Former Indian Prime Minister as well as Rajya Sabha MP from Assam Dr Manmohan Singh turns 86 on Wednesday. He was born in Gag, now in Pakistan, on this day in 1932. Singh, an economist turned politician, was India’s Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014.
During his first term as Prime Minister from 2004 to 2009, his ministry executed several key legislations like Right to Information Act, Rural Health Mission, Unique Identification Authority and Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.
On his birthday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and other leaders greeted him on Wednesday.
“Greetings to our former Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh ji, on his birthday. I pray for Dr Singh’s long life and good health,” PM Modi said on twitter.
“Manmohan Singh Ji’s birthday is an opportunity for us to appreciate and remember his many years of selfless service and dedication to the cause of nation building. I wish him a very Happy Birthday and good health and happiness always,” Rahul Gandhi tweeted.
A member of the Indian National Congress, Dr Manmohan Singh joined the Rajya Sabha (upper chamber of Parliament) in 1991. He was the finance minister of India till 1996 in PV Narsimha Rao cabinet. In 1999, he was defeated in Lok Sabha elections.
It was former Assam chief minister Late Hiteswar Saikia who offered Dr Manmohan Singh a Rajya Sabha ticket from Assam when Dr Singh was inducted as the union finance minister in P V Narsimha Rao cabinet. His address has been listed as a rented premise of Late Hiteswar Saikia and in the electoral roll it is mentioned as House no. 3989 in Sorumataria area of Guwahati.