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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