Modi, Rahul wish Manmohan Singh on his 86th birthday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Congress President Rahul Gandhi and several politicians wished former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on his 86th birthday on Wednesday, praying for his long life and good health.

Modi tweeted: "Greetings to our former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh ji on his birthday. I pray for Dr Singh's long life and good health."

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted: "Birthday greetings and good wishes to former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh ji. May he be blessed with good health and long life."

Meanwhile, Gandhi extended his greetings to Manmohan Singh's selfless service to the nation.

"Manmohan Singh ji's birthday is an opportunity for us to appreciate and remember his many years of selfless service and dedication to the cause of nation building. I wish him a very happy birthday and good health and happiness always," he tweeted.

Praying for Manmohan Singh's long and healthy life, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted: "I wish a very happy 86th birthday to Dr Manmohan Singh, our former Prime Minister. A man of integrity, sobriety and humble nature. I pray for his long & healthy life."

Born in Gah, now in Pakistan, on September 26, 1932, Manmohan Singh served as the Prime Minister of India between 2004 and 2014 heading the United Progressive Alliance government.

Manmohan Singh, the first Sikh in office, 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 the then Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao.

After obtaining his doctorate in economics from Oxford University, Manmohan Singh worked for the UN during 1966-69. Over the 70s and 80s, he held several key posts in the Government of India, such as Chief Economic Advisor (1972-76), Reserve Bank Governor (1982-85) and Planning Commission head (1985-87).

--IANS

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