Dr. Manmohan Singh , India's Prime Minister

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
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Indian Prime Minister (elect) Dr. Manmohan Singh was born in present day Pakistan, and Pakistan’s President was born in New Delhi, India. Hopefully they should solve the differences between two countries. He plans to continue the steps taken by PM Vajpayee.

Full name: Manmohan Singh

Is this the same man who was the ‘darling of the middle classes’ in the 1990s?

Yes, it’s the same Manmohan Singh.

And the first Union finance minister to present five successive Budgets?

That’s him.

So why is he in the news now?

With Congress President Sonia Gandhi turning down the prime minister’s post, he is the man marked out to replace her.

Why him?

Because Singh is a non-controversial politician with a clean image. Moreover, he is a man whom Sonia Gandhi can trust, both to do his job and to not challenge her position.

What is his personal background?

Manmohan Singh was born to Gurmukh Singh and Amrit Kaur in Gah, now in West Punjab, Pakistan, on September 26, 1932. He married Gursharan Kaur on September 14, 1958. They have three daughters.

Is he a Sikh?

Yes, Manmohan Singh is a follower of the Sikh faith.

Was he the first Sikh to hold such an important Cabinet rank?

No, there have been several senior Sikh ministers in Indian governments since Independence. Most notably, there was Sardar Baldev Singh, India’s first defence minister. Sardar Swaran Singh, one of India’s finest ministers for external affairs. Giani Zail Singh and Buta Singh have held the home portfolio.

Was Manmohan Singh the first Sikh to be Union finance minister?

That is correct.

What was his qualification to be finance minister?

Manmohan Singh is a professional economist. He did his MA in economics, followed by a DPhil from Oxford University. He had his education at the universities of Punjab, Cambridge and Oxford. He has also been conferred with several honorary DLitt degrees.

What positions did he hold before becoming finance minister?

Dr Singh began as a lecturer in Punjab University, his alma mater, in 1957 and went on to become professor of international trade at the Delhi School of Economics.

So he was an academic?

Yes, but he quit academics in 1971 and took up a government position for the first time as economic adviser to the ministry of foreign trade.

From 1972 to 1976 he was chief economic adviser in the Union finance ministry. In 1976 he was named a director of the Reserve Bank of India and the Industrial Development Bank of India. In September 1982 he was named RBI governor and continued in that post till January 1985.

A day after he retired as RBI governor, Dr Singh was named deputy chairman of the Planning Commission. He remained deputy chairman till July 1987. He was economic adviser to Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar from December 10, 1990, to March 14, 1991.

So he was an academic turned bureaucrat!

Yes, and you can add ‘turned politician.’

When did that happen?

When the Congress returned to power with a minority government in June 1991 and P V Narasimha Rao, the man who was pitchforked into the prime minister’s chair by the assassination of party president Rajiv Gandhi, handpicked Manmohan Singh to be his finance minister. It was as finance minister that Manmohan Singh, the faceless academic turned bureaucrat, was transformed into the darling of the middle classes when he became the man to introduce India to economic liberalisation and globalisation.

So Narasimha Rao brought him into politics?

Yes, Rao introduced him to active politics by making him a Rajya Sabha member from Assam.

Why Assam?

Because that is where the Congress was certain of winning a seat. Punjab was under President’s rule at the time.

So is Manmohan Singh a resident of Assam now?

For the record, yes, his permanent address is in Guwahati. But as a Member of Parliament he lives in New Delhi.

How long has he been an MP?

He has been a member of the Rajya Sabha since 1991, being re-elected in 1996 and 2001.

So he has never been a Lok Sabha member?

No, not yet. He did contest the Lok Sabha election in 1999 from South Delhi, but lost to Vijay Kumar Malhotra of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Back to economics. So is Manmohan Singh a free-market economist?

No.

But wasn’t he the man who introduced economic liberalisation?

Yes, but he had no choice in the matter at the time. Manmohan Singh had grown up in an era when Socialism was the prevailing doctrine, but he was practical enough to see in 1991 that there was no option before the country but to open up the economy.

So what is his position now?

He is in favour of continuing the reform process, but with a ‘human face.’

And that means?

That means he wants the reforms to benefit the poorer sections of society rather than just the elite. He also wants to ensure that the process of reform does not hurt the poor.

http://www.parliamentofindia.nic.in/rs/kiosk/rsfinal3/whoswho/alpha_m9.htm

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It is really interesting.

Did Sonia leave the PM ship because she is this devoted politician who didn't want her foreign origin to become a hindrance in her parties & the country's progress?

Or did she do it out of fear as her husband & her mother in law got assassinated?

Did he she do it out of intimidation of BJP?

Or did she do it out of personal reasons.

Maybe all the above?

Another interesting thing is how the democracy in the east is so different from the democracy in the west. Did anyone see the pictures of those who put a gun to their head or scared their chest in protest? I remember in Pakistan, when Ijazul Huq left his seat from Toba Tek Singh as he had won another from Rawalpindi, sparked one of his supporters to commit suicide.

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I dont know why the foreign investors pulled out money from the Indian stock market when Sonia was supposed to be PM with the help of the Leftists (Communists). Pretty much the world market went down on Monday, because of the turmoil in India.

Maybe Sonia Gandhi was afraid that the economy would collapse if she did not bring the right leadership.

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by ahmadjee: *

Or did she do it out of fear as her husband & her mother in law got assassinated?

[/QUOTE]

All except this one.

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ok, so does this mean that Mr. Manmohan Singh will create the government without the help of Leftists (Communists)?

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by ahmadjee: *
ok, so does this mean that Mr. Manmohan Singh will create the government without the help of Leftists (Communists)?
[/QUOTE]

No left will always be there. Congress cannot make government without the help of left.

Currect Seat position is such that,it is very difficult to put a non-BJP government without the help of Communist.It is almost impossible.

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New PM: triumph of the Indian pro

ECONOMICTIMES.COM THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2004 12:02:02 AM ]
When Manmohan Singh is sworn in as India ’s Prime Minister, it will be a triumph of the new symbol of India ’s global success: the professional.

The thousands of pros – from the infotech, services and manufacturing sectors – from around the country who have put India on the global map as a powerhouse of business talent can now look up to Singh as their poster boy.

After all, what else is Singh but a pro in the true sense of the word? He will be the first Prime Minister of India who has not cut his teeth on politics: he was an economist and academician by profession and a former governor of the Reserve Bank of India (that also makes him the first potential PM to have his signature on currency notes).

Indeed, while Singh’s innings in the Congress party spans many years, his external political activity, in terms of vote-gathering, has been unexciting. He has lost the Lok Sabha elections the only time he contested, from Delhi , and is currently a member of the Rajya Sabha from Assam . Singh’s real focus, as befits a true pro, has been on organisational and administrative tasks while the Congress was out of power, besides, of course, on the Finance Ministry when he was the Finance Minister in the Narasimha Rao administration.

Clearly, what Singh brings to the table as Prime Minister is not political craft or popular support, but the competencies and skills of someone who can grapple with intellectual issues, formulate strategies for action and execute them. The other aspect of a top-flight pro – managing a high-performing team – will now be called into action after he takes charge of the coalition government in New Delhi .

This triumph of the professional probably augurs well for India as well as India, Inc. As with pros in a corporation, Singh’s allegiance will be to setting and meeting objectives, leading a cross-functional team of other professionals, creating strategies for competing, and adapting to the external and internal environment. And he will lead by example, using his own skills as an economic policymaker to set and fulfil the agenda for Government, Inc.

While Sonia Gandhi may not have picked Singh specifically for his experience in North Block – despite the obvious demand from India, Inc. for a business-friendly administration – there could not have been a better time for this unique combination of professional competencies and experience in economic management. But, more important, the move signals that the Indian professional has been rewarded the way he deserves to be for using his skills to power India and India, Inc. on a globalised growth path.

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WSJ also had a good piece endorsing him today along with the NYTimes.

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Let me get this straight, he is a member of Rajiya Sabha (Senate?) in India, but is not a member of Lok Sabha (National Assembly?)? Means, he is not directly elected by the people, is that correct?

I know in Pakistan, a PM has to be a member of National Assembly (right?), so is there a similar requirement in India as well or can a Rajiya Sabha member be a PM. There is usually a grace period in Pakistan where if a party appoints a non-MNA as PM, the person has to get elected onto a vacant seat within specified time (2 months or 6 months).

Whats the deal in India?

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Faisal: *
Let me get this straight, he is a member of Rajiya Sabha (Senate?) in India, but is not a member of Lok Sabha (National Assembly?)? Means, he is not directly elected by the people, is that correct?

I know in Pakistan, a PM has to be a member of National Assembly (right?), so is there a similar requirement in India as well or can a Rajiya Sabha member be a PM. There is usually a grace period in Pakistan where if a party appoints a non-MNA as PM, the person has to get elected onto a vacant seat within specified time (2 months or 6 months).

Whats the deal in India?
[/QUOTE]

Pretty much same as Pakistan.

He has to win a LokSabha(Lower hOuse ) seat within Six months of him taking the office.It has happened in Past,I think in case of Gujral.

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Here is the article

In a turn of events seemingly tailor-made to demonstrate India’s diversity and capacity for coexistence, Mrs. Gandhi, raised a Roman Catholic, is making way for a Sikh prime minister who will be sworn in by a Muslim president, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/20/international/asia/20indi.html

May 19, 2004
REVIEW & OUTLOOK
Global Delhi
May 19, 2004; Page A18

It wasn’t too many years ago that an election in India would have produced a yawn heard 'round the world. In the past week, the upset victory by the left-leaning Congress Party over the reformist BJP has roiled markets both inside India and just about everywhere else. Welcome to the global economy, Delhi.

India has become well known in America for insourcing jobs from hundreds of U.S. companies. But this week that nation discovered that the flip-side of such global commerce is that a country can “outsource” capital just as fast. India’s main stock market fell 6% the first day after the election, and another 11% on Monday before climbing back some 8% yesterday – as global investors readjusted their portfolios based on the election outcome.

Three main players seem to have been behind the cash flows: international hedge funds, proprietary trading desks and local margin traders. The first two account for much of the $7.7 billion in fixed and portfolio investment that outsiders poured into India last year, and around $4.3 billion at the peak for 2004.

By Friday, as the news of the BJP’s upset loss was sinking in, around $500 million had come out, says Jon Thorn, managing director of India Capital Fund in Hong Kong, where much foreign investment originates. The margin traders had to liquidate their positions to escape bankruptcy (a feat that not everyone accomplished), accelerating the sell-off. By Monday, the benchmark index of the Bombay Stock Exchange had given up one-fifth of its value from the peak.

Yesterday’s rebound offered a reprieve. But the message delivered by investors is that Delhi’s new government will have to prove its policy bona fides in the coming weeks. The burden of proof is especially high on a Congress government, given both its Fabian socialist history and its anti-market rhetoric during the recent campaign.

Its candidates promised free electricity to 78 million people in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, helping to overthrow the administration of one of the symbolic leaders of India’s technology boom. Congress has also opposed privatizing profitable state-owned enterprises, and it has formed an alliance with the Communist Party in order to form a majority in the parliament.

On the other hand, Congress’s leaders will want growth to continue, and the current era of Indian reform did begin under the rule of the late Congress Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. His widow, Sonia, led Congress during the campaign, but yesterday she said she was unlikely to seek to form a government herself. An Italian by birth, she has inspired some unsavory chauvinist sentiments in the Hindu-nationalist political opposition and media.

In her stead, the most reassuring candidate would be 71-year-old Manmohan Singh, who as finance minister energized economic reform after Rajiv was assassinated in 1991. Mr. Singh sent the right message yesterday, telling Reuters that “we will persist with the reform package . . . which strengthens the climate for enterprises in our country.” He and his party could learn from the record of Tony Blair, who turned Britain’s Labour Party from a socialist dinosaur into a successful reformist majority.

Another wild card will be Indian foreign policy, which under the BJP had forged a much warmer relationship with the U.S. and even Israel, which would like to sell India its Arrow missile defense system. A strong relationship with the U.S. certainly makes strategic sense for India, which wants to balance the Asian power of China as well as to have another voice influencing its historic-foe Pakistan. Ousted Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had reached out to Pakistan enough so that, for the first time in decades, a lasting settlement has seemed possible. Any change in those policies will also weigh on the minds of investors.

The lesson of the past week is that if India truly wants to become an economic power it has to pay heed to the global voters known as investors, in addition to its own voters at home. India now attracts attention as well as capital, and the same market forces that have helped to promote an economic revival will ruthlessly punish policy mistakes.

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according to the bbc and skynews, sonia gandhi decided against become the new pm of india cos' of asassination fears, as indera gandhi {mother-in-law} & rajiv gandhi {husband} were both asassinated and prolly' sonia felt she was numbered!! this is really dumb!!!! how can she be so sure she won't be assasinated { god forbid} even if she decides to stay just as head of congress party and not go for pm post?

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Dr Manmohan Singh will prove to be the best person to sort out the problem of the Babari Masjid/Ram Mandir dispute between the Hindus and the Muslims. It's nice to know that everybody likes him and trusts him.

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Hope Sonia Gandhi doesnt act like a Remote Control keeping all the power with her and he acting on her wishes.

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Good for Singh. Nice to see a minority Prime Minister in India. I dont think a minority could be President in the US.

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btw, Manmohan Singh is also of foreign origin, having been born in current day Pakistan.

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You cant call that foreign origin. Before 1947 present day Pakistan was part of India (ruled by British).

It is ridiculous calling Advani, and Singh to be of foreign origins while comparing to Sonia’s Italian origins.

http://pmindia.nic.in/
http://pmindia.nic.in/welcome.asp

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Manmohan Singh is a Technocrat ?

Manmohan singh is a technocrat ?

Who can we call a technocrat ?

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Technocracy - A government or social system controlled by technicians, especially scientists and technical experts.

Technocrat- An adherent or a proponent of technocracy.

so baisically a commie with a diploma in computer science etc. :smiley: I still like the guy, hes a multani afterall. :jhanda:

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^ I read in the morning that his birth place is a village near Chakwal Pakistan.

An auto machanic is definately a technocrat :)

So an MBA is a technocrat or not ?