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Death and state funeral of Manmohan Singh

Official portrait, 2009
Date	26 December 2024 (2024-12-26) (date of death) 28 December 2024 (date of state funeral)
Location	AIIMS, Delhi (death) Nigambodh Ghat, Delhi (state funeral)

On 26 December 2024, Manmohan Singh, the 13th prime minister of India and 24th minister of finance, died due to various health complications at the age of 92. Following his death, the Government of India announced a nationwide seven-day state mourning period until 1 January 2025. He was given a state funeral on 28 December 2024. His lying in state occurred at the All India Congress Committee headquarters in Delhi.

Background

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Singh, a chronic diabetic, underwent multiple cardiac bypass surgeries, the last of which took place in January 2009. In May 2020, Singh was hospitalised at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) due to a negative reaction from his medication. In April 2021, Singh was hospitalised after testing positive for COVID-19. In October 2021, Singh was hospitalised again at the AIIMS after experiencing weakness and fever.

On 26 December 2024, Singh collapsed at his home in New Delhi and was admitted to the emergency department of AIIMS Delhi. Singh died a few hours after his hospitalisation at the age of 92. The government subsequently announced a period of national mourning until 1 January 2025 and said that it would accord Singh a state funeral.

Death and subsequent events

All India Institute of Medical Sciences released a statement on 26 December 2024, announcing that Manmohan Singh died at 9:51 pm. Singh was being treated for age-related illnesses and "had sudden loss of consciousness at home" earlier that day.

Following his death, the Government of India declared seven days of state mourning throughout India from 26 December to 1 January, both days inclusive, with flags at half mast throughout India during the period of state mourning. The government also announced that Singh will be accorded a state funeral.

On 27 December, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, passed a Condolence Resolution in the memory of Singh. The Cabinet also observed a two-minute silence. The resolution read, in part:

Dr. Manmohan Singh has left his imprint on our national life. In his passing away, the Nation has lost an eminent statesman, renowned economist and a distinguished leader.

Further, it was announced by the president's secretariat that the change of guard ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 28 December will not take place due to national mourning.

State funeral

The state funeral for Manmohan Singh occurred in the nation's capital on 28 December 2024. His eldest daughter lit the funeral pyre at the crematorium in front of President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and senior members of Singh's Congress Party. Foreign dignitaries such as the King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Mauritius Foreign Minister Dhananjay Ramful were also in attendance. Singh received full state honours in a ceremony that included a 21-gun salute. Following his death on 26 December, the government declared seven days of national mourning.

Memorial

The Government of India announced that a trust will be formed for a memorial to Manmohan Singh, following which space will be allocated for it.

Reactions

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India

 India:

• President Droupadi Murmu said: "“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”.
• Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said he was "deeply pained" to learn about Singh's passing. He hailed Singh as "a distinguished economist who transformed India's economic landscape". "A Padma Vibhushan awardee and architect of India's economic liberalisation in 1991, he boldly steered our nation through a critical transition, opening new pathways for growth and prosperity", the vice-president added.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X: "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". On 27 December, Modi paid tribute to Singh in a video message, saying: "His commitment to the people and the nation's development will forever be held in high regard. Dr. Manmohan Singh ji's life was a reflection of honesty and simplicity. He was an extraordinary parliamentarian. His humility, gentleness, and intellect defined his parliamentary life".
• Former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda said: " simple and honest man".
• Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah expressed deep grief over Singh's passing and said that "from being Governor of the Reserve Bank of India to Finance Minister of the country and Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh ji played an important role in the governance of the country".
• Union Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman called him: "Soft-spoken and gentle."

International

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Not many people know this, and it is time that I share it with Malaysians: during the years of my incarceration, he extended a kindness that he didn't have to – one that was neither politically expedient nor, as one can imagine, appreciated by the Malaysian government at that time. Yet, true to his character, he did it anyway. He offered scholarships for my children, particularly my son, Ihsan. Although I had declined the gracious offer, such a gesture undoubtedly showed his extraordinary humanity and generosity, demonstrative, as the Bard would have it, of a man so full of the "milk of human kindness".

Several countries sent condolences.

•  Afghanistan: Former president Hamid Karzai said: "India has lost one of its most illustrious sons". He described Singh as "an unwavering ally and friend to the people of Afghanistan".
•  Bangladesh: Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus conveyed his "profound grief and deep condolences" over the demise of Manmohan Singh, calling him a "close friend". Yunus described Singh as "a person of great humility, a visionary leader, a statesman, who was known for his unwavering commitment to ensuring the welfare of the people of India". The chief adviser also recalled a congratulatory message he received from Singh after winning the Nobel Peace Prize in October 2006. In 31 December 2024, he visited the Indian High Commission in Dhaka and payed floral respect to Singh.
•  Brazil: President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said he and Singh "were government contemporaries in the first decade of the 21st century and we worked together to grow relations between our countries and build a fairer world". "Singh participated in the creation of IBSA, bringing together Brazil, South Africa and India, and in the founding of BRICS. In 2012, when I was no longer president, we met in New Delhi and talked a lot about development, combating poverty and hunger, and cooperation in the Global South," he said.
•  Bhutan:
  • Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay described Singh as "a remarkable statesman and a cherished friend of Bhutan", whose "wisdom, compassion, and leadership touched many lives, and also strengthened the bond between our two countries". He added, "India's loss is immense, and his legacy will remain in our hearts forever".
  • The King of Bhutan, the Fourth Druk Gyalpo and the Queen Mothers offered prayers and butterlamps at the Kuenray of Tashichhodzong for Manmohan Singh on 27 December. Similar prayer ceremonies were also held across all 20 Dzongkhags. Additionally, all Bhutanese flags across the country and at Bhutan's embassies, missions, and consulates abroad were flown at half-mast.
  • The King of Bhutan was also in attendance at Singh's state funeral in New Delhi.
•  Canada:
  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: "Manmohan Singh's passing is a loss for India and the world. As one of its longest-serving leaders, he transformed the country's economy, lifted millions out of poverty, and built strong bridges with the world — including Canada."
  • Former prime minister Stephen Harper said: "I am saddened to learn of the passing of my former colleague, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. He was an individual of exceptional intelligence, integrity, and wisdom".
•  China:
  • Foreign Ministry of China spokesperson Mao Ning said: "Mr. Singh, a senior statesman and renowned economist, will be remembered for his vital contribution to closer China-India ties. As India's Prime Minister, he oversaw the establishment of China-India strategic and cooperative partnership for peace and prosperity and the agreement on the political parameters and guiding principles for the settlement of the boundary question. We mourn for his passing and extend sincere condolences to his family and the government and people of India."
  • Chinese ambassador to India Xu Feihong said: "Deeply saddened by the passing of former Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, an outstanding leader who is widely revered by the Indian people. Heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones."
•  France: President Emmanuel Macron said: "India has lost a great man, and France a friend, in the person of Dr. Manmohan Singh. He had dedicated his life to his country. Our thoughts are with his family and the people of India."
•  Japan: Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, and Minister for Foreign Affairs Takeshi Iwaya, respectively sent letters of condolences to Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, and Minister of External Affairs of India Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, expressing "sincere condolences" and paying tribute to Manmohan Singh for "his endeavors which built the foundation for the development of Japan-India relations of today".
•  Malaysia: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim paid tribute to Singh describing him as "my mitra, my bhai". He said: "Obituaries, essays and books a plenty there will surely be about this great man, celebrating him as the architect of India’s economic reforms. As Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh was the midwife of India's emergence as one of the world's economic giants". Ibrahim also shared a personal anecdote involving Singh's offer of scholarships for his children during his imprisonment.
•  Maldives: President Mohamed Muizzu sent condolences and said "On behalf of Maldivian people and myself, I join the people of India in mourning the passing of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh".
•  Mauritius:
  • Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam said: "It is with profound sadness that I have just learnt of the passing away of Dr. Manmohan Singh, former Prime Minister of India. I first met him when I was Leader of the opposition and he came to Mauritius on an official visit, prior to the 2005 election. Dr. Manmohan Singh was a gentleman politician and an eminent economist, who transformed India's economic landscape. His humility, integrity & calmness will always be remembered."
  • Minister of Foreign Affairs Ritish Ramful said: "The former prime minister was a very close friend of the people of Mauritius during his terms of office, between 2004 to 2014. During that term, he had always done his best to promote this special relationship, this special bond between the two nations." Ramful was also in attendance at Singh's state funeral in New Delhi.
  • The Mauritian government announced that all flags would be flown at half-mast on all government buildings until sunset on the day of Singh's funeral.
•  Russia:
  • President Vladimir Putin said: "Manmohan Singh was an outstanding statesman".
•  United States:
  • President Joe Biden said: "During this difficult time, we recommit to this vision to which Prime Minister Singh dedicated his life. And Jill and I send our deepest condolences to former First Lady Gursharan Kaur, their three children, and all the people of India".
•  Venezuela:

References

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