Manmohan Singh, India’s former prime minister, died on Thursday at age 92 and is survived by his wife and three daughters.
The Context
Singh was regarded as a leader with integrity and was among India’s longest-serving prime ministers. He is credited for his work on the country’s economic policies as well as on a nuclear deal with the United States.
He served as the country’s prime minister for a decade, from 2004 to 2014.
What To Know
Singh was rushed to New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences on Thursday night following a “sudden loss of consciousness at home,” according to a statement from the hospital.
“Resuscitative measures were started immediately at home. He was brought to the Medical Emergency” at 8:06 p.m. local time, the hospital said, adding that “despite all efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 9:51 PM.”
The former leader is survived by his wife and three daughters. Here’s what we know about them:
Gursharan Kaur, His Wife
Singh’s wife, Gursharan Kaur, is 87 years old. She and Singh married in 1958, and they had three daughters together.
Kaur is an Indian history professor and author, as well as a Kirtan singer, a genre of devotional music.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and wife Gursharan Kaur show the ink marks on their index fingers after casting votes in the Indian parliamentary elections in Gauhati, India, on April 24, 2014. Singh died on… Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and wife Gursharan Kaur show the ink marks on their index fingers after casting votes in the Indian parliamentary elections in Gauhati, India, on April 24, 2014. Singh died on Thursday, survived by his wife and three daughters. AP Photo/Anupam Nath
Upinder Singh, His Eldest Daughter
Upinder Singh is a 65-year-old history professor at Ashoka University in India, according to her biography page on the university’s website. She previously taught at St. Stephen’s college and the University of Delhi.
She has a Master of Arts and a Master of Philosophy in history from the University of Delhi, as well as a doctorate from McGill University. She was awarded the Infosys Prize for Social Sciences, Humanities, in 2009.
Upinder Singh has authored several books about ancient India, with some focused on ancient culture, archaeology and political violence. Her most recent book, Ancient India: Culture of Contradictions, was published in 2021.
She has two children with husband Vijay Tankha, according to reporting from 2010 by the Hindustan Times.
Newsweek has reached out to Upinder Singh for comment and confirmation via email on Thursday.
Daman Singh, His Middle Daughter
Daman Singh, 61, is a writer. In 2015, she published Strictly Personal: Manmohan and Gursharan, a memoir about her parents and family before her father became prime minister in 2004. She has written several other books.
She is married to Ashok Patnaik, a senior Indian Police Service officer. In 2016, he was appointed CEO of the National Intelligence Grid, a post he served until 2018.
Amrit Singh, His Youngest Daughter
Amrit Singh is a human rights lawyer and professor of law at Stanford Law School. She received her bachelor’s degree in economics at Cambridge University, her Master of Philosophy in economics at Oxford University and her law degree at Yale Law School, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Before joining Stanford, Amrit Singh taught at other law schools, including Yale and New York University, and served as director of the Accountability Division at the Open Society Justice Initiative. She previously was a staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union for seven years.
She has served as legal counsel for the Open Society Justice Initiative in a case seeking accountability in the 2018 murder of Saudi journalist and Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.
Newsweek has reached out to Amrit Singh for comment and confirmation via email on Thursday.
What People Are Saying
Indian Prime Minster Narendra Modi, who succeeded Singh in 2014, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday: “India mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished leaders, Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji. Rising from humble origins, he rose to become a respected economist. He served in various government positions as well, including as Finance Minister, leaving a strong imprint on our economic policy over the years. His interventions in Parliament were also insightful. As our Prime Minister, he made extensive efforts to improve people’s lives.”
Indian President Droupadi Murmu wrote on X: “Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh Ji was one of those rare politicians who also straddled the worlds of academia and administration with equal ease. In his various roles in public offices, he made critical contributions to reforming Indian economy. He will always be remembered for his service to the nation, his unblemished political life and his utmost humility. His passing is a great loss to all of us. I pay my respectful homage to one of the greatest sons of Bharat and convey my heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and admirers.”
Rahul Gandhi, leader of the Indian opposition Lok Sabha party, said in a statement posted on X: “Manmohan Singh Ji led India with immense wisdom and integrity. His humility and deep understanding of economics inspired the nation. My heartfelt condolences to Mrs. Kaur and the family.”
What Happens Next
Indian National Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal posted on X that “all official programmes of the Indian National Congress, including the Foundation Day celebrations stand canceled for the next seven days.”
The seven-day national period of mourning includes halting “all the agitational and outreach programs. Party programmes will resume on 3rd January, 2025. The party flag will be flown at half mast during this period of mourning,” Venugopal wrote.
