San Francisco [US]: Sam Pitroda, Chairperson of the Indian Overseas Congress, joined a growing chorus of grief and tributes following the demise of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. Speaking to media, Pitroda described Dr. Singh as a “great leader” whose leadership and legacy left an indelible mark on India’s political and economic history.
VIDEO | "I would remember Dr Manmohan Singh as a Gandhian leader, a leader who believed in democracy, human rights, freedom, diversity, a leader who was very simple, humble, man with character, values, morals and ethics, and I think these are hard to find. He was a leader of a… pic.twitter.com/ol5TX1BmQf
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 26, 2024
My heart felt #condolences to the Family , Friends and the people of #India for the loss of a great #leader and former PM Dr. Manmohan Singh.I worked with him for ten years on #Knowledge & #Innovations. I will miss him.
— Sam Pitroda (@sampitroda) December 26, 2024
Offering his condolences to Dr. Singh’s family, friends, and the people of India, Pitroda highlighted his Gandhian approach to leadership.
“I found him to be very Gandhian in his approach to leadership. He was a man of character, values, substance, education, experience, morals, and ethics. He was deeply committed to the values of the Congress party,” Pitroda said.
Reflecting on Dr. Singh’s achievements, Pitroda added,
“He was a leader who believed in democracy, freedom, and human rights. He understood that India’s biggest challenge is income inequality and worked to lift millions of people out of poverty while building an inclusive society. His economic liberalisation policies in 1991 planted the seeds for economic opportunities in India. We still have a long way to go, but those seeds were planted quite some time ago.”
Describing Dr. Singh’s leadership style, Pitroda emphasized his focus on “communication, coordination, and co-creation,” rather than command and control. He praised Dr. Singh’s humility and approachability, adding that he was dignified even in disagreements.
“He never criticized individuals, only ideas. In India, such qualities are sometimes seen as a weakness, but to me, they exemplify the strength of a Gandhian leader,” Pitroda concluded.
Dr. Singh passed away on Thursday evening at the age of 92 due to age-related medical conditions. AIIMS Delhi provided details of his final moments:
“With profound grief, we inform the demise of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, aged 92. He was being treated for age-related medical conditions and had a sudden loss of consciousness at home on 26th 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.”
President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and leaders from across the political spectrum paid tribute to Dr. Singh.
In her message on X, President Murmu said:
“Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh Ji was one of those rare politicians who also straddled the worlds of academia and administration with equal ease. In his various roles in public offices, he made critical contributions to reforming the Indian economy. He will always be remembered for his service to the nation, his unblemished political life, and his utmost humility. His passing is a great loss to all of us.”
Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh Ji was one of those rare politicians who also straddled the worlds of academia and administration with equal ease. In his various roles in public offices, he made critical contributions to reforming Indian economy. He will always be…
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) December 26, 2024
Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted Dr. Singh’s rise from humble beginnings to becoming a respected economist and leader.
“India mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished leaders, Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji. Rising from humble origins, he became a respected economist and served in various government positions, including as Finance Minister, leaving a strong imprint on our economic policy over the years. As our Prime Minister, he made extensive efforts to improve people’s lives,” Modi said.
Dr. Singh, born in Punjab in 1932, served two terms as Prime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014. He was widely recognized as the architect of India’s economic liberalisation in the 1990s and played a pivotal role in shaping modern India.