Guide Note

Manmohan Singh is the current Prime Minister of India, and the first Sikh to be elected to the office. He made a name for himself during his term as Finance Minister, in which he organized nation-wide economic reform. Singh was appointed Prime Minister after Sonia Gandhi declined to accept the position.

Fast Facts

1. Born: September 26, 1932 in [[Gah], Pakistan
2. Political party: Indian National Congress (INC)
3. 14th Prime Minister of India
4. Assumed office: May 22, 2004
5. Preceded by: Atal Bihari Vajpayee
6. Previous Finance Minister under Prime Minister Narasimha Rao
7. In office: 1991 - 1996
8. Wife: Gursharan Kaur
9. Known for successful economic reforms as Finance Minister
10. Appointed—not elected—Prime Minister after Sonia Gandhi refused the position

Singh studied economics at both Cambridge and Oxford University. As Finance Minister, his reforms bolstered a previously-sagging Indian economy. Throughout his five-year term, the national economy increased annually by 7%.¹

Singh was not elected to by Prime Minister. Rather, he was appointed the position after Sonia Gandhi, who was the elected head of the Indian National Congress, chose to step down. He was chosen mainly due to collected, slightly reserved personal image, which is viewed by some as beneficial for the nation's image as a whole,² and by others as a sign of weakness³