Thousands gather to pay final tribute to former PM Manmohan Singh

From political stalwarts to ordinary admirers, thousands united in grief and reverence at New Delhi’s Rakab Ganj Sahib Gurudwara, on Friday, to pay their tributes to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, whose quiet demeanour belied his transformative impact on India’s economy and polity.

 

“Given the stature of Singh Sahab, we had made arrangements for over 3,000 people,” said a member of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC). Among those attending were Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, and former chief ministers Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Ashok Gehlot, and a roster of other political luminaries.

 

Solemn shabads and a sea of mourners filled the prayer hall. The mood was contemplative as the strains of kirtan by Harjinder Singh Ji Sri Nagar Wale reverberated in the air. The ragi, a family favourite of the Singhs, had flown in from the US to pay his respects.

 

But political voices stirred outside. “Even if a large-sized memorial is not made today, we will get one made after getting back into power,” declared Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, former deputy chief minister of Punjab. His comments found an echo among other Congress leaders, who voiced their demands for greater recognition of Singh’s contributions. “Dr Singh’s contribution is beyond the Bharat Ratna; it is upon the government to decide if they want to confer him with one,” Randhawa added. 

 

Pratap Singh Bajwa, the leader of Opposition in Punjab, was more pointed. “Manmohan ji was the PM for 10 years. His cremation arrangements should have at least matched his contributions,” he said.

 

Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Devender Yadav, who was among the firsts to arrive, summed up Singh’s legacy with quiet conviction: “Manmohan ji was an example of why silence should not be misunderstood.” 

 

Inside the hall, however, Singh’s eldest daughter, Upinder Singh, gently reminded the gathering that this was a moment for prayer, not accolades. Gursharan Kaur, his wife, greeted mourners with folded hands; earlier in the day, she had sung a shabad during the Akhand Path at their residence, joined by Sonia Gandhi, Kharge, and former vice-president Hamid Ansari. 

 

Beyond the dignitaries, admirers of “Sardar Manmohan” came from far and wide. Among them was Kirat Singh, a Kashmiri resident temporarily in Delhi, who attended with his entire family. “His contribution to our economy and politics is huge,” he said. An 84-year-old admirer, Sardar Singh, had made the journey from Shahdara by bus, describing Singh’s actions and politics as “harmless.”

 

Video calls connected those who could not make it in person.

 

Condolences poured in from across the globe, too numerous for DSGMC to read aloud. Singh’s family, too, refrained from elaborate tributes. “The family is against the philosophy of singing praises,” said a DSGMC member.

 

Even so, the committee announced a series of initiatives to honour Singh’s memory: Scholarships for economics students, an institute named after him, photographs in all DSGMC-managed institutions, and an annual memorial event on December 26.