visionary statesman known for his humility, integrity and persistence, Singh played a pivotal role in ending India’s nuclear isolation by securing the historic India-U.S. nuclear deal. Dr Singh served as one of India’s longest-tenured prime ministers, leading the nation for 10 years, and represented the Congress Party in the Upper House of Parliament.

Born on 26 September 1932, in a village in undivided Punjab, Singh’s academic brilliance led him to Cambridge University, where he earned a degree in economics in 1957, and Oxford University’s Nuffield College, where he completed his doctorate in 1962. He later taught at Panjab University and the Delhi School of Economics before joining the Indian government in 1971 as an economic advisor. He went on to serve as chief economic adviser, deputy chair of the Planning Commission, and governor of the Reserve Bank of India.

Dr Singh’s accolades include the Padma Vibhushan in 1987, the Jawaharlal Nehru Birth Centenary Award in 1995, and the Asia Money Awards for Finance Minister of the Year in 1993 and 1994.

As finance minister in 1991, Dr Singh spearheaded transformative economic reforms that steered India away from a socialist framework, opening the economy to global markets and averting a looming financial crisis. His legacy as a reformist leader and economic architect remains unparalleled in India’s modern history.