New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, along with several other leaders, extended their greetings to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on his 92nd birthday on Thursday.
"Birthday greetings to former PM Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji. I pray that he is blessed with a long and healthy life," PM Modi posted on X.
Rahul Gandhi wished the Congress party veteran and said on X, "Happy Birthday to Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji. Your humility, wisdom, and selfless service in shaping our country's future continue to inspire me and millions of Indians. Wishing you good health and happiness always!"
Extending wishes, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge called Manmohan Singh a "visionary statesman."
"On the occasion of his birthday, I extend my warmest wishes to Former Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh ji. He stands as a rare embodiment of simplicity, dignity and ingenuity in the realm of politics. A visionary statesman, whose actions spoke louder than words, we remain deeply grateful for his tremendous and invaluable contributions to the nation. Wishing him good health, happiness and a long life ahead," Mallikarjun Kharge posted on X.
Manmohan Singh was born on September 26, 1932. Apart from being an economist, Manmohan Singh served as Reserve Bank of India governor from 1982-1985. He was the 13th PM of India with his tenure from 2004-2014 and was the longest serving PM after Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.
Serving as the finance minister of India in PV Narsimha Rao's government, Singh has been given credit for economic liberalisation in the country in 1991. The reforms made the Indian economy more accessible for foreign investors, which increased FDI and reduced government control. It greatly contributed to the country's economic growth.
Manmohan Singh's government also introduced the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), which later came to be known as MGNREGA.
The Right to Information Act (RTI) was passed in 2005 under the Manmohan Singh government, which made the transparency of information between the government and the public better.