Manmohan Singh and his deep connection with Hoshiarpur

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had a deep connection with Hoshiarpur. The city played an important role in his education. He started his career as teacher in the city and then went on to become one of the world’s renowned economists.

If it is said that Dr Manmohan Singh learned the basics of economics in Hoshiarpur itself, it would not be an exaggeration. He studied economics while living here and started teaching the same subject. In fact, after the Partition of the country in 1947, his family settled in Amritsar. Manmohan Singh chose Hoshiarpur to continue his studies, because after the Partition, classes of Panjab University were held here.

In 1952, Manmohan Singh passed BCom from Panjab University College (now known as Government College, Hoshiarpur) here. After that he also completed his MA (Economics) from the same college. Later, after studying further in India and abroad, he returned to Hoshiarpur once again and taught economics as a lecturer in the same college from where he himself had studied. After Panjab University shifted to Chandigarh, he too shifted there.

Santosh Chaudhary recalls ex-PM’s contribution to city

Santosh Chaudhary was Lok Sabha MP from Phillaur, when Manmohan was the Finance Minister at the Centre. Later, she got elected as Hoshiarpur MP again and became a Minister of State in Manmohan Singh’s Cabinet. Remembering Dr Singh as a very humble, dedicated and inspiring personality, the MP said the loss to the country due to his departure was irreparable. Recalling Dr Singh’s humility, the MP said when she was to be included in the Cabinet, she was on a tour of the Northeast with a parliamentary committee. During this time, she received a call from the Cabinet Secretary from Delhi who told her that the Prime Minister would talk to her. Santosh Chaudhary said Dr Singh addressed her very politely and asked where she was. Knowing that she was in the Northeast, Dr Singh told her that he wanted to expand the Cabinet, so she should return to Delhi within two days. She said Dr Singh as his Cabinet colleague always supported her in every way.

“When I proposed to open a Central School, a medical college and start a direct train from Hoshiarpur to Delhi, Dr Singh immediately agreed to it. The Central School at Gajjan in Hoshiarpur is the first such school in the country which has been built in the rural area,” Santosh Chaudhary said.

Congress leaders pay tribute to Dr Singh

Congress leaders in Hoshiarpur paid an emotional tribute to former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. At a programme held here today, leaders remembered Dr Singh’s deep relationship with Hoshiarpur and his contribution to the city. During the event, leaders paid respect to the former PM by observing silence. Former Cabinet Minister Sunder Sham Arora said, “Dr Manmohan Singh had a special attachment with Hoshiarpur. He received education from the government college here and also served as a professor at the same institution. His death is a big loss not only for the Congress, but for the entire country. He made the country economically and socially stronger during his tenure as the Prime Minister and Finance Minister.”