On what would have been one of modern India's most consequential economic minds' birth anniversary, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy paid heartfelt tribute to former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on 26 September 2026, remembering him as 'an economist of global stature, a statesman of integrity and a dedicated public servant.'

The reformer who rewrote India's economic story

Dr. Manmohan Singh's legacy rests on a single, seismic moment — 1991, when India stood at the edge of a balance-of-payments crisis and he, as Union Finance Minister, chose to open the economy rather than close ranks. Liberalisation, privatisation, globalisation — the three words that would define a generation of Indian growth — flowed from his landmark Budget. CM Revanth Reddy's tribute specifically acknowledged this turning point, calling it 'a watershed in India's economic journey.'

Dr. Singh subsequently served as Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014, presiding over two terms during which India posted some of its fastest GDP growth rates. He is remembered across party lines for a governing style defined by quiet authority — speaking rarely, but with weight — and for a commitment to inclusive growth that shaped flagship welfare programmes of that era.

Cross-party respect and Telangana's place in the memory

CM Revanth Reddy, who leads the Indian National Congress government in Telangana since December 2023, belongs to the same party that Dr. Singh served with distinction. That shared political home gives the tribute a particular resonance — but the acknowledgement of Singh's economics reaches beyond partisanship. State chief ministers across the political spectrum have routinely marked Dr. Singh's birth anniversary, a testament to the breadth of his influence on India's policy architecture.

Telangana itself, a state carved out in 2014, is a product of the post-liberalisation India that Dr. Singh helped build — a state whose IT corridors, manufacturing zones, and agricultural reforms all operate within the market-oriented framework he helped establish three decades ago.

A legacy that outlasts office

CM Revanth Reddy's statement closed with a forward-facing note: 'His humility, wisdom and unwavering dedication to public service continue to inspire generations.' It is the kind of tribute that carries a quiet instruction — a reminder, perhaps to his own administration, of what measured, integrity-driven governance can achieve.

Dr. Manmohan Singh may no longer hold office, but the economic architecture he built continues to underpin nearly every serious policy debate in India today. That is a legacy not many statesmen can claim.