Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Draupadi Murmu led a gathering of mourners who braved heavy rain at the former residence of India’s 14th Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, located at 3-Motilal Nehru Marg in New Delhi. Singh passed away late Thursday night at the age of 92.
In honor of the esteemed economist and politician, the government has declared a period of seven days of mourning, culminating in a state funeral scheduled for Saturday.
Following Prime Minister Modi, several senior ministers, including Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, and JP Nadda, along with numerous leaders from various political parties, lined up to pay their respects to Singh, who was instrumental in initiating liberalization and structural reforms in India.
Modi laid a wreath at Singh’s doorstep and briefly spoke with Singh’s wife, Gursharan Kaur. He expressed that the former Prime Minister’s passing represents a significant loss for the nation, highlighting Singh’s role as the architect of India’s economic reforms that guided both the country and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) through trying times.
“Singh was a proponent of economic reform and skillfully managed India’s challenges. He even assumed leadership of the Reserve Bank during difficult periods and implemented crucial economic reforms as Finance Minister,” Modi reflected.
Members of the Gandhi family, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, her husband Robert Vadra, and their children, were also present among the Congress leaders to pay homage to Singh.
After the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) confirmed his death at 9:51 PM on Thursday, Singh’s body was transported to his home, where mourners could come to pay their last respects.
Singh’s remains will be moved to the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters on Akbar Road, allowing people and Congress supporters to pay tributes from 8:30 AM to 9:30 AM on Saturday, before the body is taken for the state funeral.
Prime Minister Modi convened a meeting of the Union Cabinet to honor Singh’s legacy. The Cabinet acknowledged that he “had a lasting impact on our national life” and announced that the national flag would be at half-mast throughout the seven-day mourning period, which will conclude on January 1.
The condolence resolution passed by the Cabinet stated, “With his passing, the Nation has lost an eminent statesman, a renowned economist, and a distinguished leader.”
Manmohan Singh is survived by his wife, Gursharan Kaur, and their three daughters: Upinder Singh, Daman Singh, and Amrit Singh.
