Manmohan Singh

Manmohan Singh - Former Prime Minister of India, Facts and Childhood

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Manmohan Singh's Personal Details

Manmohan Singh is an Indian economist and politician who served as the Prime Minister of India for two consecutive terms

InformationDetail
BirthdaySeptember 26, 1932
NationalityIndian
FamousEconomists, Leaders, Prime Ministers, Former Prime Minister of India
SpousesGursharan Kaur (1958–present)
ChildrensAmrit, Daman, Upinder
Universities
  • St John's College
  • Cambridge (1956–1957)
  • Panjab University
  • Chandigarh (1954)
  • Panjab University
  • Chandigarh (1952)
  • Nuffield College
  • Oxford
  • Hindu College
  • University of Delhi
Birth PlaceGah
ReligionSikhism
Height175
GenderMale
FatherGurmukh Singh
MotherAmrit Kaur
Net Worth$100 million as of Apr 21,2017
Sun SignLibra
Born inGah
Famous asFormer Prime Minister of India

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Manmohan Singh's photo

Who is Manmohan Singh?

Manmohan Singh is an eminent Indian economist and politician who served as the Prime Minister of India for two consecutive terms. He held prominent posts in different organizations and received several honors for his brilliant work even before beginning his political career. He held various posts such as advisor to the Foreign Trade Ministry, Chief Economic Advisor in the Ministry of Finance, Governor of Reserve Bank of India, and Head of the Planning Commission. As the Finance Minister in the P. V. Narasimha Rao government in the 1990s, he carried out several structural reforms that liberalised India's economy, which enhanced Singh's reputation as a leading reform-minded economist. In 2004, he was elected to be the Prime Minister of India which came as a surprise as everybody was expecting Sonia Gandhi, being the head of the UPA, to take up the post. His no-nonsense image and a brilliant bureaucratic experience were once again acknowledged by the people and he was re-elected as the Prime Minister in 2009. However, in his second term, he was criticized for fostering too close a relationship with the United States and his party faced further allegations of corruption which eventually led to the deterioration of the party’s popularity with the public. Despite the criticism, he is still regarded as the key architect to usher India into a new economic mould. A great thinker, scholar and a talented economist, he is the only prime minister since Jawaharlal Nehru, to be re-elected after completing a full five-year term.

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Childhood & Early Life

He was born on September 26, 1932 in Gah, Punjab, British India, to Gurmukh Singh and his wife, Amrit Kaur. He lost his mother at a young age and was brought up by his grandmother.

He received his early education from the Hindu College, Amritsar, where his family migrated after the Partition of India.

Then, he was enrolled at the Panjab University, first in Chandigarh and then in Hoshiarpur. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics in 1952 and master’s degree in the same subject in 1954.

Then, as a student of St. John’s College, he attended the University of Cambridge and completed his honors degree in 1957.

In 1962, he earned his D.Phil. in Economics from Nuffield College, University of Oxford.

Career

From 1966 to 1969, he worked for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

From 1969 to 1971, he worked as a Professor of International Trade at the Delhi School of Economics.

In 1972, he was appointed as the Chief Economic Advisor to the Ministry of Finance. In 1976, he became a Secretary in the Ministry of Finance.

He served as the Director of Reserve Bank of India from 1976 to 1980.

From 1980 to 1982, he worked for the Planning Commission of India. He served as the Governor of Reserve bank of India from 1982 to 1985.

In 1985, he was appointed as the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission of India, a post he held till 1987.

From 1987 to 1990, he worked as the Secretary General of the South Commission, an independent economic think-tank based in Geneva, Switzerland.

In 1990, he became the Advisor on Economic Affairs to the Prime Minister, following his return to India.

In 1991, he became the Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

In 1991, Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao appointed him as the Finance Minister of India in his government - a post Singh held until 1996.

From 1998 to 2004, he served as the Leader of Opposition in the Upper House, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was in power.

In 2004 General Elections, Indian National Congress party joined hands with the allies, formed the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and defeated BJP. Congress leader, Sonia Gandhi recommended Singh’s name for the post of Prime Minister and on May 22, 2004, he became the 14th Prime Minister of India.

In 2009, UPA was again successful in forming the government in the 15th Lok Sabha elections and he was re-elected as the Prime Minister of India on 22nd May 2009.

In 2014 General Elections, Bhartiya Janta Party defeated the UPA with a huge margin. As a result, he resigned from his post on May 17, 2014.

Major Works

As the Finance Minister of India, he was successful in implementing economic reforms that aimed at enhancing the productivity and liberalization of the economy. One of the most important measures he took was to free India from the ‘Licence Raj’—the root cause of slow economic growth and corruption in the Indian economy for decades.

As the Prime Minister, he invested his time in various national and global issues such as economy, health and education, terrorism and foreign affairs. He worked to improve the conditions of India’s poor, resolving conflicts with Pakistan and also towards improving relations among various religious groups of India.

During his tenure as the Prime Minister, National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) and the Right to Information Act were passed by the Parliament in 2005. He also contributed in strengthening anti-terror laws with amendments to UAPA and in improving relations with the USA, Japan, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.

Awards & Achievements

In 1987, he received the Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award in the Republic of India.

In 1993, he was named the Finance Minister of the Year by Euromoney and Asiamoney.

He was awarded honorary professorship by Jawaharlal Nehru University in 1976 and then, in 1996 by Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi.

He was the recipient of honorary doctorate degree from several prestigious institutions such as University of Alberta (1997), University of Oxford (2005), University of Cambridge (2006) and King Saud University (2010).

In 2005, he was listed among the ‘Top 100 Influential People in the World’ in Time magazine.

In 2014, he received the honor of ‘Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers’ from the Government of Japan.

Personal Life & Legacy

In 1958, he married Gursharan Kaur and they were blessed with three daughters; Upinder, Daman and Amrit.

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Manmohan Singh's awards

YearNameAward

Other

2000Annasaheb Chirmule Award
1999H.H. Kanchi Sri Paramacharya Award for Excellence
1999Fellow of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences
0New Delhi
1997Lokmanya Tilak Award
1997Justice K.S. Hegde Foundation Award
1997Nikkei Asia prize for Regional Growth
1995Jawaharlal Nehru Birth Centenary Award (1994–95)
1994Finance Minister of the Year
1994Jawaharlal Nehru Birth Centenary Award (1994–95)
1994Elected Distinguished Fellow of the London School of Economics
1994Elected Honorary Fellow of the All India Management Association
1993Finance Minister of the Year
1987Padma Vibhushan
1986Elected National Fellow
0National Institute of Education
1985Elected President of the Indian Economic Association
1956Adam Smith Prize
1955Wright Prize for Distinguished Performance
02010 - World Statesman Award
0 2005 - Top 100 Influential People in the World
0 2002 - Outstanding Parliamentarian Award

Manmohan Singh biography timelines

  • // 26th Sep 1932
    He was born on September 26, 1932 in Gah, Punjab, British India, to Gurmukh Singh and his wife, Amrit Kaur. He lost his mother at a young age and was brought up by his grandmother.
  • // 1952 To 1954
    Then, he was enrolled at the Panjab University, first in Chandigarh and then in Hoshiarpur. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics in 1952 and master’s degree in the same subject in 1954.
  • // 1957
    Then, as a student of St. John’s College, he attended the University of Cambridge and completed his honors degree in 1957.
  • // 1958
    In 1958, he married Gursharan Kaur and they were blessed with three daughters; Upinder, Daman and Amrit.
  • // 1962
    In 1962, he earned his D.Phil. in Economics from Nuffield College, University of Oxford.
  • // 1966 To 1969
    From 1966 to 1969, he worked for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
  • // 1969 To 1971
    From 1969 to 1971, he worked as a Professor of International Trade at the Delhi School of Economics.
  • // 1972 To 1976
    In 1972, he was appointed as the Chief Economic Advisor to the Ministry of Finance. In 1976, he became a Secretary in the Ministry of Finance.
  • // 1976 To 1980
    He served as the Director of Reserve Bank of India from 1976 to 1980.
  • // 1976 To 1996
    He was awarded honorary professorship by Jawaharlal Nehru University in 1976 and then, in 1996 by Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi.
  • // 1980 To 1985
    From 1980 to 1982, he worked for the Planning Commission of India. He served as the Governor of Reserve bank of India from 1982 to 1985.
  • // 1985 To 1987
    In 1985, he was appointed as the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission of India, a post he held till 1987.
  • // 1987 To 1990
    From 1987 to 1990, he worked as the Secretary General of the South Commission, an independent economic think-tank based in Geneva, Switzerland.
  • // 1987
    In 1987, he received the Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award in the Republic of India.
  • // 1990
    In 1990, he became the Advisor on Economic Affairs to the Prime Minister, following his return to India.
  • // 1991
    In 1991, he became the Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC).
  • // 1991 To 1996
    In 1991, Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao appointed him as the Finance Minister of India in his government - a post Singh held until 1996.
  • // 1993
    In 1993, he was named the Finance Minister of the Year by Euromoney and Asiamoney.
  • // 1997 To 2010
    He was the recipient of honorary doctorate degree from several prestigious institutions such as University of Alberta (1997), University of Oxford (2005), University of Cambridge (2006) and King Saud University (2010).
  • // 1998 To 2004
    From 1998 to 2004, he served as the Leader of Opposition in the Upper House, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was in power.
  • // 22nd May 2004 To 2009
    In 2004 General Elections, Indian National Congress party joined hands with the allies, formed the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and defeated BJP. Congress leader, Sonia Gandhi recommended Singh’s name for the post of Prime Minister and on May 22, 2004, he became the 14th Prime Minister of India.
  • // 2005
    During his tenure as the Prime Minister, National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) and the Right to Information Act were passed by the Parliament in 2005. He also contributed in strengthening anti-terror laws with amendments to UAPA and in improving relations with the USA, Japan, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.
  • // 2005
    In 2005, he was listed among the ‘Top 100 Influential People in the World’ in Time magazine.
  • // 22nd May 2009 To 2014
    In 2009, UPA was again successful in forming the government in the 15th Lok Sabha elections and he was re-elected as the Prime Minister of India on 22nd May 2009.
  • // 2014
    In 2014, he received the honor of ‘Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers’ from the Government of Japan.
  • // 17th May 2014
    In 2014 General Elections, Bhartiya Janta Party defeated the UPA with a huge margin. As a result, he resigned from his post on May 17, 2014.

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Manmohan Singh's FAQ

  • What is Manmohan Singh birthday?

    Manmohan Singh was born at 1932-09-26

  • Where is Manmohan Singh's birth place?

    Manmohan Singh was born in Gah

  • What is Manmohan Singh nationalities?

    Manmohan Singh's nationalities is Indian

  • Who is Manmohan Singh spouses?

    Manmohan Singh's spouses is Gursharan Kaur (1958–present)

  • Who is Manmohan Singh childrens?

    Manmohan Singh's childrens is Amrit, Daman, Upinder

  • What was Manmohan Singh universities?

    Manmohan Singh studied at St John's College, Cambridge (1956–1957), Panjab University, Chandigarh (1954), Panjab University, Chandigarh (1952), Nuffield College, Oxford, Hindu College, University of Delhi

  • What is Manmohan Singh's religion?

    Manmohan Singh's religion is Sikhism

  • How tall is Manmohan Singh?

    Manmohan Singh's height is 175

  • Who is Manmohan Singh's father?

    Manmohan Singh's father is Gurmukh Singh

  • Who is Manmohan Singh's mother?

    Manmohan Singh's mother is Amrit Kaur

  • What is Manmohan Singh's sun sign?

    Manmohan Singh is Libra

  • How famous is Manmohan Singh?

    Manmohan Singh is famouse as Former Prime Minister of India