Dr Manmohan Singh, A Former Prime Minister & Padma Vibhushan Awardee Of India —His Career at A Glance
A lot is being said to pay tributes to Dr. Manmohan Singh, India’s eminent economist turned Prime Minister, on his demise on 26 December 2024. Born on September 26, 1932 in undivided Punjab (now that part in Pakistan), he emerged from a very hardworking ordinary family and became world famous for his honesty and humility.
Let us take a look at his career as a student, teacher, economist and 2 times Prime Minister of India.
- A. (Honors) in Economics 1952; M.A. (First Class) in Economics, 1954 Panjab University, Chandigarh (Then in Hoshiarpur, Punjab), India
- Honors degree in Economics, University of Cambridge – St John’s College (1957)
- Senior Lecturer, Economics (1957–1959)
- Reader (1959–1963);Professor (1963–1965);Professor of International Trade (1969–1971)
- Phil. in Economics, University of Oxford – Nuffield College (1962)
- Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi-Honorary Professor (1966)
- Chief, Financing for Trade Section, UNCTAD, United Nations Secretariat, New York Economic Affairs Officer 1966
- Economic Adviser, Ministry of Foreign Trade, India (1971–1972)
- Chief Economic Adviser, Ministry of Finance, India, (1972–1976)
- Honorary Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi (1976)
- Director, Reserve Bank of India (1976–1980)
- Director, Industrial Development Bank of India (1976–1980)
- At Board of Governors, Asian Development Bank, Manila.
- Secretary, Ministry of Finance (Department of Economic Affairs), Government of India, (1977–1980)
- Governor, Reserve Bank of India (1982–1985)
- Deputy chairman, Planning Commission of India, (1985–1987)
- Secretary General, South Commission, Geneva (1987–1990)
- Advisor to Prime Minister of India on Economic Affairs (1990–1991)
- Chairman, University Grants Commission (15 March 1991 – 20 June 1991)
- Finance Minister of India, (21 June 1991 – 15 May 1996) -In 1991, as India faced a severe economic crisis, the newly elected prime minister, P. V. Narasimha Rao, inducted the apolitical Dr Singh into his cabinet as finance minister. Over the next few years, despite strong opposition, he carried out several structural reforms that liberalized India’s economy.
- Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha (1 October 1991 – 14 June 2019)
- Leader of the Opposition (India) in the Rajya Sabha (1998–2004)
- Prime Minister of India (22 May 2004 – 26 May 2014)
- Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha (19 August 2019 – 3 April 2024.
KEY INITIATIVES BY DR MANMOHAN SINGH JI
First Tenure as Prime Minister of India (2004-2009)
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) : This was a landmark legislation in 2005, as it gave a legal guarantee to each rural household for getting at least 100 days of wage employment in any financial year. It enhanced livelihood security and empowered the rural community.
Right to Information Act, 2005: Under the provisions of RTI Act, any citizen of India may request information from a “public authority” (a body of Government or “instrumentality of State”) which is required to reply expeditiously or within thirty days. In case of the matter involving a petitioner’s life and liberty, the information has to be provided within 48 hours.
National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) : It was implemented in 2005. The primary objective of NRHM is to provide accessible and affordable healthcare to the rural population with a focus on maternal and child health.
Right to Education Act (RTE): The RTE Act was enacted in 2009, which declared education as a fundamental right for children between the ages of 6 and 14 years. This made quality education accessible to every child in India.
Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) : It was established to create a unique identification number for residents to improve access to government services and reduce corruption in welfare programs.
Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT): This initiative was initiated to transfer subsidies directly into the bank accounts of beneficiaries, thereby minimizing leakages and ensuring that the benefits reached the targeted recipients.
Second Term (2009-2014)
- Civil Nuclear Agreement with the United States: This historic agreement was meant to break India’s nuclear isolation and pave the way for civilian nuclear cooperation with the U.S., marking a sea change in India’s foreign policy.
- Economic Growth: During Singh’s second term, India maintained good GDP growth rates, with the economy growing at a 9% annual rate and peaking around that mark.
- National Food Security Act: This act came into operation in 2013 by providing food grains to about two-thirds of India’s population to reduce hunger and malnutrition.
- Aadhaar Project: The idea is to provide a unique identification number for residents in India, and access to numerous services and benefits while promoting transparency.
Compiled By: Brij Bhushan Goyal, A Sr Citizen and a Retd, Banker