New Chandigarh Owes Its Institutes Of Repute To Manmohan Singh's Vision And Love For Punjab

Singh was instrumental in setting up Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and IISER in New Chandigarh.

Chandigarh: Former Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh, who passed away at the age of 92 in AIIMS, Delhi on Thursday, had deep connections with Punjab and Chandigarh.

Left Pakistan and came to Punjab during partition

The first Sikh to hold the office of Prime Minister, Singh was born on September 26, 1932 in the village of Gah in Punjab, which is now a part of Pakistan. When the country was partitioned in 1947, Singh along with his family left Pakistan and came to India. He was around 15 years old at that time.

Pride of Punjab

After coming to India, Singh's family settled in Amritsar where he completed his primary education. Later, he served as a professor at Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh. When Punjab started establishing New Chandigarh in Mullanpur, it was Singh who laid the foundation stone of Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital in Medicity there. It was the first major government project of New Chandigarh. Singh also was instrumental in setting up major project like Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Punjab on the advice of an old friend.

Set up IISER project in Punjab on friend's suggestion

IISER is located in Mohali, Punjab. There is an interesting story behind Punjab getting the institute. In fact, in 2004, when Singh became the Prime Minister of the country, his friend Kesar Singh wrote to him and appealed to establish IISER in Punjab. Singh accepted his friend's request. While giving IISER to Punjab, he made a condition that the institute will be established in Mohali because the city has good air connectivity. IISER started functioning from Sector-81 in Mohali from 2007. .

Punjab built New Chandigarh and gave the first government project

Singh loved Punjab, especially Chandigarh. In the 2007 Punjab Assembly elections, the Akali-BJP alliance secured a majority and formed the government under the leadership of Prakash Singh Badal. In the 2012 Punjab Assembly elections, the Akali-BJP alliance came to power again. Since Chandigarh is a Union Territory, the Punjab government at that time planned to establish a new city named New Chandigarh in the Mullanpur area. It was an ambitious project and its construction was being supervised by the then Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab, Sukhbir Singh Badal.

Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital inaugurated in Chandigarh

When the Akali-BJP government asked the then Central government for a big project for the new city, on 30 December 2013, Singh, who was the Prime Minister, himself came to inaugurate the Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital in New Chandigarh. At that time, it was the first major government project for New Chandigarh.

Assets worth Rs 16.5 crores, no debt

Singh, known for his humility nature and politeness, was a Rajya Sabha member for six terms. He was last elected to the Upper House of Parliament from Rajasthan in 2019. As per his affidavit submitted in the Rajya Sabha, Singh has assets worth Rs 15.77 crores. He also has a house each in Delhi and Chandigarh. As per the affidavit, Singh had no debt. Apart from his wife Gursharan Kaur, he is survived by his three daughters.