Manmohan Singh

Manmohan Singh Biography

Full name- Manmohan Singh
Born- 26th December, 1932 in Gah British India now Pakistan
Political Party- Indian National Congress (1991- present)
Other political affiliations-United Front Government (1996- 2004) and UPA (2004- present)
Spouse- Gursharan Kaur (1958- present)
Children- Upinder, Daman and Amrita Singh
Residence- Official Address: 7 Race Course, New Delhi 110001
 Presently in office- Prime Minster of India (2004- present)
Post held (incumbent)-  June 21, 1991 - May 15, 1996 : Union finance minister
6 November 2005 – 24 October 2006 minister for external Affairs’
15 January 1985 – 31 August 1987- Deputy Chairman of the Planning commission
15 September 1982 – 15 January 1985- Governor of the Reserve Bank of India

In 2010 Newsweek magazine commented that Manmohan as the “Leader that other leaders love” and in the same year another notable magazine commented that he was a leader that other leaders should learn from. Some even quoted as the greatest Statesman the Asian continent has ever seen. However in the recent issue of the Time the magazine rated him as an underachiever, unwilling to stick his neck out. Yes invariably charges of corruption have hurt the government and dented his personality like no other.  Though what stands out in him is his keen foresight and most of all his honesty to admit mistakes from his side with an uncommon decency and grace.

Manmohan Singh Early life and work- Manmohan was born to Gurumkh Singh and Amrit Kaur in Gah, now in Pakistan. He lost his mother when he was young and was taken care but his paternal grandfather who was very close to him. During partition his father moved to Amritsar. There he studied at the Hindu College and attended the Panjab University at Chandigarh.  He studied economics in Chandigarh and later went to Cambridge and Oxford UK for higher studies. His qualification reads MA, DPhil (Oxford), DLitt (Honoris Causa). He then taught Economics at the Punjab University, Chandigarh while serving there as a Senior Lecturer (1957-59), Reader (1959-63) and Professor (1963-65).

After completing his doctorate he was United Nations Conference of Trade and Development (UNCTAD). In 1970 taught in the University of Delhi and was and worked in the Ministry of Foreign Trade. As the Minister of Foreign Trade, Lalit Narayan Mishra was one of the first to recognize Singh's talent as an economist and appointed him his advisor at the Ministry of Foreign Trade. In 1982 he was appointed as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India in the year 1982 and held that post till 1985 and  then was the chairman of the Planning Commission from 1985- 87. After completing his tenure as Planning Commission Chairman he was Secretary of Commission of Geneva. He also served as the  Advisor to the Prime Minister to Indian on economic factors.  His final assignment was as the Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

Manmohan Political Career- Singh was elected to the Upper house (Rajya Sabha) in 1991 by the legislature of Assam and was later reelected in the years 1995, 2001, 2007. However his most notable contribution as a politician came during his tenure as finance Minister in the PV Narshimrao Government.  He was credited for carrying out the economic reforms and at the same time doing away with licensing Raj. From 1988 to 2004 Manmohan Singh served as the leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha. In 1999 he contested for a Loksabha seat but could not win it. In 2004 the Indian National Congress came into power defeating the incumbent NDA government and formed the United Progressive Alliance he was elected to head the government as Prime Minister.

It was a surprise decision considering the fact that he had not won a single seat in the Loksabha Election. The major reason cited by the party for this is image of a technocrat without the taint of corruption and the vast experience that the leader in various fields of administration.  In terms of economic policies the government has laid emphasis on globalsation and delivering on the economic statergies. This significantly shown in the first years of the India’s global economic index. In terms of healthcare the government has been able to assemble the National Rural Health Mission, which has mobilized half a million community health workers. The government also was instrumental of the plans for Institutes of Management and Technology. Under his tenure the Government also introduced the mid meal programs.

His government has been instrumental in strengthening anti-terror laws with amendments to Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), where most of provisions of POTA were reincorporated, critics however cite that the amendments make the act equally draconian. National Investigation Agency (India) (NIA) was also created soon after the Nov 2008 Mumbai terror attacks as need for a central agency to combat terrorism was realized. The important National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) and the Right to Information Act were passed by the Parliament in 2005 during his tenure. 

However he has been pragmatic about the country foreign policies on the line of his predecessors. In 2009 Manmohan became the second prime Minister to be elected after Pandit Nehru. However  his second tenure in office has not been on expected lines and the government has been plagued by various controversies and  problems that have not only dented the government image but also the personal creditionals of Manmohan Singh.

Manmohan Singh Personal Life- Manmohan Singh has been very low keep as far as his private life is concerned. He married Gursharan Kaur in 1958 and has three daughters Upinder Singh, Daman Singh and Amrit Singh.  His daughter Upinder Singh is a professor at the Delhi University and has penned two books Ancient Delhi (1999) and A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India (2008). His second daughter Daman Singh is a graduate of St. Stephen College and has authored two books and has authored The Last Frontier: People and Forests in Mizoram and a novel Nine by Nine. Amrit Singh and is a staff Attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union.  Mr. Singh has undergone multiple bypass  surgeries of which the last one took place in 2009. Both Manmohan Singh and his wife belong to the Kohli Tribe yet they do not use this name.

Manmohan Singh Quotes-     
•As a student in his early days- “From the beginning, as a thinking student of 15, 16 years ago, I was troubled by the grim poverty that I saw around me.”
•About India- “India happens to be a rich country inhabited by very poor people.”
•Following the spirit  of democracy- “Nobody should be allowed to tinker with democracy. We will not discontinue the good works of the past government.”
•Core virtue of his government – “Unity and secularism will be the motto of the government. We can't afford divisive polity in India.”
•On national security affairs- “There seems to be some success in our search for peace and harmony now,”
•On the limitations of a coalition government- “We are a coalition government, and that limits our options in some ways, ... Privatization happens to be one such area.”
•Intended Economic growth- “In order to achieve this, we need to focus on achieving rapid economic growth and on ensuring social justice. It is only by walking on these two legs will we be able to ensure that the benefits of growth reach all sections of society.”
•Increasing energy needs- “India's needs of energy are increasing at an explosive rate,”
•On terrorism- “It is a struggle for the minds of the people.... No cause justifies recourse to terrorism.”

Manmohan Singh Controversies- Manmohan has also remained away from any form of controversy. However his government has been embroiled in various controversies. The first being the 2G spectrum scam, there was direct allegation that a scam of such magnititude could not be done. Despite being informed about the same the government has not made the least possible effort to do anything about it. The coal controversy has also dented the image of the government.  Apart from  he  has also been criticized for policy paralysis  and slow rate of reforms that have done little to elevate the economic issues.  His approach to corruption has also been severely criticsed and his inability to take a stand in issues that matter. His second term in office has virtually seen him firefighting for his government sustenance. So much so that Times Magazine July 2012 edition was  named an underachiever and  unwilling to stick his neck out.

Manmohan Singh Books-
•Bankruptcy to Billions: How the Indian Railways Transformed (Co authored Manmohan Singh)]
•Ambitions for a  New Century- Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi
•God on trail and other Stories- Gulzar Singh, Manmohan Singh and PR Goyal
•Numerical Methods for  Stimulation  of diffusion and  Wave Propoganda
• The Great Indian Renaissance
•Karan Singh: a tryst with History
•The Sikh Canadians
•Making Democracy Work for Pro- Poor Development: Report of the Commonwealth Expert Group on Development and Democracy

The PM has written many such books on Economies but we have listed out the most  important in his list of books
Manmohan Singh net worth and Assets – As per the declaration made by  the Union Cabinet in 2011, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's assets amount to Rs 5 crore. He has property worth Rs 1.8 crore, a Rs 90 lakh house in Chandigarh and a Rs 88 lakh apartment in Vasant Kunj in Delhi. His bank deposits amount to Rs 3.2 crore.   
Manmohan Singh  Latest  News-

PM pledges 50m to bio conservation
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday announced a $50 million grant for biodiversity conservation in India and other developing countries under the 'Hyderabad Pledge' while launching the high level segment of the UN Convention on Biodiversity meeting. The decision just after a day when the Environment Minister called a confidential meet  to break the block in terms of lack of commitment shown by the developed countries.  The PM commented was quoted stating that “The challenge going forward is to develop new models of inclusive conservation. In India, we have legislated a Forest Rights Act that lends legal sanctity to the rights of forest dwellers, who are often the best friends of the biodiversity that resides in these magnificent forests.”

Degrees and Posts held by the Primen Minister ( in Chronology) [Biodata]
BA (Hons) in Economics 1952; MA First Class in Economics, 1954 Panjab University, Chandigarh {was then in Hoshiarpur,Punjab}, India
Honours 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)
DPhil 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, Manhattan, New York
1966 : Economic Affairs Officer 1966
Economic Advisor, Ministry of Foreign Trade, India (1971–1972)
Chief Economic Advisor, 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)
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)[2]
Finance Minister of India, (21 June 1991 – 15 May 1996)
Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha (1998–2004)
Prime Minister of India (22 May 2004 – Present)