Dr Manmohan’s final gesture: Rings up city-based friend to check on his ailing wife

Despite his frail health, former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who passed away on Thursday, never lost his sense of compassion and kinship, longtime friend and former diplomat Inderjit Singh Chadha recalled today. Just a week ago, he had received a video call from Dr Singh to check on the former diplomat’s ailing wife.

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His heartfelt gesture, Chadha noted, underscored the enduring compassion and deep concern he had for those close to him, even as he grappled with his own health challenges and could hardly speak at the age of 92.

The two men, both born in the same year, shared a close bond that dates back to 1966. They met when the future PM was picked from Panjab University to join the newly formed United Nations Conference on Trade and Development in New York.

Dr Singh, then a junior official, and Chadha, a representative of India’s Mission, formed an enduring bond that would last for decades. “We remained close since 1966,” Chadha recalled, sharing a photograph taken during Dr Singh’s visit to the Chadha residence in 2018, the last time they met in person.

Despite his demanding schedule, which included a visit to his alma mater, the Panjab University, Dr Singh took time out to visit Chadha and his wife Amrit, who had recently undergone knee surgery. “He made sure to come, even though he was busy, and we spent time reminiscing,” said Chadha sporting a bittersweet smile.

He holds dear the shared memories of their time together in New York. Chadha joyously recalled how Dr Singh’s wife, Gursharan Kaur, and his own wife, Amrit, had joined forces to prepare golgappas for Chadha’s eldest daughter’s sixth birthday—a simple yet unforgettable moment of warmth and camaraderie.

Besides being a compassionate friend who, even as a PM, would personally escort the Chadha family to their car at his New Delhi residence,Dr Singh was also a visionary leader who propelled the nation forward, said the former diplomat.

Recalling the moment after his landmark 1991 budget speech, which redefined India’s economic trajectory, Chadha quoted Dr Singh’s recitation of the famous Urdu couplets by Bismil Azimabadi: “Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamare dil mein hai, dekhna hai zor kitna bazu-e-qaatil mein hai.” According to Chadha, this was Dr Singh’s powerful way of signalling his unwavering commitment to the bold decisions he made for India’s future.

Chadha fondness of his memories with Dr Singh and his quiet leadership makes it clear that his legacy will not only be defined by the policies he championed but also by the profound personal connections he fostered throughout his remarkable life.

 ‘Had asked me if he should resign as PM”

Recalling instances from his 58-year-long camaraderie with Dr Manmohan Singh, former diplomat Inderjit Singh Chadha said the the former Prime Minister when facing criticism from many quarters during his second tenure had asked him whether he should resign from the post. “I told him not to since he was an upright leader and the nation needed him,” Chadha said, adding, “I resolutely always defended him during the years of criticism because then, the people had not realised his vision and contributions fully.”