Former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Passes Away

Manmohan Singh, the former Prime Minister of India, who was recognized as one of the most successful leaders in improving the country's economic conditions, passed away at the age of 92. According to a hospital in New Delhi, Mr. Singh was admitted to the medical center on Thursday, January 6, after losing consciousness, and he died around 10 PM local time. Several officials from various countries, including Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, expressed their condolences to the people of India regarding Mr. Singh's passing. Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, also wrote in a message: 'India mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished leaders.' Manmohan Singh was the first person from the Sikh faith to become Prime Minister of India, and during his ten years in office from 2004 to 2014, he led the country to unprecedented economic growth, rescuing hundreds of millions from absolute poverty, according to Reuters. The last two years of his government were tumultuous due to the exit of one of the coalition parties and the transformation of his party, the Indian National Congress, into a minority party, ultimately leading to a decisive victory for Narendra Modi's party in 2014 with promises to end the economic stalemate. Manmohan Singh was born into a poor family, earned his doctorate in economics from the University of Oxford in the UK, and before becoming Prime Minister, he served as the head of the central bank and then as the Minister of Finance of India.