The last rites of Manmohan Singh, the two-time Prime Minister and a key architect of India’s economic liberalisation, will take place today in the capital with full state honours. His final journey will begin at 9:30 AM from the Congress headquarters.
On Friday, numerous leaders, including President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Kharge, paid their respects at Singh's residence in New Delhi. Chief ministers and foreign dignitaries also joined in honouring the late leader.
The Congress party has requested the central government to designate a specific site for a memorial in Singh's honour. Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge communicated with Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, who confirmed that space would be allocated for a memorial while allowing funeral arrangements to proceed.
Singh's body will be transported to the Congress headquarters at 8 AM, allowing the public and party workers to pay their tributes before the procession commences. The funeral is scheduled for 11:45 AM at Nigambodh Ghat crematorium.
In light of the state funeral, authorities have issued a traffic advisory, implementing diversions in key areas, including Raja Ram Kohli Marg and Rajghat Red Light. Restrictions will be in place on several roads from 7 AM to 3 PM.
The central government has declared a seven-day period of national mourning, lasting until January 1, during which the national flag will be flown at half-mast across the country and at all Indian missions abroad. A half-day holiday will also be observed in all central government offices and public sector undertakings today. Several states, including Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan, have also announced official mourning.
The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Modi, expressed condolences on Friday, describing Singh as an eminent statesman and distinguished leader. In a video message, Modi reflected on Singh's journey, emphasising his contributions to India's development and his legacy of honesty and simplicity.
The Congress Working Committee mourned Singh as a "true statesman" whose work significantly shaped India's destiny. They highlighted his pivotal role as Finance Minister during the early 1990s, which laid the groundwork for the country’s economic liberalization.
Tributes also came from Union Ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, along with BJP President JP Nadda. Various state leaders, including Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, paid their final respects.
Foreign dignitaries, including French President Emmanuel Macron and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, extended their condolences, recalling their diplomatic engagements with Singh.
Manmohan Singh served as Prime Minister from 2004 and is remembered as a distinguished economist who guided India through a financial crisis in 1991. His leadership was marked by significant economic growth and advancements in social welfare and infrastructure.