New Delhi:Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, and Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge were among the prominent leaders who extended their greetings to former Prime Minister and senior Congress leader Manmohan Singh on his 92nd birthday.
PM Modi in a post on X wrote: "Birthday greetings to former PM Dr Manmohan Singh Ji. I pray that he is blessed with a long and healthy life".
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi wished "good health and happiness" to the former Prime Minister. " Happy Birthday to Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji. Your humility, wisdom, and selfless service in shaping our country’s future continue to inspire me and millions of Indians. Wishing you good health and happiness always!", he wrote in a post on X.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge extending his greetings to Manmohan Singh termed him "as a rare embodiment of simplicity, dignity and ingenuity in the realm of politics". In a post on X, he wrote: "On the occasion of his birthday, I extend my warmest wishes to Former Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh ji. He stands as a rare embodiment of simplicity, dignity and ingenuity in the realm of politics. A visionary statesman, whose actions spoke louder than words, we remain deeply grateful for his tremendous and invaluable contributions to the nation. Wishing him good health, happiness and a long life ahead."
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin also wished the former PM on his birthday: "Wishing former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh a very happy birthday! His visionary leadership and invaluable service in shaping India's economic landscape will forever be remembered. May he continue to inspire generations with his wisdom and dedication", he said in a post on X.
Singh was India's prime minister between 2004 and 2014 and was the country's finance minister in the government headed by P V Narasimha Rao during 1991-96, a period marked by transformative economic reforms.
Dr Manmohan Singh was born on September 26, 1932, in Punjab, India, to Gurmukh Singh and Amrit Kaur. His family moved to Amritsar during the Partition. In 1958, he married Gursharan Kaur, with whom he had three daughters: Amrit Singh, Daman Singh, and Upinder Singh.
He served as Chief Economic Adviser at the Ministry of Finance from 1972 to 1976. From 1976 to 1980, he was the Secretary of the Finance Ministry. Between 1980 and 1982, Manmohan Singh worked at the Planning Commission before becoming the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India in 1982 under former Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee. Manmohan Singh also served as the deputy chairman of India's Planning Commission from 1985 to 1987, then as the Union Public Services Commission's chairman from 1991 to 1993, and the University Grants Commission's chairman from 1993 to 1994.
His political career began as a Member of the Rajya Sabha in 1991. He held the position of Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House from 1998 to 2004. Subsequently, following the Congress Party's historic victories in the 2004 and 2009 elections, he assumed the role of Prime Minister on May 22, 2004, and once again on May 22, 2009.
