A PM Who Kept His Words Few and Work Eloquent
Mint New Delhi|December 30, 2024
Loudmouth politicians spent energies trying to prove Singh was weak. He wasn't
Shashi Shekhar

How will I be judged by history? Would this question have crossed Manmohan Singh's mind? Maybe. That was why he once said, "History would judge me more kindly." He was right.

Look at the newspaper headlines of the last three days. They are all filled with praise for him. Social media is replete with posts and videos related to him. For a society quick to forget even its greatest luminaries, such respect for a person who faded into political oblivion a decade ago is rare. The society will continue to respect the late former Prime Minister's work.

I'll give you a few examples to prove my point. One instance is from a time the Manmohan Singh government was considering a nuclear deal with the US. The leftist parties, whose support was vital to the government's survival then, opposed the deal. They threatened to withdraw support if the government went ahead with the deal. And the PM seemed to concede when he told the media: "Not all our wishes need to be realized, at times we have to step back for the greater good."

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM MINT NEW DELHIView all
Mint New Delhi

The Treasures of Nimrud Pieced Together Again

Archaeologists Have Been Reassembling Bas-Reliefs, Sculptures and Decorated Slabs

time-read
2 mins  |
January 09, 2025
Mint New Delhi

How Bhansali elevates the first encounter

An excerpt from a new book on the Hindi director considers the importance of first sightings in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's cinema

time-read
4 mins  |
January 09, 2025
Mint New Delhi

From arrack to wine, a bar crawl across Sri Lanka

Cocktail bars in the island nation are drawing on local traditions and flavours to give a heady twist to familiar spirits

time-read
3 mins  |
January 09, 2025
Mint New Delhi

Only human-centred AI can charm humans to adopt it

The AI industry could learn from carmakers how to focus on the consumer and modify perceptions

time-read
3 mins  |
January 09, 2025
Mint New Delhi

How Emerging Economies Could Prosper in a Protectionist World

As manufacturing export success gets harder, they should focus on service exports. These are unlikely to face big trade barriers

time-read
4 mins  |
January 09, 2025
Mint New Delhi

The Asian Dream Is Waking Up To Realities Of Middle-Class Life

Asians are realizing that staying middle-class is not guaranteed

time-read
3 mins  |
January 09, 2025
Mint New Delhi

Fix India's bond market to lift economic growth

As India's economy slows, we should revive public-private partnerships to attract private investment. But, for debt funding, we'll need to reform and invigorate our market for bonds

time-read
2 mins  |
January 09, 2025
Mint New Delhi

Lessons from the 75-year-old National Sample Survey

Its impressive history tells us much about innovation, autonomy and state-level data collection

time-read
3 mins  |
January 09, 2025
Mint New Delhi

We should let clarity prevail over nonsense: Here's a handy guide

We must use simple language, empathize with people, not take ourselves too seriously and be kind

time-read
4 mins  |
January 09, 2025
Mint New Delhi

Clear Goals and Discipline: How Small Investors Can Build Lasting Wealth

There is no one-size-fits-all, the answer will depend on your needs, personal preferences

time-read
3 mins  |
January 09, 2025