Manmohan Singh (; born 26 September 1932) is an Indian politician, economist and statesman who served as the 13th
prime minister of India
The prime minister of India ( IAST: ) is the head of government of the Republic of India. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and their chosen Council of Ministers, despite the president of India being the nominal head of th ...
from 2004 to 2014. He is also the third longest-serving prime minister after
Jawaharlal Nehru
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (; ; ; 14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964) was an Indian anti-colonial nationalist, secular humanist, social democrat—
*
*
*
* and author who was a central figure in India during the middle of the 20t ...
and
Indira Gandhi. A member of the
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party but often simply the Congress, is a political party in India with widespread roots. Founded in 1885, it was the first modern nationalist movement to emerge in the British ...
, Singh was the first
Sikh prime minister of India. He was also the first prime minister since
Jawaharlal Nehru
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (; ; ; 14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964) was an Indian anti-colonial nationalist, secular humanist, social democrat—
*
*
*
* and author who was a central figure in India during the middle of the 20t ...
to be re-elected after completing a full five-year term.
Born in
Gah,
West Punjab, in what is today
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
, Singh's family migrated to India during
its partition in 1947. After obtaining his doctorate in economics from
Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the Un ...
, Singh worked for the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmonizi ...
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
The Government of India ( ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, ...
, such as
Chief Economic Advisor (1972–1976), governor of the
Reserve Bank (1982–1985) and head of the
Planning Commission (1985–1987).
In 1991, as India faced a
severe economic crisis, the newly elected prime minister,
P. V. Narasimha Rao
Pamulaparthi Venkata Narasimha Rao (28 June 1921 – 23 December 2004) was an Indian lawyer, statesman and politician who served as the 9th prime minister of India from 1991 to 1996. He is known for introducing various liberal reforms to Indi ...
, surprisingly inducted the apolitical Singh into his cabinet as
finance minister
A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or more of government finances, economic policy and financial regulation.
A finance minister's portfolio has a large variety of names around the world, such as "treasury", ...
. Over the next few years, despite strong opposition, he carried out several structural reforms that
liberalised India's economy. Although these measures proved successful in averting the crisis, and enhanced Singh's reputation globally as a leading reform-minded economist, the incumbent Congress Party fared poorly in the
1996 general election
The following elections occurred in the year 1996.
* 1995–1996 Azerbaijani parliamentary election
* 1996 Beninese presidential election
* 1996 Comorian presidential election
* 1996 New Zealand general election
* 1996 Nicaraguan general election ...
. Subsequently, Singh was
leader of the opposition
The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest political party not in government, typical in countries utilizing the parliamentary system form of government. The leader of the opposition is typically se ...
in the
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha, wikisource:Constitution of India/Part V#Article 80, constitutionally the Council of States, is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of India. , it has a maximum membership of 245, of which 233 are elected by the legisl ...
(the upper house of the
Parliament of India
The Parliament of India (International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ) is the supreme legislative body of the Republic of India. It is a bicameralism, bicameral legislature composed of the president of India and two houses: the R ...
) during the
Atal Bihari Vajpayee government of 1998–2004.
In 2004, when the Congress-led
United Progressive Alliance (UPA) 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. Although India's economy grew rapidly under UPA, its security was threatened by several terrorist incidents (including the
2008 Mumbai attacks) and the continuing
Maoist insurgency.
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
Prime Minister of India
The prime minister of India ( IAST: ) is the head of government of the Republic of India. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and their chosen Council of Ministers, despite the president of India being the nominal head of th ...
during the
2014 Indian general election
General elections were held in India in nine phases from 7 April to 12 May 2014 to elect the members of the 16th Lok Sabha. With 834 million registered voters, they were the largest-ever elections in the world until being surpassed by the 2019 ...
. Singh was never a
member of the Lok Sabha but has served as a member of the
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha, wikisource:Constitution of India/Part V#Article 80, constitutionally the Council of States, is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of India. , it has a maximum membership of 245, of which 233 are elected by the legisl ...
, representing the state of
Assam
Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...
from 1991 to 2019 and
Rajasthan
Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern s ...
since 2019. Chided for his low-profile demeanour as prime minister, his popularity has improved since he left office.
Early life and education
Singh was born to Gurmukh Singh and Amrit Kaur on 26 September 1932, in
Gah,
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
,
British India
The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...
, into a
Sikh family.
He lost his mother when he was very young and was raised by his paternal grandmother, to whom he was very close. His early schooling was in the
medium, and even as Prime Minister years later, he wrote his apparently
Hindi
Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of North India, northern, Central India, centr ...
speeches in the
Urdu script, although sometimes he would also use
Gurmukhi
Gurmukhī ( pa, ਗੁਰਮੁਖੀ, , Shahmukhi: ) is an abugida developed from the Laṇḍā scripts, standardized and used by the second Sikh guru, Guru Angad (1504–1552). It is used by Punjabi Sikhs to write the language, commonl ...
, a script used to write
Punjabi
Punjabi, or Panjabi, most often refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to Punjab, a region in India and Pakistan
* Punjabi language
* Punjabi people
* Punjabi dialects and languages
Punjabi may also refer to:
* Punjabi (horse), a British Th ...
, his mother tongue.
After the
Partition of India
The Partition of British India in 1947 was the Partition (politics), change of political borders and the division of other assets that accompanied the dissolution of the British Raj in South Asia and the creation of two independent dominions: ...
, his family migrated to
Amritsar
Amritsar (), historically also known as Rāmdāspur and colloquially as ''Ambarsar'', is the second largest city in the Indian state of Punjab, after Ludhiana. It is a major cultural, transportation and economic centre, located in the Maj ...
, India, where he studied at Hindu College, Amritsar. He attended
Panjab University, then in
Hoshiarpur, Punjab, studying Economics and got his bachelor's and master's degrees in 1952 and 1954, respectively, standing first throughout his academic career. He completed his Economics Tripos at
University of Cambridge
, mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts.
Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
, established =
, other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
in 1957. He was a member of
St John's College.
In a 2005 interview with the British journalist
Mark Tully, Singh said about his Cambridge days:
After Cambridge, Singh returned to India and served as a teacher at
Panjab University.
[ Mark Tully.]
Architect of the New India
. ''Cambridge Alumni Magazine''. Michaelmas 2005. Retrieved on 28 February 2013. In 1960, he went to the
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world's second-oldest university in contin ...
for his
DPhil, where he was a member of
Nuffield College. His 1962 doctoral thesis under the supervision of
I.M.D. Little was titled "India's export performance, 1951–1960, export prospects and policy implications", and was later the basis for his book "India's Export Trends and Prospects for Self-Sustained Growth".
Early career
After completing his D.Phil., Singh returned to India. He was a senior lecturer of economics at
Panjab University from 1957 to 1959. During 1959 and 1963, he served as a
reader in economics at Panjab University, and from 1963 to 1965, he was an economics professor there.
Then he went to work for the
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is an intergovernmental organization within the United Nations Secretariat that promotes the interests of developing countries in world trade. It was established in 1964 by the ...
(UNCTAD) from 1966 to 1969.
Later, he was appointed as an advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Trade by
Lalit Narayan Mishra, in recognition of Singh's talent as an economist.
From 1969 to 1971, Singh was a professor of international trade at the
Delhi School of Economics,
University of Delhi
Delhi University (DU), formally the University of Delhi, is a collegiate central university located in New Delhi, India. It was founded in 1922 by an Act of the Central Legislative Assembly and is recognized as an Institute of Eminence (IoE ...
.
In 1972, Singh was chief economic adviser in the Ministry of Finance, and in 1976 he was secretary in the Finance Ministry.
In 1980–1982 he was at the Planning Commission, and in 1982, he was appointed governor of the
Reserve Bank of India under then finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and held the post until 1985.
He went on to become the deputy chairman of the
Planning Commission (India) from 1985 to 1987.
Following his tenure at the Planning Commission, he was secretary general of the
South Commission, an independent economic policy think tank headquartered in
Geneva
Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Situ ...
, Switzerland from 1987 to November 1990.
Singh returned to India from Geneva in November 1990 and held the post as the advisor to Prime Minister of India on economic affairs during the tenure of
Chandra Shekar.
In March 1991, he became chairman of the University Grants Commission.
Family and personal life
Singh married
Gursharan Kaur in 1958. They have three daughters,
Upinder Singh,
Daman Singh
Daman Singh is an Indian writer and daughter of Former Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh.
Personal life
She is married to Ashok Patnaik (IPS Officer of 1983 batch) who was the CEO
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a cent ...
and Amrit Singh.
Upinder Singh is a professor of history at
Ashoka University. She has written six books, including ''Ancient Delhi'' (1999) and ''A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India'' (2008). Daman Singh is a graduate of
St. Stephen's College, Delhi and
Institute of Rural Management, Anand, Gujarat, and author of ''The Last Frontier: People and Forests in Mizoram'' and a novel ''Nine by Nine'', Amrit Singh is a staff attorney at the
American Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1920 "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States". ...
. Ashok Pattnaik, 1983 batch
Indian Police Service
The Indian Police Service ( IPS) is a civil service under the All India Services. It replaced the Indian Imperial Police in 1948, a year after India became Partition of India, independent from the British Raj.
Along with the Indian Administ ...
officer, son-in-law of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, was appointed CEO of National Intelligence Grid (
NATGRID) in 2016.
Singh has undergone multiple
cardiac bypass surgeries, the most recent of which took place in January 2009.
Political career
In June 1991, India's prime minister at the time,
P. V. Narasimha Rao
Pamulaparthi Venkata Narasimha Rao (28 June 1921 – 23 December 2004) was an Indian lawyer, statesman and politician who served as the 9th prime minister of India from 1991 to 1996. He is known for introducing various liberal reforms to Indi ...
, chose Singh to be his finance minister. Singh told Mark Tully the British journalist in 2005 "On the day (Rao) was formulating his cabinet, he sent his Principal Secretary to me saying, 'The PM would like you to become the Minister of Finance'. I didn't take it seriously. He eventually tracked me down the next morning, rather angry, and demanded that I get dressed up and come to Rashtrapati Bhavan for the swearing in. So that's how I started in politics".
Minister of Finance
In 1991, India's fiscal deficit was close to 8.5 per cent of the gross domestic product, the
balance of payments deficit was huge and the
current account deficit was close to 3.5 percent of India's GDP.
India's foreign reserves barely amounted to US$1 billion, enough to pay for 2 weeks of imports,
in comparison to US$600 billion today.
Evidently, India was facing an economic crisis. At this point, the government of India sought funds from the supranational
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a major financial agency of the United Nations, and an international financial institution, headquartered in Washington, D.C., consisting of 190 countries. Its stated mission is "working to foster gl ...
, which, while assisting India financially, imposed several conditions regarding India's economic policy. In effect, IMF-dictated policy meant that the ubiquitous
Licence Raj had to be dismantled, and India's attempt at a state-controlled economy had to end.
Singh explained to the PM and the party that India is facing an unprecedented crisis.
However the rank and file of the party resisted deregulation.
So Chidambaram and Singh explained to the party that the economy would collapse if it was not deregulated.
To the dismay of the party, Rao allowed Singh to deregulate the
Indian economy.
Subsequently, Singh, who had thus far been one of the most influential architects of India's socialist economy, eliminated the permit raj,
reduced state control of the economy, and reduced import taxes
Rao and Singh thus implemented policies to open up the economy and change India's socialist economy to a more
capitalistic one, in the process dismantling the Licence Raj, a system that inhibited the prosperity of private businesses. They removed many obstacles standing in the way of
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and initiated the process of the privatisation of
public sector
The public sector, also called the state sector, is the part of the economy composed of both public services and public enterprises. Public sectors include the public goods and governmental services such as the military, law enforcement, in ...
companies. However, in spite of these reforms, Rao's government was voted out in 1996 due to non-performance of government in other areas. In praise of Singh's work that pushed India towards a market economy, long-time Cabinet minister
P. Chidambaram has compared Singh's role in India's reforms to
Deng Xiaoping
Deng Xiaoping (22 August 1904 – 19 February 1997) was a Chinese revolutionary leader, military commander and statesman who served as the paramount leader of the China, People's Republic of China (PRC) from December 1978 to November 1989. Aft ...
's in
China.
In 1993, Singh offered his resignation from the post of Finance Minister after a parliamentary investigation report criticised his ministry for not being able to anticipate a US$1.8 billion
securities scandal. Prime Minister Rao refused Singh's resignation, instead promising to punish the individuals directly accused in the report.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha
Singh was first elected to the upper house of Parliament, the
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha, wikisource:Constitution of India/Part V#Article 80, constitutionally the Council of States, is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of India. , it has a maximum membership of 245, of which 233 are elected by the legisl ...
, in 1991
by the legislature of the state of Assam, and was re-elected in 1995, 2001, 2007
and 2013. From 1998 to 2004, while the
Bharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP; ; ) is a political party in India, and one of the two major List of political parties in India, Indian political parties alongside the Indian National Congress. Since 2014, it has been the List of ruling p ...
was in power, Singh was the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha. In 1999, he contested for the
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha, constitutionally the House of the People, is the lower house of India's bicameral Parliament, with the upper house being the Rajya Sabha. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by an adult universal suffrage and a first-pas ...
from
South Delhi but was unable to win the seat.
Prime Minister
First term: 2004–2009
After the
2004 general elections, the Indian National Congress ended the incumbent
National Democratic Alliance
National Democratic Alliance (NDA) () is a centre-right to right-wing and conservative Indian big tent political alliance led by the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). It was founded in 1998 and currently controls the government of India ...
(NDA) tenure by becoming the political party with the single largest number of seats in the
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha, constitutionally the House of the People, is the lower house of India's bicameral Parliament, with the upper house being the Rajya Sabha. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by an adult universal suffrage and a first-pas ...
. It formed
United Progressive Alliance (UPA) with allies and staked claim to form government. In a surprise move, Chairperson
Sonia Gandhi declared Manmohan Singh, a
technocrat, as the UPA candidate for the Prime Ministership. Despite the fact that Singh had never won a Lok Sabha seat, according to the
BBC, he "enjoyed massive popular support, not least because he was seen by many as a clean politician untouched by the taint of corruption that has run through many Indian administrations."
He took the oath as the Prime Minister of India on 22 May 2004.
Economic policy
In 1991, Singh, as Finance Minister, abolished the
Licence Raj, source of slow economic growth and
corruption in the Indian economy for decades. He liberalised the Indian economy, allowing it to speed up development dramatically. During his term as Prime Minister, Singh continued to encourage growth in the Indian market, enjoying widespread success in these matters. Singh, along with the former Finance Minister,
P. Chidambaram, presided over a period where the Indian economy grew with an 8–9% economic growth rate. In 2007, India achieved its highest GDP growth rate of 9% and became the second
fastest growing major economy in the world.
Singh's ministry enacted a
National Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in 2005.
Singh's government continued the
Golden Quadrilateral
The Golden Quadrilateral ( hi, स्वर्णिम चतुर्भुज, Svarnim Chaturbhuj; abbreviated GQ) is a national highway network connecting several major industrial, agricultural and cultural centres of India. It forms a ...
and the highway modernisation program that was initiated by
Vajpayee's government. Singh also worked on reforming the banking and financial sectors, as well as public sector companies. The Finance ministry worked towards relieving farmers of their debt and worked towards pro-industry policies. In 2005, Singh's government introduced the
value added tax, replacing
sales tax
A sales tax is a tax paid to a governing body for the sales of certain goods and services. Usually laws allow the seller to collect funds for the tax from the consumer at the point of purchase. When a tax on goods or services is paid to a gove ...
. In 2007 and early 2008, the
global problem of inflation impacted India.
Healthcare and education
In 2005, Prime Minister Singh and his government's health ministry started the
National Rural Health Mission (NHRM), which mobilised half a million community health workers. This rural health initiative was praised by the American economist
Jeffrey Sachs.
In 2006, his Government implemented the proposal to reserve 27% of seats in All India Institute of Medical Studies (AIIMS), Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and other central institutions of higher education for Other Backward Classes which led to
2006 Indian anti-reservation protests
The 2006 Indian anti-reservation protests were a series of protests that took place in India in 2006 in opposition to the decision of the Union Government of India, led by the Indian National Congress-headed multiparty coalition United Progressi ...
.
On 2 July 2009, Singh ministry introduced The
Right to Education Act (RTE) act. Eight
IIT's were opened in the states of
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to t ...
, Bihar,
Gujarat
Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the nin ...
, Orissa,
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
, Madhya Pradesh,
Rajasthan
Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern s ...
and
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh (; ; "Snow-laden Mountain Province") is a state in the northern part of India. Situated in the Western Himalayas, it is one of the thirteen mountain states and is characterized by an extreme landscape featuring several peak ...
. The Singh government also continued the
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan programme. The programme includes the introduction and improvement of mid-day meals and the opening of schools all over India, especially in rural areas, to fight
illiteracy.
Security and Home Affairs
Singh's government strengthened anti-terror laws with amendments to
Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
National Investigation Agency (NIA) was also created soon after the
Nov 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, as need for a central agency to combat terrorism was realised. Also,
Unique Identification Authority of India was established in February 2009, an agency responsible for implementing the envisioned
Multipurpose National Identity Card with the objective of increasing national security and facilitating e-governance.
Singh's administration initiated a massive reconstruction effort in
Kashmir to stabilise the region but after some period of success, insurgent infiltration and terrorism in Kashmir has increased since 2009.
However, the Singh administration was successful in reducing terrorism in Northeast India.
[Infiltration has not reduced in Kashmir, insurgency down in North East: Chidambaram]
Legislations
The important
National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) and the
Right to Information Act were passed by the
Parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. ...
in 2005 during his tenure. While the effectiveness of the NREGA has been successful at various degrees, in various regions, the RTI act has proved crucial in India's fight against corruption. New cash benefits were also introduced for widows, pregnant women, and landless persons.
The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 was passed on 29 August 2013 in the
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha, constitutionally the House of the People, is the lower house of India's bicameral Parliament, with the upper house being the Rajya Sabha. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by an adult universal suffrage and a first-pas ...
(lower house of the Indian parliament) and on 4 September 2013 in
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha, wikisource:Constitution of India/Part V#Article 80, constitutionally the Council of States, is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of India. , it has a maximum membership of 245, of which 233 are elected by the legisl ...
(upper house of the Indian parliament). The bill received the assent of the
President of India
The president of India ( IAST: ) is the head of state of the Republic of India. The president is the nominal head of the executive, the first citizen of the country, as well as the commander-in-chief of the Indian Armed Forces. Droupadi Mur ...
,
Pranab Mukherjee
Dr. Pranab Mukherjee (11 December 193531 August 2020) was an Indian politician and statesman who served as the 13th president of India from 2012 until 2017. In a political career spanning five decades, Mukherjee was a senior leader in the Indi ...
on 27 September 2013.
The Act came into force from 1 January 2014.
Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act was enacted on 4 August 2009, which describes the modalities of the importance of free and compulsory education for children between 6 and 14 in India under Article 21A of the
Indian Constitution. India became one of 135 countries to make
education a fundamental right of every child when the act came into force on 1 April 2010.
Foreign policy
Manmohan Singh continued the
pragmatic foreign policy that was started by
P.V. Narasimha Rao and continued by
Bharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP; ; ) is a political party in India, and one of the two major List of political parties in India, Indian political parties alongside the Indian National Congress. Since 2014, it has been the List of ruling p ...
's
Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Singh continued the
peace process with Pakistan initiated by his predecessor, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Exchange of high-level visits by top leaders from both countries have highlighted his tenure. Efforts have been made during Singh's tenure to end the border dispute with People's Republic of China. In November 2006, Chinese President
Hu Jintao
Hu Jintao (born 21 December 1942) is a Chinese politician who served as the 16–17th general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from 2002 to 2012, the 6th president of the People's Republic of China (PRC) from 2003 to 2013, an ...
visited India which was followed by Singh's visit to Beijing in January 2008. A major development in
Sino-Indian relations was the reopening of the
Nathula Pass
Nathu La
(, ) is a mountain pass in the Dongkya Range of the Himalayas between China's Yadong County in Tibet, and the Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal in Bengal, South Asia. The pass, at , connects the towns of Kalimpong and Gangtok ...
in 2006 after being closed for more than four decades.
Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China,
Li Keqiang paid a state visit to India (Delhi-
Mumbai
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the secon ...
) from 19 to 21 May 2013.
Singh paid an official visit to China from 22 to 24 October 2013.
Signed were three agreements establishing
sister-city partnership between Delhi-
Beijing
}
Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
, Kolkata-
Kunming
Kunming (; ), also known as Yunnan-Fu, is the capital and largest city of Yunnan province, China. It is the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of the province as well as the seat of the provincial government. The headqua ...
and Bangalore-
Chengdu. As of 2010, the People's Republic of China is the second biggest trade partner of India.
Relations with Afghanistan have improved considerably, with India now becoming the largest regional donor to Afghanistan. During Afghan President
Hamid Karzai's visit to New Delhi in August 2008, Manmohan Singh increased the aid package to Afghanistan for the development of more schools, health clinics, infrastructure, and defence.
Under the leadership of Singh, India emerged as one of the single largest aid donors to Afghanistan.
Singh's government worked towards stronger
ties with the United States. He visited the United States in July 2005 initiating negotiations over the
Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement. This was followed by
George W. Bush's successful visit to India in March 2006, during which the declaration over the nuclear agreement was made, giving India access to American nuclear fuel and technology while India will have to allow
IAEA inspection of its civil
nuclear reactor
A nuclear reactor is a device used to initiate and control a fission nuclear chain reaction or nuclear fusion reactions. Nuclear reactors are used at nuclear power plants for electricity generation and in nuclear marine propulsion. Heat from nu ...
s. After more than two years for more negotiations, followed by approval from the IAEA,
Nuclear Suppliers Group and the
US Congress
The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washi ...
, India and the US signed the agreement on 10 October 2008 with
Pranab Mukherjee
Dr. Pranab Mukherjee (11 December 193531 August 2020) was an Indian politician and statesman who served as the 13th president of India from 2012 until 2017. In a political career spanning five decades, Mukherjee was a senior leader in the Indi ...
representing India. Singh had the first official state visit to the White House during the administration of US President
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...
. The visit took place in November 2009, and several discussions took place, including on trade and nuclear power.
Relations have improved with Japan and
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been ...
countries, like the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. Relations with Iran have continued and negotiations over the
Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline have taken place. New Delhi hosted an India–Africa Summit in April 2006 which was attended by the leaders of 15 African states. Relations have improved with other developing countries, particularly Brazil and South Africa. Singh carried forward the momentum which was established after the "Brasilia Declaration" in 2003 and the
IBSA Dialogue Forum was formed.
Singh's government has also been especially keen on
expanding ties with Israel. Since 2003, the two countries have made significant investments in each other and Israel now rivals Russia to become India's defence partner. Though there have been a few diplomatic glitches between India and Russia, especially over the delay and price hike of several Russian weapons to be delivered to India, relations between the two remain strong with India and Russia signing various agreements to increase defence, nuclear energy and space co-operation.
Second term: 2009–2014
India held general elections to the 15th Lok Sabha in five phases between 16 April 2009 and 13 May 2009. The results of the election were announced on 16 May 2009.
Strong showing in
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to t ...
, Rajasthan,
Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu,
Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South C ...
, West Bengal and
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...
helped the
United Progressive Alliance (UPA) form the new government under the incumbent Singh, who became the first prime minister since
Jawaharlal Nehru
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (; ; ; 14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964) was an Indian anti-colonial nationalist, secular humanist, social democrat—
*
*
*
* and author who was a central figure in India during the middle of the 20t ...
in
1962 to win re-election after completing a full five-year term. The Congress and its allies were able to put together a comfortable majority with support from 322 members out of 543 members of the House. These included those of the UPA and the external support from the
Bahujan Samaj Party
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is a national level political party in India that was formed to represent Bahujans (literally means "community in majority"), referring to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes (OBC), a ...
(BSP),
Samajwadi Party
The Samajwadi Party ( SP; translation: ''Socialist Party'', founded 4 October 1992) is a socialist political party in India, headquartered in New Delhi but mainly based in Uttar Pradesh, with significant presence in other states as well. With ...
(SP),
Janata Dal (Secular)
The Janata Dal (Secular) is an Indian political party led by former prime minister of India, H. D. Deve Gowda. The party is recognized as a State Party in the states of Karnataka, Kerala and Arunachal Pradesh. It was formed in July 1999 by t ...
(JD(S)),
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and other minor parties.
On 22 May 2009, Manmohan Singh was sworn in as the Prime Minister during a ceremony held at
Rashtrapati Bhavan. The
2009 Indian general election was the largest democratic election in the world held prior to 2014 (834 million) and 2019 (912 million), with an eligible electorate of 714 million.
The 2012 report filed by the CAG in Parliament of India states that due to the allocation of coal blocks to certain private companies without bidding process the nation suffered an estimated loss of Rs 1.85 trillion (
short scale) between 2005 and 2009 in which Manmohan Singh was the coal minister of India.
Manmohan Singh declined to appear before a
Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) in April 2013 when called upon by one of the members of JPC
Yashwant Sinha for his alleged involvement in the 2G case.
Post-premiership (2014–present)
Singh's premiership officially ended at noon on 17 May 2014. He did not contest the
2014 general election for the 16th Lok Sabha. Singh resigned his post as prime minister, after the Bharatiya Janata Party led National Democratic Alliance won the 2014 Lok Sabha election. Though he served as the acting prime minister till 25 May 2014, when
Narendra Modi
Narendra Damodardas Modi (; born 17 September 1950) is an Indian politician serving as the List of Prime Ministers of India, 14th and current Prime Minister of India since 2014. Modi was the List of chief ministers of Gujarat, Chief Minist ...
was sworn in as the new prime minister. Singh along with Congress president
Sonia Gandhi, former Presidents
A. P. J. Abdul Kalam and
Pratibha Patil
Prathibha DeviSingh Patil (born 19 December 1934) is an Indian politician and lawyer who served as the 12th president of India spanning from 2007 to 2012. She is the first woman to become the president of India. A member of the Indian National ...
, Vice President
Hamid Ansari attended Narendra Modi's
swearing-in ceremony. After the swearing-in ceremony Singh shifted to 3 Motilal Nehru Road bungalow, New Delhi. In 2016 it was announced that Singh was to take up a position at
Panjab University as the Jawaharlal Nehru Chair which he never did.
Public image
''
The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publishe ...
'' described Singh as "one of the world's most revered leaders" and "a man of uncommon decency and grace," noting that he drives a
Maruti 800, one of the humblest cars in the Indian market.
Khushwant Singh lauded Singh as the best prime minister India has had, even rating him higher than
Jawaharlal Nehru
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (; ; ; 14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964) was an Indian anti-colonial nationalist, secular humanist, social democrat—
*
*
*
* and author who was a central figure in India during the middle of the 20t ...
. He mentions an incident in his book ''Absolute Khushwant: The Low-Down on Life, Death and Most things In-between'' where after losing the 1999 Lok Sabha elections, Singh immediately returned the he had borrowed from the writer for hiring taxis. Terming him as the best example of integrity, Khushwant Singh stated, "When people talk of integrity, I say the best example is the man who occupies the country's highest office."
In 2010,
''Newsweek'' magazine recognised him as a world leader who is respected by other heads of state, describing him as "the leader other leaders love." The article quoted
Mohamed ElBaradei, who remarked that Singh is "the model of what a political leader should be." Singh also received the World Statesman Award in 2010.
Henry Kissinger
Henry Alfred Kissinger (; ; born Heinz Alfred Kissinger, May 27, 1923) is a German-born American politician, diplomat, and geopolitical consultant who served as United States Secretary of State and National Security Advisor under the preside ...
described Singh as "a statesman with vision, persistence and integrity", and praised him for his "leadership, which has been instrumental in the economic transformation underway in India."
Manmohan Singh was ranked 18 on the 2010
Forbes list of the World's Most Powerful People. ''
Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...
'' magazine described Singh as being "universally praised as India's best prime minister since Nehru". Australian journalist
Greg Sheridan praised Singh "as one of the greatest statesmen in Asian history."
Singh was later ranked 19 and 28 in 2012 and 2013 in the Forbes list.
Conversely, ''
Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, t ...
'' magazine's Asia edition for 10–17 July 2012, on its cover remarked that Singh was an "underachiever". It stated that Singh appears "unwilling to stick his neck out" on reforms that will put the country back onto a growth path. Congress spokesperson
Manish Tewari rebutted the charges. UPA ally
Lalu Prasad Yadav took issue with the magazine's statements. Praising the government, Prasad said UPA projects
eredoing well and asked, "What will America say as their own economy is shattered?".
Political opponents, including BJP co-founder
L. K. Advani, have claimed that Singh is a "weak" prime minister. Advani declared "He is weak. What do I call a person who can't take his decisions until
10 Janpath
10, Janpath is a public-owned house on Janpath. At the time of Rajiv Gandhi's assassination in 1991, while he was campaigning for a second term as Prime Minister of India, 10, Janpath was his official residence, although he lived at 7, Lok Kalya ...
gives instruction." ''
The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publishe ...
'' also claimed that Singh did not have genuine political power.
Singh's public image had been tarnished, with his coalition government having been accused of various corruption scandals since the start of its second term in 2009. The opposition demanded his resignation for his alleged inaction and indecisiveness in the
2G spectrum case and
Indian coal allocation scam. Senior MP of the Communist Party of India
Gurudas Dasgupta accused Manmohan Singh of "
Dereliction of duty", alleging that Singh was fully aware of irregularities in dispensing of 2G telecom licences.
His party, the
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party but often simply the Congress, is a political party in India with widespread roots. Founded in 1885, it was the first modern nationalist movement to emerge in the British ...
, was criticised by the Supreme Court for appointing
P.J. Thomas as the
CVC chief, while there was an ongoing corruption enquiry against the same individual in the
Palmolein Oil Import Scam
The Palm Olein Import Scam (Palm Olein Case, Palm Olein Corruption Case, 1991–92) refers to the alleged irregularities in the import of palm olein by the K. Karunakaran-led United Democratic Front government of the state of Kerala, India throu ...
. Singh has come in for severe criticism for remaining silent on the matter. Singh was also criticised for allowing allocation of
S-band spectrum without any bidding to
ISRO by an agreement. The agreement was between Devas multimedia, a private firm and
Antrix Corporation, a commercial wing of ISRO.
Degrees and posts held
*
B.A
Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four ye ...
(Honours) in
Economics
Economics () is the social science that studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.
Economics focuses on the behaviour and interactions of economic agents and how economies work. Microeconomics analy ...
1952;
M.A
A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...
(
First Class) in Economics, 1954
Panjab University, Chandigarh (then in
Hoshiarpur, Punjab), India
* Honours degree in Economics,
University of Cambridge
, mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts.
Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
, established =
, other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
–
St John's College (1957)
** Senior Lecturer, Economics (1957–1959)
** Reader (1959–1963)
** Professor (1963–1965)
** Professor of International Trade (1969–1971)
*
DPhil in Economics,
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world's second-oldest university in contin ...
–
Nuffield College (1962)
*
Delhi School of Economics,
University of Delhi
Delhi University (DU), formally the University of Delhi, is a collegiate central university located in New Delhi, India. It was founded in 1922 by an Act of the Central Legislative Assembly and is recognized as an Institute of Eminence (IoE ...
** Honorary Professor (1966)
* Chief, Financing for Trade Section, UNCTAD, United Nations Secretariat, New York
** 1966 : 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)
* Board of Governors,
Asian Development Bank
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a regional development bank established on 19 December 1966, which is headquartered in the Ortigas Center located in the city of Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines. The bank also maintains 31 field offi ...
, Manila
*
Secretary
A secretary, administrative professional, administrative assistant, executive assistant, administrative officer, administrative support specialist, clerk, military assistant, management assistant, office secretary, or personal assistant is a ...
, Ministry of Finance (Department of Economic Affairs),
Government of India
The Government of India ( ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, ...
, (1977–1980)
*
Governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
, 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
The prime minister of India ( IAST: ) is the head of government of the Republic of India. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and their chosen Council of Ministers, despite the president of India being the nominal head of th ...
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)
*
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house ...
in the
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha, wikisource:Constitution of India/Part V#Article 80, constitutionally the Council of States, is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of India. , it has a maximum membership of 245, of which 233 are elected by the legisl ...
(1 October 1991 – 14 June 2019)
*
Leader of the Opposition (India) in the
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha, wikisource:Constitution of India/Part V#Article 80, constitutionally the Council of States, is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of India. , it has a maximum membership of 245, of which 233 are elected by the legisl ...
(1998–2004)
*
Prime Minister of India
The prime minister of India ( IAST: ) is the head of government of the Republic of India. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and their chosen Council of Ministers, despite the president of India being the nominal head of th ...
(22 May 2004 – 26 May 2014)
*
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house ...
in the
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha, wikisource:Constitution of India/Part V#Article 80, constitutionally the Council of States, is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of India. , it has a maximum membership of 245, of which 233 are elected by the legisl ...
(19 August 2019 – Present)
Honours, awards and international recognition
In March 1983,
Panjab University awarded him
Doctor of Letters and in 2009 created a Dr. Manmohan Singh chair in their economics department.
In 1997, the
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta, also known as U of A or UAlberta, is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford,"A Gentleman of Strathcona – Alexander Cameron Ruth ...
awarded him an honorary Doctor of Law degree. The
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world's second-oldest university in contin ...
awarded him an honorary
Doctor of Civil Law
Doctor of Civil Law (DCL; la, Legis Civilis Doctor or Juris Civilis Doctor) is a degree offered by some universities, such as the University of Oxford, instead of the more common Doctor of Laws (LLD) degrees.
At Oxford, the degree is a high ...
degree in July 2005, and in October 2006, the
University of Cambridge
, mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts.
Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
, established =
, other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
followed with the same honour.
St. John's College further honoured him by naming a PhD Scholarship after him, the
Dr. Manmohan Singh Scholarship.
In 2008, he was awarded honorary
Doctor of Letters degree by
Benaras Hindu University and later that year he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree by
University of Madras. In 2010, he was awarded honorary doctorate degree by
King Saud University and in 2013, he was awarded honorary doctorate degree by
. In 2017 awarded
Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development.
He has also received honorary doctorates from
University of Bologna
The University of Bologna ( it, Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna, UNIBO) is a public research university in Bologna, Italy. Founded in 1088 by an organised guild of students (''studiorum''), it is the oldest university in continuo ...
,
University of Jammu and
Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee.
State honours
In popular culture
A Bollywood film was made in 2019 based on Singh's life, titled ''
The Accidental Prime Minister'' directed by
Vijay Gutte
Vijay Ratnakar Gutte is an Indian film director and producer. He is the son of MLA Ratnakar Gutte from Gangakhed constituency of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. He is known for his film ''The Accidental Prime Minister'' starring Anupam Kher a ...
and written by Mayank Tewari. The film was based on the 2014 memoir of the
same name by
Sanjaya Baru
Sanjaya Baru is a political commentator and policy analyst. He served as Secretary General of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) until his resignation in April 2018. Prior to this, he was Director for Geo-Econom ...
with
Anupam Kher in the titular role.
''
Pradhanmantri'' (), a 2013 Indian documentary television series which aired on
ABP News and covers the various policies and political tenures of Indian PMs, includes the tenureship of Manmohan Singh in the episodes "Story of Sonia Gandhi and UPA-I Government", and "Scams in UPA government and anti-corruption movement".
See also
*
Dr Manmohan Singh Scholarship
Dr Manmohan Singh Scholarships are available for any students for doctoral study at St John's College at the University of Cambridge and for undergraduate studies at the university. The Scholarships are named in honor of Manmohan Singh, a for ...
at the University of Cambridge
*
Economic reforms under Manmohan Singh
*
First Manmohan Singh ministry
*
United Progressive Alliance
References
External links
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh''Prime Ministers Office, Archived''
Profile and CV of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh''Prime Ministers Office, Archived''
Cabinet of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh''Prime Ministers Office, Archived''
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Manamohan
1932 births
Alumni of Nuffield College, Oxford
Alumni of St John's College, Cambridge
Fellows of St John's College, Cambridge
Fellows of Nuffield College, Oxford
Governors of the Reserve Bank of India
Indian civil servants
20th-century Indian economists
Trade economists
Indian National Congress politicians
Indian Sikhs
Living people
Members of the Planning Commission of India
Panjab University alumni
People from Chakwal District
People from Chandigarh
Punjab, India politicians
Panjab University faculty
Delhi University faculty
Leaders of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha
21st-century Indian economists
Punjabi politicians
Prime Ministers of India
Scientists from Punjab, India
People from Amritsar
Scholars from Punjab, India
Politicians from Amritsar
Chief Economic Advisers to the Government of India
Winners of the Nikkei Asia Prize
Ministers of Power of India
Culture Ministers of India
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Finance Ministers of India
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Recipients of the Padma Vibhushan in civil service
Recipients of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers
21st-century prime ministers of India