Charles Horton Cooley
American sociologist
Manmohan Singh, a renowned Indian economist and politician, served as the Prime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014. During his tenure, he oversaw significant economic reforms and the implementation of major social welfare programs. As the first Sikh Prime Minister, Singh’s legacy continues to shape India’s political and economic landscape.
Table of Contents
Occupation
About the Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singhis an Indian politician, economist, academician and bureaucrat who served as the Prime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014. He is the fourth longest-serving prime minister after Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Narendra Modi. A member of the Indian National Congress, Singh was the first Sikh prime minister of India. He was also the first prime minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to be re-elected after completing a full five-year term.
Born in Gah, West Punjab, in what is today Pakistan, Singh’s family migrated to India during its partition in 1947. After obtaining his doctorate in economics from Oxford, Singh worked for the United Nations during 1966-1969. He subsequently began his bureaucratic career when Lalit Narayan Mishra hired him as an advisor in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. During the 1970s and 1980s, Singh held several key posts in the Government of India, such as Chief Economic Advisorand head of the Planning Commissionduring the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government of 1998-2004.
In 2004, when the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance came to power, its chairperson Sonia Gandhi unexpectedly relinquished the prime ministership to Singh. His first ministry executed several key legislations and projects, including the National Rural Health Mission, Unique Identification Authority, Rural Employment Guarantee scheme and Right to Information Act. In 2008, opposition to a historic civil nuclear agreement with the United States nearly caused Singh’s government to fall after Left Front parties withdrew their support. India’s economy grew rapidly under his reign.
The 2009 general election saw the UPA return with an increased mandate, with Singh retaining the office of prime minister. Over the next few years, Singh’s second ministry government faced a number of corruption charges over the organisation of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the 2G spectrum allocation case and the allocation of coal blocks. After his term ended in 2014 he opted out from the race for the office of the PM during the 2014 Indian general election. Singh was never a member of the Lok Sabha but served as a member of the Rajya Sabha, representing the state of Assam from 1991 to 2019 and Rajasthan from 2019 to 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
Manmohan Singh is an Indian retired politician, economist, academician, and bureaucrat who served as the Prime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014. He was the first Sikh prime minister of India and the fourth longest-serving prime minister.
As Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh executed several key legislations and projects, including the National Rural Health Mission, Unique Identification Authority, Rural Employment Guarantee scheme, and Right to Information Act. He also oversaw India’s rapid economic growth during his tenure.
Manmohan Singh was born in Gah, West Punjab, in what is now Pakistan. His family migrated to India during the Partition in 1947. After obtaining his doctorate in economics from Oxford, Singh held several key government positions in India, including Chief Economic Advisor, Governor of the Reserve Bank, and head of the Planning Commission, before becoming Prime Minister.
During his second term as Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh’s government faced a number of corruption charges, including over the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the 2G spectrum allocation case, and the allocation of coal blocks. These controversies nearly caused his government to fall in 2008 when Left Front parties withdrew their support.
As Finance Minister in the 1990s, Manmohan Singh carried out several structural reforms that liberalized India’s economy, despite strong opposition. These measures proved successful in averting an economic crisis and enhanced Singh’s reputation globally as a leading reform-minded economist.
Manmohan Singh was the first prime minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to be re-elected after completing a full five-year term. The 2009 general election saw the UPA return with an increased mandate, allowing Singh to continue his tenure as Prime Minister.
9 Quotes by Manmohan Singh
- 1.
Life is never free of contradictions.
Manmohan SinghPrime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014
- 2.
My top most priority is to deal with India’s massive social and economic problems, so that chronic poverty, ignorance and disease can be conquered in a reasonably short period of time.
Manmohan SinghPrime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014
- 3.
Unity and secularism will be the motto of the government. We can’t afford divisive polity in India.
Manmohan SinghPrime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014
- 4.
We are a coalition government, and that limits our options in some ways. Privatization happens to be one such area.
Manmohan SinghPrime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014
- 5.
India happens to be a rich country inhabited by very poor people.
Manmohan SinghPrime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014
- 6.
Nobody should be allowed to tinker with democracy. We will not discontinue the good works of the past government.
Manmohan SinghPrime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014
- 7.
Together with international unity and resolve we can meet the challenge of this global scourge and work to bring about an international law of zero tolerance for terrorism.
Manmohan SinghPrime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014
- 8.
It is a struggle for the minds of the people… No cause justifies recourse to terrorism.
Manmohan SinghPrime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014
- 9.
I can assure you we are a responsible nuclear power.
Manmohan SinghPrime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014