The Exceptional Prime Minister: On Dr Manmohan Singh’s Death Anniversary
Remembering the excellence of Former PM Dr Manmohan Singh on his first Death Anniversary (December 26)
Dr Manmohan Singh was never a figure who filled spaces with words or gestures. His presence in public life was calculated. Authority, in his case, seemed to flow through institutions and process rather than personality or spectacle. Even at the peak of power, there was a sense that governance could function without him announcing it constantly. Perhaps that was the point that work mattered more than attention.
Revolutionising Reforms
The story of Dr Manmohan Singh cannot be separated from 1991, when India teetered on the edge of economic collapse. Foreign reserves were at a historic low and the country’s options were narrowing almost daily. As Finance Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh introduced reforms that loosened decades-old controls, opened markets and repositioned India on the global stage.
These were not presented as acts of vision or ambition but as unavoidable corrections. Yet, over time, their effect endured. Policies shaped under his watch have continued to guide India’s economic path long after.
Unpopular Politician
When Dr Manmohan Singh took charge as Prime Minister in 2004, the same quiet approach carried over. Growth figures rose, welfare measures expanded and legislation such as the Right to Information Act and MGNREGA was enacted. India’s international standing appeared steadier.
All of this happened without an elaborate narrative, without media-friendly statements, without the insistence that the Prime Minister’s role be constantly visible. Administration, in his style, was carried out as a function rather than a performance.
Work upon Words
Criticism, naturally, followed. Coalition politics often constrained decision-making. Scandals marked the later years, shaping public perception. Delays in action, diffuse authority, and occasional silence were noted and often misread. Yet, personal integrity remained largely unquestioned. His silence, more often than not, seemed to be a conscious choice and a belief that institutions should endure beyond individual assertion.
Dr Manmohan Singh’s approach was technocratic, patient and procedural. Policy mattered more than personality. Decisions were meant to be durable rather than popular. In today’s political climate, dominated by visibility, assertion and constant messaging, such a style seems almost alien. Dr Singh’s worthiness for the prime ministerial post is still seen as a point of dispute. However, this worthiness needs not be proven by any arguement, his academic achievments speak enough.
