The Congress in Kerala criticised Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for participating in an official inauguration ceremony at the international airport here while the nation was mourning the demise of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Speaking to reporters here, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly VD Satheesan described the Chief Minister's action as "disrespectful" and "inappropriate". Click here to read more.

The AAP criticised the BJP-led central government for not allocating space within the Rajghat complex in Delhi for the last rites of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and said that it "reflects poorly on India globally". "Manmohan Singh, a global icon and India's only Sikh prime minister, was denied even 1,000 square yards of land for his cremation and memorial at Rajghat. Almost all former prime ministers were cremated there, but the BJP government refused this basic courtesy to Singh," said AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal.

The BJP has accused the Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi of indulging in politics over the funeral of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. BJP national spokesperson and MP Sambit Patra came down heavily on Mr Gandhi for stating that the Narendra Modi government disrespected Singh by conducting his funeral at Nigambodh Ghat, whereas for other former prime ministers, the last rites were performed at sites where memorials were authorised to be built later.

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres is saddened by the death of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who played a "pivotal role" in shaping the nation's "economic trajectory". 

The Secretary-General expressed his "deep" condolences to Singh's family, the government, and the people of India.

"The Secretary-General was saddened to learn of the passing of Manmohan Singh, former Prime Minister of India. Singh played a pivotal role in India's recent history, particularly in shaping its economic trajectory," a statement issued by Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, said.

"As Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014, Singh oversaw a period of significant economic growth and development in India. Under his leadership, India also strengthened its collaboration with the United Nations, contributing actively to global initiatives and partnerships," the statement said.

Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck attended the funeral of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, a day after leading the Himalayan nation in offering prayers for the Indian leader at a Buddhist monastery in Thimphu. Separate prayer ceremonies were held for the former Indian prime minister at all 20 Dzongkhags or districts of Bhutan, according to the Bhutan government.

Several key leaders including President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, among others, attended the funeral of former Prime Minister DR Manmohan Singh at the Nigambodh Ghat in Delhi. King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck was also in attendance.

Once or twice a month, Dr Manmohan Singh, the then Governor of the Reserve Bank of India would walk to Mumbai's famous Strand Book Stall in the Fort area to check out the latest arrivals. Little did the bookstore's staff know that this soft-spoken book-lover would become the country's prime minister.

A former staff member of Strand, which shut down a few years ago, recalled warm memories of Dr Manmohan Singh who died in Delhi on Thursday night at age 92. "Many of us have seen him at the store at lunchtime in those days," said T Jagath, who worked at Strand for over two decades.

BJP MP Naveen Jindal expressed condolences on the death of Dr Manmohan Singh, saying that the country has "lost one of the greatest leaders".

"He brought several reforms for the nation and took several steps beneficial for the nation," he told ANI.

#WATCH | Delhi | On the demise of former PM Manmohan Singh, BJP MP Naveen Jindal says, "He brought several reforms for the nation and took several steps beneficial for the nation...The country has lost one of the great leaders..." pic.twitter.com/s2mrADMjJ1

— ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2024

A special prayer ceremony was held at the Kuenrey of Tashichhodzong in Bhutan for Dr Manmohan Singh, former Prime Minister of India, who passed away at the age of 92. As a mark of respect to the late former Prime Minister and in solidarity with the government and people of India, all national flags across the country and at Bhutan's embassies, missions, and consulates abroad are being flown at half-mast.

Mauritius has announced that its national flag will fly at half-mast at all its state institutions till sunset on Saturday as a mark of respect for Manmohan Singh.

Weeks before leaving office as Prime Minister in 2014, Dr Manmohan Singh made a statement that would be repeated even after his death. "I honestly believe history will be kinder to me than the contemporary media or for that matter, the Opposition parties in Parliament," he said.

"Just ten years later, he is already being proven right," wrote Congress leader Shashi Tharoor. 

Similarly, BRS leader KT Rama Rao described Dr Singh as a "silent architect of modern India". Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray credited Dr Singh with putting India on the global stage and recalled his dignified response to criticism during his tenure.

Telangana Chief Minister  Revanth Reddy described Dr. Singh as "one of the greatest economists, leaders, reformers, and above all, a humanitarian of our times."

VIDEO | Here's what Congress leader Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) said on the demise of former PM Manmohan Singh.
"It is moving to be here at Nigambodh Ghat for the funeral of former PM Manmohan Singh. I have known him for a very long time. I have also served the government… pic.twitter.com/aV5coKTuV9

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 28, 2024

Back from a conference in Netherlands, then University Grants Commission chairman Dr Manmohan Singh had called it a day when he received a call that would change India's economic landscape and his career trajectory.

In 1991, when PV Narasimha Rao assumed the prime ministerial post, India battled a balance of payments crisis and political lows, while the world was rattled by the fall of the Soviet. At this time, Dr Singh was woken up by an "out of the blue" call from Mr Rao's then principal secretary PC Alexander, who informed him that he was the pick to be the finance minister.

Read the full story here

#WATCH | Former Prime Minister #DrManmohanSingh laid to rest with full state honours after leaders and family paid last respects at Nigam Bodh Ghat in Delhi.
Former PM Dr Manmohan Singh died on 26th December at AIIMS Delhi.
(Source: DD News) pic.twitter.com/MvAJsZefrt

— ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2024

Sikh priests and family members of former prime minister Manmohan Singh recited verses from Gurbani before his last rites.

#WATCH | Last rites of former Prime Minister #DrManmohanSingh performed at Nigam Bodh Ghat in Delhi.
(Source: DD News) pic.twitter.com/2dXTM9hxiX

— ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2024

Besides economics, former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's other abiding interest was 'shayari' and he often employed verses to launch attacks on political rivals inside and outside the Parliament.

In March 2011, the Parliament erupted over a Wikileaks cable that accused the then ruling Congress of bribing MPs during the 2008 trust vote. Ms Swaraj targeted the Prime Minister with Shahab Jafari's famous lines, "Tu idhar udhar ki na baat kar, yeh bata ki kafila kyun luta, humein rahjano se gila nahi, teri rahbari ka sawal hai." The lines roughly translate to: "Don't change the topic, just say why the caravan was looted, we have nothing to say about the robbers, but this is a question on your leadership."

The Prime Minister replied with Allama Iqbal's couplet that drew a smile from Ms Swaraj and cheers from the House. "Mana ki teri did ke kaabil nahin hoon main, tu mera shauq dekh mera intezar dekh" (I know I am not worth your attention, but look at my longing)."

Among the many stories about Dr Manmohan Singh that resurfaced, one was from 2008 when he met his childhood friend Raja Mohammad Ali, a resident of Pakistan.

Dr Singh was born on September 26, 1932, in Gah, a village in the Punjab region of undivided India, now part of Pakistan. The Partition in 1947 led to his family's migration to India, leaving behind their native home and friends.

In 2004, when Dr Singh assumed the office of Prime Minister of India, the news reached his village in Pakistan, sparking a desire in his old schoolmate Mr Ali to reconnect. In May 2008, Mr Ali arrived in Delhi for an emotional reunion with Dr Singh. The two septuagenarians shared a heartwarming embrace and exchanged symbolic gifts.

#WATCH | Last rites of former Prime Minister #DrManmohanSingh to be performed at Nigam Bodh Ghat in Delhi
President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, PM Modi, Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and others present at Nigam Bodh Ghat.
(Source: DD News) pic.twitter.com/AV4T02W3Hq

— ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2024

One of the first things Manmohan Singh did after he became prime minister in 2004 was to ask Dr Anil Kakodkar, then chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, for a "primer" on his department.

It was not that Dr Singh, an economist-turned-politician, was unfamiliar with India's nuclear energy and weapons situation, noted Dr Kakodkar, reminiscing about his interactions with the former PM who died in Delhi on Thursday at age 92.

Before he became PM, Dr Singh had served as a member of the AEC. "I was surprised at this demand for a primer, because of the time constraints a prime minister has. I told him that the primer on the subject cannot be restricted to two pages," Dr Kakodkar told PTI.

"He said page restrictions did not matter." Soon, he had a detailed note running into 15-20 pages ready for the prime minister. "At the prime minister's level, you do not expect this," Dr Kakodkar said.

#WATCH | Delhi: CPP Chairperson Sonia Gandhi pays her last respects to former Prime Minister #DrManmohanSingh at Nigam Bodh Ghat, where his last rites will be performed. pic.twitter.com/lYkFIg9Yht

— ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2024

#WATCH | Delhi: Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi pays his last respects to former Prime Minister #DrManmohanSingh at Nigam Bodh Ghat.
(Source: DD News) pic.twitter.com/Kyq67JzALB

— ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2024

He held an overseas bank account that had his earnings from working abroad. The value of his savings, in rupee terms, went up following the July 1991 decision of the government to devalue the Indian currency.

Instead of pocketing the gains, Manmohan Singh, who was the finance minister in the PV Narasimha Rao government at that time, just wrote a cheque for the incremental gains and had it deposited in the Prime Minister National Relief Fund.

Recounting the incident, Ramu Damodaran, who was Private Secretary to the then Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao, told PTI, "Maybe a couple of days after the devaluation. He came for a meeting (with PM), and on the way out, he handed over a small envelope to me and asked me to deposit it in the PM's National Relief Fund."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's convoy reached Nigambodh Ghat, where his predecessor Manmohan Singh's last rites will be performed soon.

Among others present were Union ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, and BJP chief JP Nadda.

Soldiers, meanwhile, brought Dr Singh's body to the venue.

VIDEO | Soldiers escort the mortal remains of former PM Manmohan Singh for last rites at Nigambodh Ghat in Delhi.
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7)#ManMohanSingh pic.twitter.com/6AhXFNA6ey

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 28, 2024

Hours before former prime minister Manmohan Singh will be laid to rest, a row erupted over a memorial for him, prompting the BJP to ask Congress to not play dirty politics in his name.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge had on Friday spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about exploring the possibility of building a memorial to Manmohan Singh at the same site where the last rites would be held.

"This is in keeping with such tradition of having memorials of statesmen and former prime ministers at the very place of their funerals," the Congress chief said.

In a press release issued later, the Centre said that Union Home minister Amit Shah had said that a place for Dr Singh's memorial will be allocated, while adding that the cremation and other formalities can go ahead in the mean time.

#WATCH | Patna | On the issue of allocating space for a memorial for former PM #DrManmohanSingh, RJD chief Lalu Yadav says, "He should get it. The country will never get a politician like Dr Manmohan Singh. I was a part of his Council of Ministers. I was very close to him..." pic.twitter.com/Fs3xg2dLci

— ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2024

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited the Parliament in August last year in a wheelchair. He had participated in the Rajya Sabha session where "The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023" was discussed.

He also arrived in the parliament in a wheelchair during the Winter Session of the Parliament in December last year.

This year, when Mr Singh ended his 33-year-long parliamentary innings in the Rajya Sabha, he received praise from his successor Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "I remember during the voting in the House, it was known that the treasury bench would win but Dr Manmohan Singh came in his wheelchair and cast his vote. This is an example of a member being alert of his duties. He was an inspirational example," he said.

Singapore Flag lowered at half-mast as a show of deep respect to the late PM Shri Dr Manmohan Singh. Our deepest condolences. HC Wong#ManmohanSingh #ManMohanSinghJi pic.twitter.com/t7BLbnATOh

— Singapore in India (@SGinIndia) December 28, 2024

Former Prime Minister and economist Dr Manmohan Singh was a man of simplicity and grounded values, which extended to his dietary habits.

A vegetarian by choice, he once shared his perspective on food with NDTV, saying, "I am not imposing a moral code of vegetarianism vs non-vegetarianism. I think we must make intelligent choices. Medical science is also now coming to the conclusion that a vegetarian diet is superior to diets laced with meat."

He held a love for simple meals such as curd rice paired with papad, pomegranate, and pickles. Another beloved dish was kadhi chawal, a yoghurt-based preparation that was reportedly a comfort food.

Former Indian Police Service officer Arun Asim, who once served as the chief Special Protection Group (SPG) deployed during Manmohan Singh's prime ministerial tenure, remembered the veteran leader's affinity for his Maruti 800.

Now an MLA from Uttar Pradesh's Kannauj Sadar, Mr Asim remembered Dr Singh a day after he died at AIIMS Delhi at the age of 92. Highlighting the late leader's simplicity, he said Dr Singh said had only one car of his own - a Maruti 800. "It used to be parked behind the shiny, black BMW parked at the prime ministerial residence. He would repeatedly tell me, 'this is my car'," he recalled.

#WATCH | Delhi | Leaders arrive at Nigam Bodh Ghat to attend the last rites of former Prime Minister #DrManmohanSingh
Former PM Dr Manmohan Singh died on 26th December at AIIMS Delhi. pic.twitter.com/utP5m74s7k

— ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2024

VIDEO | Congress MP Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) arrives at Nigambodh Ghat to pay last respects to former PM Manmohan Singh.
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/wKFzGQ8Vci

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 28, 2024

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's remarkable political journey took him to Assam, which unexpectedly became his second home. As a Congress Rajya Sabha member from Assam, he started as an 'outsider' but came to be the northeastern state's very own prime minister. 

The 2 BHK apartment in the premises of the personal home of former Assam chief minister Hiteswar Saikia became Dr Singh's rented accommodation. Later, Dr Singh and his wife also had their names as voters transferred from Delhi to Assam, to a polling station in Dispur.

Hemoprava Saikia, Hiteshwar Saikia's wife and Manmohan Singh's landlady, said they gave their 2BHK for rent for Rs 700. "He always used to pay the rent in time and by cheques. Once, when he was prime minister, he sent the rent by cheque but we forgot to encash it, so he wrote a letter and attached a fresh cheque, asking us to encash immediately. Even as a prime minister he was diligent as a tenant. There are a lot of things for politicians of this generation to learn from Dr Singh," Ms Saikia remarked.

#WATCH | Delhi | On the demise of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar says, "He worked for the country and the people here...Several revolutions were brought by him...He looked at every section of the society..."
On the issue of allocating… pic.twitter.com/ojCn6qZ1Zu

— ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2024

Striking a civil nuclear deal with the United States and not being able to do more in the area of healthcare were the "best moment" and "biggest regret", respectively, during his tenure, Manmohan Singh, who died Thursday at 92, said in his last press conference as the prime minister in 2014.

In his last press conference as Prime Minister on January 3, 2014, Dr Singh was asked about his "best moment" and "biggest regret" as prime minister.

"I will need time to reflect on this. But certainly, the best moment for me was when we were able to strike a nuclear deal with the United States to end the nuclear apartheid which had sought to stifle the processes of social and economic change, and technical progress of our country in many ways," he responded to the former question.

Full story here

His flailing and delicate health notwithstanding, the politician in former prime minister Manmohan Singh came out sharply during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections when he accused his successor Narendra Modi of lowering the dignity of public discourse and the gravity of the office of the prime minister by giving "hateful speeches" during the poll campaign.

Mounting an attack on Modi, Singh had said, "I have been keenly following the political discourse during this election campaign. Modi ji has indulged in the most vicious form of hate speeches, which are purely divisive in nature. Modi ji is the first prime minister to lower the dignity of public discourse, and thereby the gravity of the office of the prime minister.

"No prime minister in the past has uttered such hateful, unparliamentary and coarse terms, meant to target either a specific section of the society or the opposition. He has also attributed some false statements to me. I have never in my life singled out one community from the other. That is the sole copyright of the BJP," the former prime minister had said.

The sprawling 3 Motilal Nehru Road bungalow in Lutyens' Delhi served for over 10 years as the retirement abode of former prime minister Manmohan Singh. A spacious Type-VIII bungalow amid the three-acre plot, Singh had moved to this address in the national capital after attending Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony in May 2014.

Earlier, the four-bedroom bungalow was the official residence of Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit who had vacated it after her party's loss in the Delhi assembly elections. The CPWD had completely renovated and restored the bungalow by re-doing the entire flooring and pillars after Dikshit had vacated it.

The bungalow was home to about 40 full-grown trees, including peepul, arjun, goolar, marorfalli, jamun, neem, mango and seemal, which shelter about 60 species of birds and mammals, when Singh, accompanied by his wife Gursharan Kaur had moved into this prime address in Lutyens' Delhi.

Responding to a former IPS officer's suggestion of opening a world-class educational institute dedicated to Manmohan Singh, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor there could be "no more fitting tribute than a Dr ManMohan Singh University".

What a wonderful idea @yashoazad! There could be no more fitting tribute than a Dr ManMohan Singh University -- provided it maintains standards worthy of the scholar-PM. All that's needed is a generous benefactor, or several, to start making this idea a reality. And then a lot of… https://t.co/6nVOtQ7mlA

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) December 27, 2024

Manmohan Singh's final journey began from the congress headquarters. The funeral procession will follow this route: 

Janpath - India Gate roundabout - Tilak Marg - ITO - Ring Road - Nigambodh Ghat

At Nigambodh Ghat, the last rites will be performed at 11.45 am.

#WATCH | Delhi | Mortal remains of former Prime Minister #DrManmohanSingh being taken out of the AICC headquarters. pic.twitter.com/ouuAgsQ5qf

— ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2024

Mourning the passing of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, US President Joe Biden has called him "a true statesman" and credited his strategic vision and political courage for the unprecedented level of bilateral cooperation.

"The unprecedented level of cooperation between the United States and India today would not have been possible without the Prime Minister's strategic vision and political courage," Biden said in a statement as he and the First Lady, Jill Biden, joined the people of India in grieving the loss of the former prime minister.

"From forging the US-India Civil Nuclear Agreement to helping launch the first Quad between Indo-Pacific partners, he charted path-breaking progress that will continue to strengthen our nations-and the world-for generations to come. He was a true statesman. A dedicated public servant. And above all, he was a kind and humble person," Biden said.

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh had turned nostalgic after visiting Panjab University's department of Economics in Chandigarh over six years ago, recalling his journey there as a student and later as a senior lecturer.

He delivered the inaugural Prof S B Rangnekar Memorial Oration (2018). The former prime minister donated large number of books from his personal collection to the Guru Teg Bahadur Bhavan Library at PU.

According to a Panjab University (PU) statement, Singh's journey there was marked by excellence and dedication. Giving details, the statement, while going into his academic achievements, said he did Bachelors degree in Economics (1952), Masters degree in Economics (1954), standing first in his class.

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh was shown black flags at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) by Left-backed students who were staging a protest during his visit to the campus in 2005. The incident led to show-cause notices to students by the university with few of them getting detained by the Delhi Police. However, a day later Singh intervened, suggesting to the then vice chancellor (VC) B B Bhattacharya to be lenient with students.

JNU has been an epicentre of widespread protests in the past decade with the sedition controversy in 2016 triggering a debate about freedom of speech and expression on campus.

Bhattarcharya had in 2016 narrated the incident during an interview. "Manmohan Singh had told me 'please be lenient, Sir'. I said I have to at least warn them... but the problem today is that lines of communication with students have broken down," he had said.

"PM Manmohan Singh facing sloganeering and black flags from student protestors began his speech by quoting Voltaire: 'I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to death your right to say it'," he had added. 

Months before he demitted office as prime minister in 2014, Manmohan Singh had famously asserted that his leadership was not weak and history would be kinder to him than what the media projected at that time.

Addressing a press conference here in January 2014, in what was one of his last media interactions, Singh had said, "I do not believe that I have been a weak Prime Minister ... I honestly believe that history will be kinder to me than the contemporary media or for that matter the Opposition in Parliament... Given the political compulsions, I have done the best I could do."

"Nobody has asked me to step down because of any inadequacy that characterised my tenure as prime minister," was his response when asked about "negative" perceptions within Congress about his leadership. 

Riding an unprecedented period of economic growth, Manmohan Singh's government focused on inclusive growth, poverty alleviation, and development in various sectors such as education, food security, and employment. His policies paved the way for economic expansion, lifting millions out of poverty.

In 2008, his government also clinched a landmark deal that permitted peaceful trade in nuclear energy with the United States for the first time in three decades, paving the way for strong relations between New Delhi and Washington.

Dr. Singh was elected again in 2009. However, his second term was full of turmoil, as it was marred by challenges such as inflation, corruption scandals, and criticisms surrounding administrative inefficiencies.

According to some political commentators, despite facing flak over corruption scandals like the 2G spectrum allocation scam and the Commonwealth Games controversy, Dr Singh's tenure remained a defining period in Indian political history.

Singh was honoured with the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian award, in 1987.

Famously quoting Victor Hugo in his maiden budget speech, Manmohan Singh said: "No power on earth can stop an idea whose time has come," before adding: "The emergence of India as a major economic power in the world happens to be one such idea."

It was DrSingh's tenure as Finance Minister from 1991 to 1996 that marked a crucial turning point for India's economy.

During this period, India faced an economic crisis, and Dr Singh's bold reforms helped transform the country's economic path. He implemented crucial liberalisation measures, devalued the rupee, reduced tax burdens, and attracted foreign investment, stabilising India's economy and setting the stage for future growth.

His reforms saved India's economy from a severe balance of payments crisis, promoted deregulation and other measures that opened an insular country to the world.

Manmohan Singh's body arrived at the Congress headquarters in Delhi, where party leaders and workers will pay tribute to him. Among the first to pay respects to him and place a Congress flag near his body were party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, and senior leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

While studying at Cambridge University, money was the only real problem that bothered Manmohan Singh. "His tuition and living expenses came to about 600 pounds a year. The Panjab University scholarship gave him about 160 pounds. For the rest he had to depend on his father.

Manmohan was careful to live very stingily. Subsidised meals in the dining hall were relatively cheap at two shillings sixpence," his daughter Daman wrote in her book.

She said her father never ate out, and seldom indulged in beer or wine yet he would be in crisis if money from home fell short or did not arrive on time. "When this happened, he skipped meals or got by on a sixpence bar of Cadbury's chocolate," she said.

Daman found her father a very funny man. "The lighter side of him liked to give nicknames to people. Unknown to them, one of our uncles was John Babu, another was Jewel Babu and a third - to commemorate his pointed turban - was Chunj Waley. My mother was Gurudev, and the three of us were Kick, Little Noan and Little Ram. Some of the other names he coined were less charitable," Daman wrote.

Manmohan Singh had joined a pre-medical course as his father wanted him to become a doctor but pulled out after a couple of months, losing interest in the subject, according to a book on the former prime minister by his daughter.

In her book "Strictly Personal: Manmohan and Gursharan", published in 2014, Daman Singh also said economics was a subject that appealed to him.

"Since his father wanted him to become a doctor, he joined the two-year FSc course that would lead to further studies in medicine. After just a couple of months, he dropped out. He had lost interest in becoming a doctor. In fact, he had also lost interest in studying science," Daman wrote.

"I went and joined my father in his shop. I didn't like that either, because I was not treated as an equal. I was treated as an inferior person who ran errands - bringing water, bringing tea. Then I thought I must go back to college. And I entered Hindu College in September 1948," Singh was quoted as saying.

Economics was a subject that appealed to him immediately. "I was always interested in issues of poverty, why some countries are poor, why others are rich. And I was told that economics is the subject which asks these questions," Singh told his daughter.

Here is the timeline of Manmohan Singh's five-decade old career in bureaucracy and politics.

1954: Completed Master's in Economics from Panjab University

1957: Economic Tripos (3-year degree prog) from Cambridge University

1962: D.Phil in Economics from Oxford University

1971: Joins Government of India as Economic Advisor in Commerce Ministry

1972: Appointed Chief Economic Advisor in Finance Ministry

1980-82: Member, Planning Commission

1982-1985: Governor of the Reserve Bank of India

1985-87: Served as Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission

1987-90: Secretary General of South Commission in Geneva

1990: Appointed Advisor to Prime Minister on Economic Affairs March

1991: Appointed chairman of University Grants Commission

1991: Elected to Rajya Sabha from Assam, and re-elected in 1995, 2001, 2007 and 2013

1991-96: Finance Minister under P V Narasimha Rao government

1998-2004: Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha

2004-2014: Prime Minister of India 

In 2012, the then prime minister Manmohan Singh underwent operations for multiple coronary bypasses and never quite recovered physically as it slowed him down and this showed up in governance, veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar said in his latest book.

"It slowed him down and this showed up in governance. As for the party, there was no official announcement about the Congress president's health when she took ill at about the same time as the PM," Aiyar said.

It soon became clear that in both the offices --" the PM's and the party president's -- there was stasis, a distinct absence of governance, while several crises, particularly Anna Hazare's 'India Against Corruption' movement, were either not handled effectively or not handled at all, said the diplomat-turned-politician.

Born on September 26, 1932, in Pakistan's Gah village, Manmohan Singh received his Bachelor's and Master's in Economics from Panjab University in 1952 and 1954 respectively.

Manmohan Singh completed his Economic Tripos from Cambridge University in 1957. He followed this with a D.Phil in Economics from Oxford University in 1962.

In his political career, Manmohan Singh has been a member of the Rajya Sabha since 1991, where he was Leader of the Opposition between 1998 and 2004.

He represented Assam for five terms in the Upper House and shifted to Rajasthan in 2019.

His last intervention in Parliament was against demonetisation, describing it as an "organised loot and legalised plunder".

Manmohan Singh's political career spanned several decades, with notable positions including Finance Minister from 1991 to 1996, during which he spearheaded economic reforms that transformed India's economy.

He served as the Prime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014, succeeding Atal Bihari Vajpayee. His tenure is particularly remembered for his steady leadership during economic crises and his contributions to modernising India's economy.

After his second term, Dr Singh retired from public life, having led India through a period of unprecedented growth and international recognition.

He was succeeded by Narendra Modi in 2014 after the Congress-led UPA lost the general elections.

Dr Manmohan Singh, former Prime Minister died at 9.51 pm on December 26 at AllMS Delhi. A state funeral will be accorded to him at 11.45 am at Nigambodh Ghat.

Dr Singh died at the age of 92 due to age-related medical conditions. He had a sudden loss of consciousness at home after which he was rushed to the hospital.

An advisory has been issued by the Delhi Traffic Police urging people to avoid taking several major routes on roads in the national capital, ahead of the funeral of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday

According to the advisory, diversion points include Raja Ram Kohli Marg, Rajghat Red Light, Signature Bridge, and Yudhister Setu.

Traffic restrictions, regulations, and diversion may be imposed on Ring Road (Mahatma Gandhi Marg), Nishad Raj Marg, Boulevard Road, SPM Marg, Lothian Road, and Netaji Subhash Marg from 7 a.m. onwards, likely till 3 p.m.

Commuters going to Old Delhi Railway Station, ISBT, Red Fort, Chandni Chowk, and Tis Hazari Court are advised to leave with sufficient time to accommodate possible delays on the route.