government did not converse well its achievements. It was seen as an indirect attack on Manmohan Singh for remaining silent.
Awards
- The most prominent award of Manmohan Singh career includes Padma Vibhushan in 1987
- Jawaharlal Nehru Birth Centenary Award of Indian Science Congress in 1995
- The year 1993 and 1994, gave him Asia Money Award for Finance Minister of the Year
- In 1993, Euro Money Award was given for Finance Minister of the Year
- In 1956, Adam Smith Prize of the University of Cambridge in 1956
- Last but not the least, the Wright’s Prize for Distinguished Performance at St. John’s College in Cambridge in 1955
Manmohan Singh is a receiver of honorary degrees from numerous universities counting the Universities of Cambridge as well as Oxford.
The world may have a critical outlook on his two terms as PM of India. However, no one can deny the fact that he managed to set aside the Indian Economy back. On his 85th Birthday today, we’d like to express thanks to him for it.
