Dr. Singh Emphasizes Greater Professional Goals for Press Clubs During Visit to Chandigarh

Chandigarh, Dec 27 (NationPress) “A Press Club must have an agenda, a larger professional purpose,” were the remarks of Dr. Manmohan Singh during his inaugural and final visit to the Press Club in Chandigarh, the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, on September 24, 2005, as the Prime Minister.

In his address at the Chandigarh Press Club’s silver jubilee, the esteemed economist-turned-politician expressed his delight in learning about the club's organization of the Panj Darya Media Conference in January, which united media figures from both Chandigarh and Lahore in Pakistan.

“The media can play a positive role in fostering better understanding between nations, communities, and social groups,” the first Sikh to occupy the nation’s highest office remarked.

Dr. Singh passed away on December 26 at the age of 92. He was born on September 26, 1932, in Gah, Punjab, which is now in Pakistan, and was a prominent economist and politician who served as Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014.

He extended his best wishes to the Chandigarh Press Club for its initiatives, stating, “I am sure that you will succeed in bringing about a significant change in the way the media is perceived in your city. This will inspire your colleagues in other cities to also follow suit.”

Local Member of Parliament Manish Tewari shared a personal connection, stating, “Former PM Manmohan Singh and I were neighbors at Panjab University (in Chandigarh). He has known me since my birth. I had the honor of serving as Union minister in his government.”

According to university officials, Dr. Singh, often acknowledged as the architect of modern India’s economic reforms, completed his Bachelor’s degree in Economics in 1952 and his Master’s degree in 1954, topping his class.

Born into a modest family in Punjab, he became a professor by the age of 32. His academic contributions included roles as a senior faculty lecturer from 1957 to 1959, Reader in economics from 1959 to 1963, and Professor of economics from 1963 to 1965.

He later pursued studies at both the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford before taking on international roles.

He was honored with an Honorary Doctor of Literature (D.Litt.) on March 12, 1983, and an Honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) on March 11, 2009.

Dr. Singh completed his early education and graduated in economics from Hindu College in Punjab’s Amritsar. His wife, Gursharan Kaur, also hails from this sacred city.

In 2018, he delivered the inaugural Professor S.B. Rangnekar Memorial Oration and donated 3,500 books from his personal library to his alma mater.

Panjab University, originally established in Lahore (now in Pakistan’s Punjab) in 1882, relocated to its current extensive campus in Chandigarh’s Sector 14 and 25 in 1956 following the country’s Partition in 1947. It stands as one of India's oldest universities.

The ‘Dr. Manmohan Singh Chair’ in Panjab University's Department of Economics was established in 2009 by university authorities while Dr. Singh was Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014.

One of his students, Professor P.S. Rangi, 79, believes Dr. Singh was far more than just an economics teacher at Panjab University. “For us, he was a mentor who left a lasting impact, shaping our lives with wisdom, humility, and dedication.”

He reminisced about Dr. Singh’s generosity, recalling how he hosted students at his residence on the Panjab University campus every Friday, allowing them to casually discuss their doubts over tea and snacks prepared by his wife.

Notable alumni of Panjab University include late former President Shankar Dayal Sharma, late former Prime Minister I.K. Gujral, Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra, Nobel laureate Har Gobind Khorana, Jnanpith award winner and Sanskrit scholar Satya Vrat Shastri, astronaut Kalpana Chawla, and the country’s first woman IPS officer Kiran Bedi, among many others.

Dr. Singh frequently visited Chandigarh, where he owned a residence in the upscale Sector 11. For years, he was a member of the governing body of the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID) and maintained a close relationship with its executive vice-chairman, the late Dr. Rashpal Malhotra.

In a moment of sorrow, MP Tewari expressed, “My association with late Dr. Manmohan Singh goes back to the time when my parents and he were neighbors at Panjab University… How strange are the ways of God! I was meant to visit him tomorrow (Saturday) morning. He was soft-spoken, erudite, intelligent, and firm—an inspiration for millions of young people, opening doors of opportunity with the economic liberalization in 1991.”

“Throughout the years, I shared a very warm personal relationship with him, including my role as Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting in his administration.”

“I recall moderating his extensive press conference on January 3, 2014, where he provided a detailed overview of his decade-long tenure as Prime Minister. Farewell, Sir… Another world awaits,” he concluded.

(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)