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Manmohan Singh ([mənˈmoːɦən ˈsɪ́ŋɡ] ; born 26 September 1932) is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. An economist by profession, he is the country's first Sikh (and non-Hindu) Prime Minister. Born in Gah (now in Punjab, Pakistan) in 1932, Singh's family migrated to India during its Partition in 1947. After obtaining his doctorate in economics from Oxford, Singh worked for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) from 1966–1969. He subsequently began his bureaucratic career as an advisor in Lalit Narayan Mishra's Foreign Trade Ministry. Over the 70s and 80s, Singh went on to become one of India's top civil servants; he held a number of key posts such as Chief Economic Advisor (1972–1976), Governor of Reserve Bank of India (1982–85) and Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission (1985–1987).
In 1991, as India faced a severe economic crisis, newly elected Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao surprisingly inducted the apolitical Singh into his cabinet as Finance Minister. Over the next few years, despite strong opposition, Finance Minister Singh enforced several structural reforms that liberalised India's economy. These measures proved very successful
He is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term.[1] A Sikh, he is the first non-Hindu to occupy the office. Singh is also the 7th Prime Minister from the Indian National Congress (Congress) party. He is a four-time Member of Parliament from the Upper House of the Parliament of India, the Rajya Sabha, representing the state of Assam.[2] His term in the 14th Rajya Sabha was from 22 May 2004 to 26 February 2009. In the 15th Rajya Sabha his term started 22 May 2009 and is scheduled to continue till 2014. On 27 May 2012, he became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Myanmar in 25 years.[3]
Born in Gah, Punjab in British India (now Pakistan) in 1932, he migrated to India with his family at the time of Partition in 1947. Singh studied at Panjab University, University of Cambridge and University of Oxford.[4] Thereafter, while Singh was working at United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Lalit Narayan Mishra, the then Indian Minister for Foreign Trade, appointed Singh as an advisor to his ministry. He was appointed Governor of the Reserve Bank of India between 1982 and 1985,[4] Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission of India from 1985 to 1987 [4] and Secretary General of the South Commission from 1987 to 1990.[5] Elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1991, he was inducted into Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao's cabinet as Finance Minister the same year, a post he held until 1996. His tenure as Finance Minister is best remembered for the economic reforms he carried out, which ended the Licence Raj system and helped open the Indian economy.[6]
When the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) came to power after the 2004 general elections, Singh became Prime Minister when Congress President Sonia Gandhi unexpectedly declined the position.[7] In 2009, the UPA and Singh were reelected for a second consecutive five year term.
Key legislation passed during his tenure include the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and the Right to Information Act, 2005. Major initiatives include the National Rural Health Mission of India and the Unique Identification Authority of India.
- ^ "Background Note: India". Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs. U. S. Department of State. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
- ^ "RAJYA SABHA(COUNCIL OF STATES)" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-12-18.
- ^ "http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Manmohan-arrives-in-Myanmar-First-Indian-PM-to-visit-in-25-years/articleshow/13571678.cms". Retrieved 2012-05-27.
{{cite web}}: External link in|title= - ^ a b c "Detailed Profile: Dr. Manmohan Singh". Retrieved 2011-12-18.
- ^ "India - Head of Government".
- ^ Biswas, Soutik (14 October 2005). "India's architect of reforms". BBC News. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Waldman, Amy (23 May 2004). "India Swears In 13th Prime Minister and First Sikh in Job". NYT.
