Prime Minister Narendra Modi extends birthday wishes to senior Congress leader and former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on his 88th birthday today.
“Birthday greetings to Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji. I pray to Almighty that he is blessed with a long and healthy life,” he said in a tweet.
Manmohan Singh was born on September 26, 1932, in Gag, now in Pakistan.
Singh is a well-known economist who became a politician and later country’s prime minister from 2004 to 2014.
Manmohan Singh was also the first prime minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to be re-elected after completing a full five-year term.
His political career began in 1991 when he was appointed as the country’s Finance Minister under the leadership of late prime minister PV Narasimha Rao.
He was praised and marked his name in golden letters in the Indian history during his tenure as Fin Min as he helped usher in “liberalisation and privatisation” to the Indian economy.
Rahul Gandhi also wished Singh saying, “India feels the absence of a PM with the depth of Dr Manmohan Singh. His honesty, decency and dedication are a source of inspiration for us all. Wishing him a very happy birthday and a lovely year ahead.”
The Congress party on the occasion of Singh’s birthday praised him as a dedicated leader who was always committed towards the overall well-being of each Indian.
“A dedicated leader’s primary aim is always to eradicate the worst evils that plague the society in the soonest & surest possible way. Today, we celebrate former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh’s commitment towards the overall well-being of each Indian,” it tweeted.