Manmohan Singh, India’s former Prime Minister, has passed away at the age of 92, as confirmed in a statement by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
On Thursday, Singh lost consciousness at home and was promptly brought to AIIMS in New Delhi. The hospital explained that he was being treated for age-related medical issues when he suddenly lost consciousness on December 26, 2024. “Resuscitative measures were immediately initiated at home before he was transferred to the Medical Emergency at AIIMS,” the statement read.
Despite the medical efforts, Singh was declared dead at 9:51 p.m. local time, according to the hospital.
In response to Singh’s death, India’s current Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, expressed the nation’s sorrow and described him as one of the country’s “most distinguished leaders.” On social media, Modi wrote, “As our Prime Minister, he made extensive efforts to improve people’s lives.”
Singh served as Prime Minister for two terms. His unexpected rise to the role in 2004 came after Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi, who had led the party to victory in national elections, chose to decline the post of Prime Minister. Instead, she turned to Singh, who was widely known for his groundbreaking economic reforms as Finance Minister in the early 1990s. His government introduced welfare initiatives like a job program for the rural poor. Additionally, Singh played a pivotal role in a historic nuclear energy trade deal with the United States in 2008, ending a 30-year standstill.
By the end of his second term, however, Singh’s legacy became overshadowed by corruption scandals within his administration. Though Singh was never personally accused of corruption, these controversies affected his public image.
In the months before his passing, Singh reflected on his tenure as Prime Minister, stating that he had done his best. “I honestly believe that history will be kinder to me than the contemporary media or, for that matter, the opposition parties in parliament,” he remarked at a press conference, as reported by Reuters.
Singh is survived by his wife and three daughters.
