Manmohan Singh is an Indian politician and economist who served as the 13th Prime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014. He is widely recognized for his role in liberalizing India’s economy in the 1990s, which helped spur rapid economic growth and development. In this essay, we will explore the life and career of Manmohan Singh, highlighting his accomplishments and contributions to India’s political and economic landscape. Check the Essay on Manmohan Singh below.
Early Life and Education
Manmohan Singh was born on September 26, 1932, in Gah, Punjab (now in Pakistan), to a family of academics. He received his early education in Punjab and later obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Punjab University. He then went on to earn a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Cambridge, where he was a member of St John’s College. He also earned a DPhil in Economics from the University of Oxford.
Essay on Manmohan Singh – Career as an Economist
Manmohan Singh began his career as an economist in 1966, when he joined the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Geneva as a senior economic adviser. He subsequently held a number of high-profile positions, including Chief Economic Adviser to the Indian government (1972-76), Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (1982-85), and Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission (1985-87).
Economic Reforms
Manmohan Singh is perhaps best known for his role in spearheading economic reforms in India in the 1990s. As Finance Minister in the government of Prime Minister Narasimha Rao, he implemented a series of liberalization measures that dismantled many of the country’s longstanding socialist policies and opened up the economy to foreign investment and competition. These measures included deregulating industry, reducing import tariffs, and liberalizing foreign investment rules.
The reforms led to a surge in economic growth, with India’s GDP growing at an average rate of 6-7% per year in the decade following their implementation. The reforms also helped attract foreign investment and make India a more competitive player in the global economy.
Political Career
Manmohan Singh’s success as Finance Minister led to his appointment as Prime Minister in 2004, following the victory of the Indian National Congress in that year’s general election. During his tenure, he oversaw a number of significant reforms, including the Right to Information Act, which gave citizens greater access to government information, and the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, which provided a legal guarantee of 100 days of employment to every rural household.
Foreign Policy
Manmohan Singh also played a significant role in shaping India’s foreign policy during his tenure as Prime Minister. He pursued closer ties with the United States, culminating in the signing of the historic US-India Civil Nuclear Agreement in 2008. He also worked to improve relations with China, Japan, and other Asian countries, and played a leading role in the formation of the G-20, a group of major world economies that includes India.
Criticism and Controversies
Despite his many accomplishments, Manmohan Singh’s tenure as Prime Minister was not without controversy. He was criticized for his handling of a number of issues, including corruption scandals that rocked his government and allegations of mishandling the Indian economy.
One of the most significant controversies during his tenure was the 2G spectrum allocation scandal, in which a government audit alleged that a number of telecommunications companies had received 2G licenses at below-market rates, resulting in a potential loss of billions of dollars to the government. The scandal led to the arrest and prosecution of several high-profile government officials, including the former Telecom Minister, A. Raja.