The Sikh Foundation - Community Profiles

Dr. Manmohan Singh earned his reputation as a fair, diligent public servant as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, and more prominently as the head of the Finance Ministry under Prime Minister Narasimha Rao. During his tenure as an economic bureaucrat, he sponsored liberal economic policies which have generally been credited with India’s economic turnaround and with its strength today.

Dr. Manmohan Singh was born in Gah, in West Punjab, on September 26^th, 1932. He was educated at Punjab University, Cambridge, and earned his doctorate in economics at Oxford University. After completing his education, he served as a professor at various institutes of higher learning before accepting a position

at the Ministry of Foreign Trade in 1971.

So far as Prime Minister, Dr. Singh has balanced his attention between domestic and foreign affairs. His administration has focused on debt relief for poor farmers, and tax subsidies and economic incentives for industrial development, as well as reducing religious and ethnic tensions between Indian Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs. Internationally, the ongoing peace process with Pakistan has taken center stage for Dr. Singh’s term, and several high level visits between Dr. Singh and President Pervez Musharraf have already yielded results in terms of decreased terrorism and reduced tensions on the border.

Dr. Singh’s reputation is that of a fair and untainted politician in an otherwise sullied environment. The Rao administration under which he originally served as the Secretary of Finance was brought down by scandal, but Dr. Manmohan Singh emerged unscathed. Dr. Singh has a reputation for being shy and reserved, and takes care to display humility and maturity in all of his decisions.

Perhaps most significant to the Sikh community is the fact that Dr. Manmohan Singh is the first Sikh Prime Minister of India. In fact, Dr. Singh is the first non-Hindu Prime Minister in a line of 14 successors. He was encouraged to take the post by Sonia Gandhi, who was herself considered the primary candidate for the job. This move by Gandhi was seen as a strong signal in favor of minority recognition. To Sikhs, it carries special weight, as Sonia’s mother-in-law Indira Gandhi was primarily responsible for Operation Bluestar. Dr. Singh’s appointment may go a substantial distance towards bridging gaps between Hindu and Sikh communities.

Dr. Manmohan Singh recently concluded a visit to the United States. This overture to the American government marks a high point in Indo-American relations in recent history, and provides hope that India and America can collaborate on a broad array of issues of mutual concern. Though the visit received less attention from American news media, the foreign press has stated that it represents one of the most significant achievements in Indo-American relations in the last decade. During the visit, Dr. Singh spoke on the floor of Congress and had several meetings with President George Bush, including a joint press conference.

Overall, Dr. Singh has proven himself a balanced leader, willing to break ranks with his own party when he deems it necessary in order to help the people of India. It is this independent-minded approach to leadership that has earned him a reputation as an honest broker and a wise head of state. The Sikh community has every reason to be proud of his accomplishments, both as an economic advisor and now as Prime Minister. He is a shining example of an honest politician in a world where that phrase has come to be regarded as an oxymoron, and the Sikh community is honored that he is a representative of our faith.

At a Joint Press Conference With President Bush

With Leaders From Japan, Brazil, and Germany