In a remarkable journey from an economist to central banker to a transformational finance minister and then an accidental Prime Minister, his integrity, humility, knowledge and calm and gentle way were Dr Manmohan Singh’s constant companions. Never cut out for the rough and tumble of politics, he leaned on his qualities to carry him through every situation and succeeded largely until his gentility became so virtuous that it would prevent him, in his second term as PM, from stemming the slide into a morass impelled by greedy politicians around him. His greatest contribution to India will remain his leading the country out of the darkness of a closed economy based on protectionism with a negligible rate of growth to the free market in a stunningly bold move fashioned by his economic wisdom that helped transform the nation into the fastest growing major economy in the world it is today.
That he led the country out of nuclear isolation by signing the Indo-US nuclear deal against great odds would rank as his second great contribution in the shaping of modern India. His commitment to humanity saw him devise the jobs to fend off poverty through the MNREGA even as he rationalised the tax rates to reward the earners and give breathing space to the middle class. He was the driving force behind so many progressive ideas that made a difference as India rapidly modernised after a historic dose of liberalisation that he pioneered to offer the breakout national moment by changing the very.