Former Indian prime minister dies at 92 from age-related illnesses

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Former Indian prime minister and renowned economist Doctor Manmohan Singh has died at the age of 92. Widely regarded as the architect of India’s economic liberalisation, he served two terms as leader.

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00:00Dr Munmohan Singh wasn't just a former Prime Minister, he was also a renowned economist

00:08and one of India's most respected public figures.

00:11He passed away a few hours ago in New Delhi after battling age-related illnesses.

00:15Now Dr Singh is credited as the man who liberalised India's economy.

00:20He rose to prominence as a technocrat, eventually serving as Finance Minister in the 1990s.

00:26Now that's when he introduced these sweeping reforms that opened India up to foreign investment

00:31and it laid the foundation for the country's rapid growth.

00:34He went on to serve two terms as Prime Minister, from 2004 to 2014.

00:39He was known as a quiet leader, he was often called the accidental Prime Minister because

00:44he was handpicked by Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi, rather than rising through the

00:49political ranks himself.

00:50He earned a reputation as a man of great integrity, steering India through a period of significant

00:56growth and stability.

00:58But his time in office wasn't without controversy.

01:01His second term was overshadowed by corruption scandals involving his ministers, which tarnished

01:06his image in the later years.

01:08Prime Minister Narendra Modi has paid tribute to Dr Singh, describing him as one of the

01:13country's most distinguished leaders, and said he'd made extensive efforts to improve

01:18people's lives.

01:19India will observe seven days of national mourning starting today.

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