Man of humility & wisdom: Cong pays tributes to Manmohan Singh on birth anniversary

On the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday offered tributes, hailing his role in shaping India’s economy and recalling his personal qualities of humility and integrity.

Dr Manmohan Singh Research Centre and Library was also inaugurated on Friday at Indira Bhawan, Congress headquarters, here, in the presence of Kharge, CPP chairperson Sonia Gandhi, LoP Rahul Gandhi and Singh’s wife Gursharan Kaur.

Kharge, in a message on X, said, “We remember the contribution of Manmohan Singh in nation building. He was a gentle architect of India’s economic transformation.” He praised Singh as “a man of humility and wisdom” whose reforms created opportunities, expanded the middle class and lifted millions out of poverty.

He added that Singh’s approach to governance combined fairness with inclusivity, noting that his welfare policies touched the lives of millions. “His leadership showed us that integrity in public life is not just possible, but powerful,” Kharge wrote. Calling him an “enduring symbol of honesty, intellect and selfless service to the nation,” the Congress chief said Singh’s legacy would continue to inspire future generations.

Rahul also paid homage, remembering Singh as a leader whose vision and courage shaped modern India.

“His unwavering commitment to nation-building, his bold decisions for the poor and deprived and his historic contribution to building a strong economy will continue to guide us. His simplicity, humility and integrity are an inspiration for all of us,” Rahul wrote on X.

Singh was born in 1932 in Gah, a village now in Pakistan. Trained as an economist, he rose from modest beginnings to hold some of India’s most important offices. As Finance Minister in the PV Narasimha Rao government between 1991 and 1996, he introduced reforms that loosened state control over the economy and opened new sectors to competition. He went on to serve as Prime Minister for two terms, from 2004 to 2014, leading the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance. Singh passed away in December last year.