Although he did join politics, the late Dr Manmohan Singh was not a politician. He can be best described as the first technocrat to have become India’s Prime Minister, quite by accident. He was the Congress party’s choice for the post because he would not pose a threat to the dominance of Sonia Gandhi, as had Narasimha Rao. The skillful ND Tiwari was available, but he was overlooked (to Uttarakhand’s benefit).
However, Singh won his second term as PM on the strength of his own performance, which was quite an extraordinary achievement. This was because he was, ironically, a ‘weak’ Prime Minister and reduced considerably the dominance of the Centre in a lot of ways. This allowed the states to build on their own strengths. Gujarat under then CM Modi was one such beneficiary. The people were pleased with the status quo and finding no better alternative, decided to continue with the incumbent PM.
Singh was also fortunate that much of the needed economic reforms, or rather corrections, had been initiated in the times of his predecessors Narasimha Rao and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. As Rao’s Finance Minister, he had been instrumental in implementing the political vision through fiscal policy. It goes to his credit that this was, by and large, successful and what are identified today as initiatives on liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation continue till today. It is another matter that his Congress today is reverting to the old model of socialism, centralisation and identity politics. It is good that, under the present dispensation, his legacy will be given its due and the nation will mourn his passing together. This is unlike the manner in which Narasimha Rao was treated under Congress rule.
Apart from Dr Manmohan Singh’s tenures as Prime Minister, his was a life of extraordinary achievement, regardless of his humble beginnings and lack of patronage. He was a scholar of eminence, having obtained degrees from the best universities. Apart from being Governor, Reserve Bank of India and Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, he held a plethora of important posts at the national and international levels. He also taught economics in prestigious institutions. Even one of these achievements is praiseworthy, but this extraordinary person had them all under his belt. All those who knew him testify to his humility and simplicity – a quality inherent to the genuinely great. He played his role where and when his country needed him. There can be no greater service than that.
