India Holds State Funeral for Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh

India mourns the loss of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, honoring him with a state funeral on Saturday.

A key architect of the 1990s India’s economic liberalization and leader from 2004 to 2014, Singh passed away on Thursday, prompting seven days of national mourning.

The solemn ceremony in New Delhi featured full military honors, including a gun salute. Leading the tributes was President Droupadi Murmu, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in attendance, alongside senior civilian and military officials. Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck was also present to pay his respects.

Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, who described Singh as his mentor and guide, joined the late leader’s family in prayer during the cremation. Earlier, mourners gathered to honor Singh as his flower-laden coffin was escorted by a guard of honor to the Congress Party headquarters.

The procession then moved through the capital to the cremation grounds, where full state honors were accorded to the late leader.

Over the past few days, encomium and praises have been coming in for the late leader, both, nationally and internationally.

Prime Minister Modi called Singh “one of India’s most distinguished leaders.” U.S. President Joe Biden also praised him as a “true statesman,” noting that Singh had achieved “pathbreaking progress that will continue to benefit our nations and the world for generations.”

Manmohan Singh, known for his modest and technocratic demeanor, played a pivotal role in India’s economic transformation. Born in 1932 and an economics graduate of Cambridge and Oxford Universities in his masters and PhD, Singh oversaw a period of rapid economic growth, achieving rates of up to 9% annually.

He also secured a landmark nuclear deal with the United States to address India’s growing energy demands.

In 1991, during a financial crisis, he was appointed finance minister by then Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao. Singh introduced sweeping reforms that set India on the path to economic recovery and growth. In 2004, despite never having held an elected position, Singh was chosen as the Congress Party’s candidate for prime minister.