On Thursday evening, the former prime minister died at AIIMS in New Delhi. He was 92. He was sent to the AIIMS Delhi after experiencing an unexpected loss of consciousness at home.
Singh served a unique two terms as prime minister from 2004 to 2014, making him the first Sikh to hold the position. He is regarded for having led India to unheard-of economic expansion and rescuing hundreds of millions from extreme poverty.
India made several strides towards better ties with the United States under Singh’s direction. Notably, the two nations reached an agreement to abolish a nuclear commerce ban that had been in place for decades. Singh’s other accomplishments were launching a social welfare program that ensured jobs in rural regions and boosting India’s economy.
Singh was known for being self-effacing and always maintaining a low profile. He was a diligent former scholar and bureaucrat. Despite being a quiet man, he gained a lot of admirers for his composed manner.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among many who paid their respects to Singh on Thursday, posting on social media that “India mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished leaders.”
Modi remarked that Singh had “made extensive efforts to improve people’s lives” while serving as prime minister and that his “wisdom and humility were always visible” during their encounters.
Singh was described as “genuinely egalitarian, wise, strong-willed, and courageous until the end” by Priyanka Gandhi, a member of the Congress party and the daughter of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.
Rahul, her brother and Congress leader, said to have “lost a mentor and guide”.
Singh’s Last speech have left a deeper impact on the contemporary and future generations to look upon.
“My life and tenure in public office are an open book,” Singh, wearing his signature light-blue Sikh turban, said in his farewell speech in 2014. “Serving this nation has been my privilege. There is nothing more that I could ask for.”
“I honestly believe that history will be kinder to me than the contemporary media, or for that matter, the opposition parties in parliament,” he told an interviewer in 2014.
