India paid its final respects to Manmohan Singh, one of its longest-serving prime ministers, with a state funeral in Delhi. Singh, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 92, led the country from 2004 to 2014 and is widely regarded as the architect of India’s economic liberalization.
The funeral ceremony on Saturday was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who described Singh as one of India’s “most distinguished leaders.” Mourners lined the streets of the capital as Singh’s coffin, adorned with an Indian flag and floral garlands, was escorted by a military honor guard to the cremation grounds.
At the crematorium, Singh’s eldest daughter lit the funeral pyre in the presence of top officials, including President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, and members of Singh’s Congress Party. Foreign dignitaries such as Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Mauritius Foreign Minister Dhananjay Ramful also attended. The state funeral included full honors, with a 21-gun salute.
The government declared seven days of national mourning following Singh’s death. In a tribute, Prime Minister Modi praised Singh’s “wisdom and humility” and his efforts to improve lives as a leader. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called Singh a “mentor and guide,” while U.S. President Joe Biden credited Singh’s “strategic vision and political courage” for fostering unprecedented U.S.-India cooperation. Biden described him as a “true statesman” and a “kind and humble person.”
During his career, Singh profoundly shaped India’s economic trajectory. As finance minister in 1991, he introduced reforms that spurred rapid growth and famously declared in his budget speech, “No power on Earth can stop an idea whose time has come.” He continued these reforms as prime minister, lifting millions out of poverty and establishing India as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies.
The first Sikh to serve as India’s prime minister, Singh is remembered for formally apologizing in 2005 for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. He was also the first leader after Jawaharlal Nehru to be re-elected after completing a full term. However, his second term was overshadowed by corruption scandals that many believe contributed to his Congress Party’s resounding defeat in the 2014 general election.
