Manmohan Singh was cremated at Delhi’s Nigam Bodh ghat on Saturday, in the presence of President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several other dignitaries. The ceremony was also attended by dignitaries and family members, including his wife Gursharan Kaur and their three daughters: Upinder, Daman, and Amrit.
His wife, Gursharan Kaur is a professor, author, and kirtan singer, and their three daughters have carved out a distinguished career in their respective fields.
Manmohan Singh’s daughters
Upinder Singh, his eldest daughter, is a renowned historian and the Dean of Faculty at Ashoka University. She has authored several influential books on Indian history, including A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India and The Idea of Ancient India. She has also been awarded the Infosys Prize for Social Sciences in 2009. Upinder is married to noted author Vijay Tankha, who has written extensively on Ancient Greek Philosophy.
Daman Singh, the second daughter, is a writer and the author of several books, including Strictly Personal, a biography of her parents. She has also written extensively on social issues such as forest conservation in The Last Frontier: People and Forests in Mizoram. Daman is married to Ashok Patnaik, an IPS officer and former CEO of India’s National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID).
Amrit Singh, the youngest of the three, is an accomplished human rights lawyer based in the United States. She is a law professor at Stanford Law School and has been a key advocate for global human rights issues through her work with the Open Society Justice Initiative. She holds degrees from prestigious institutions including Yale Law School, Oxford, and Cambridge.
Manmohan Singh’s legacy
During his tenure as Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014, Manmohan Singh played a pivotal role in steering India’s economy through turbulent times. His leadership and vision helped modernize the country’s economy, earning him widespread respect and admiration. Some of his notable achievements include spearheading economic liberalization, implementing the Right to Information Act, and negotiating the India-US civil nuclear agreement.
Despite facing criticism from opponents, Singh remained committed to serving the nation. His humility and dedication earned him the respect of his peers and the public. As news of his passing spread, social media platforms were filled with tributes and condolences, including his iconic quote, “History will be kinder to me than the contemporary media.”