'As PM, can't let any Indian go without food', recalls Dr Singh's agri secy

As the nation mourns the loss of one of its most respected statesmen Manmohan Singh, his former food and agriculture secretary T Nanda Kumar on Friday shared his memories of working with the former prime minister during some of India's most challenging times.

Manmohan Singh, whose leadership was defined by compassion and intellect, passed away in New Delhi on Thursday night at the age of 92.

Recalling his first one-on-one meeting with Singh in 2006, Nanda Kumar said India was facing a shortage of what at that time and it was decided to import it, sparking criticism from several quarters.

Nanda Kumar said he went to the prime minister to talk over the issue.

"He heard me patiently and explained, like the professor he was, the need to augment supplies when demand outstripped availability. He told me, 'as prime minister, I cannot let any Indian go without food'. That summed up the basis of his decisions," Nanda Kumar recounted to PTI.

"This ethos guided Singh's leadership during crises," Kumar said. "In 2007, when I raised concerns about recurring shortages, Prime Minister Singh encouraged me to develop solutions."  The outcome was the launch of several key initiatives such as the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana to boost agricultural productivity, the National Food Security Mission to enhance rice and wheat yields, and an increase in buffer stock norms by five million tonnes to prepare for emergencies, he added.

During the 2008 global food crisis, Nanda Kumar had to propose a ban on non-basmati rice exports to secure domestic supplies. He said PM Singh firmly supported the move despite resistance. "I have to take care of the needs of my countrymen and women before sending food to other countries," Nanda Kumar recalled the prime minister having said.

According to Kumar, this decision proved critical during the 2009 drought, ensuring food security without resorting to imports.

Nanda Kumar also fondly remembered Singh's discussions with C Rangarajan, who was the Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the PM, on food and agriculture policy.

"Those meetings were like two eminent economists discussing the national economy, and I was the student, listening to them in awe. His grasp of numbers, humility, and simplicity were life lessons for me," he said.

For Nanda Kumar, Singh was not just the prime minister but a mentor and a guiding light. "The relationship between a secretary and the PM is clearly defined in the rulebook. But for me, he was a guru. I consider myself fortunate to have known him and worked with him for close to seven years," Nanda Kumar said.

Nanda Kumar served during Manmohan Singh's tenure as the food secretary and agriculture secretary from 2006 to 2010, and later as a member of the National Disaster Management Authority from 2010 to 2014.

Manmohan Singh, known as the architect of India's economic reforms, faced a trial by fire to ensure widespread acceptance of his pathbreaking 1991 Union budget that saw the nation rise from its darkest financial crises.

A seven-day state mourning will be observed throughout the country as a mark of respect to the former prime minister who passed away last night. During the mourning, the national flag will be flown at half-mast across India.