Author Archives: admin

INSV Tarini with two woman Navy officers begins third leg of circumnavigation

Woman Navy officers Lt Cdr Dilna K. and Lt Cdr Roopa A began the journey on October 2, 2024 from Lyttelton Port in New Zealand to Port Stanley in Falkland Islands, the longest leg of the expedition with a distance of approximately 10,400 km to cover.

Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini left Lyttelton Port in New Zealand on Saturday (January 4, 2025) morning at about 9. 30 a.m. local time for Port Stanley (Falkland Islands) in the third leg of the ongoing global circumnavigation journey by two woman Navy officers under Navika Sagar Parikrama-II.

This is the longest leg of the expedition with a distance of approximately 5,600 nm (approximately 10,400 km) to cover. This will also be the southernmost transit of Tarini at about 56 degrees South, the Navy said in a statement. “With the frontal weather systems of the Southern Ocean, Team Tarini can expect to experience challenging seas with up to 50-60 knots (90-110 kmph) winds.”

INSV Tarini had arrived in Lyttelton on December 22, completing the second leg of the double-handed circumnavigation, which is being undertaken by two Indian Navy women officers — Lt Cdr Dilna K. and Lt Cdr Roopa A.

“During the period in Lyttelton, the crew undertook repairs and maintenance of the boat with particular focus on the next leg where the vessel will cross the South Pacific, pass through the treacherous Drake Passage, and cross Cape Horn to reach Port Stanley,” the Navy said. “While in Lyttelton, the crew also interacted with the Indian community who were eager to visit the boat and query the crew about various aspects of ocean sailing.”

INSV Tarini was open to visitors at Lyttelton Port of Christchurch (LPC) on Thursday (January 2, 2025). People from different walks of life, including Victoria Henstock, the councillor of Christchurch City Council, visited the vessel and interacted with the crew.

Maori payers for the crew

Members of the Indian diaspora as well as Belfiore Bologna, Honorary Consul of Italy for the South Island of New Zealand and Sue McFarlane, Head of Christchurch Antarctic Office turned up for the Flag Off ceremony of the vessel. Traditional Maori prayers for the crew by members of the Maori community were also undertaken during the ceremony.

The expedition was flagged off from Goa on October 02, 2024 by Navy Chief Adm Dinesh K. Tripathi. After sailing across the Indian Ocean for 38 days, INSV Tarini halted at Fremantle, Australia, from November 9 to 24, and the second leg from Fremantle to Lyttelton was covered in 28 days.

The circumnavigation will cover around 23,000 nautical miles in around 240 days, across four continents through three oceans and three challenging Capes, unfolding in five legs with stopovers at four ports for replenishment and maintenance. The five legs are Goa to Fremantle, Australia; Fremantle to Lyttleton, New Zealand; Lyttleton to Port Stanley, Falkland Islands; Port Stanley to Cape Town, South Africa; and from Cape Town back to Goa.

INSV Tarini, a 56-foot sailing vessel built by Aquarius Shipyard Ltd, was inducted in the Indian Navy on February 18, 2017. The vessel has clocked more than 66,000 nautical miles (1,22,223 km) and participated in the first edition of Navika Sagar Parikrama in 2017, trans-oceanic expedition from Goa to Rio, Goa to Port Louis and other significant expeditions. Both the officers with a sailing experience of 38,000 nautical miles (70,376km) trained vigorously in the last three years.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati and the Bose Institute Kolkata have developed an advanced injectable hydrogel for localised cancer treatment.

This innovative hydrogel-based therapy delivers anti-cancer drugs directly to tumour sites, reducing side effects associated with cancer treatments.

Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati and the Bose Institute Kolkata have developed an advanced injectable hydrogel for localised cancer treatment.

This innovative hydrogel-based therapy delivers anti-cancer drugs directly to tumour sites, significantly reducing side effects typically associated with conventional cancer treatments.

The findings have been published in the “Materials Horizons”, a journal of the Royal Society of Chemistry. The paper is co-authored by Prof Debapratim Das, along with research scholars Tanushree Das and Ritvika Kushwaha from IIT Guwahati. The collaborators are Dr Kuldip Jana, Satyajit Halder and Anup Kumar Misra from the Bose Institute Kolkata.

“Cancer continues to be a pressing global health challenge, with millions of patients affected worldwide. Current treatments, such as chemotherapy and surgical interventions, often have severe limitations. Surgical removal of tumors is sometimes not feasible, particularly for internal organs, while chemotherapy’s systemic delivery often results in harmful side effects by affecting both cancerous and healthy cells,” the IIT Guwahati said in a statement.

Prof Das from the Department of Chemistry and his team addressed these challenges by designing a hydrogel that delivers drugs precisely to the tumour site, ensuring localised action.

Hydrogels are water-based, three-dimensional polymer networks capable of absorbing and retaining fluids. Their unique structure mimics living tissues, making them suitable for biomedical applications. This newly developed hydrogel acts as a stable reservoir for anti-cancer drugs and releases them in a controlled manner, responding to specific conditions in the tumour microenvironment.

The hydrogel, composed of ultra-short peptides – biocompatible and biodegradable building blocks of proteins – is designed to remain insoluble in biological fluids, ensuring it stays localized at the injection site. It responds to elevated glutathione (GSH) levels, a molecule abundant in tumour cells. Upon encountering high GSH levels, the hydrogel triggers a controlled drug release directly into the tumour, minimizing its interaction with healthy tissues and reducing systemic side effects.

Speaking about the breakthrough, Prof Das said, “This work exemplifies how scientific innovation can directly address the pressing needs of cancer treatment. The hydrogel’s unique properties allow it to work in harmony with the biological environment, offering precision where it is needed most. We are excited by its potential to transform our thoughts about localized drug delivery.”

In pre-clinical trials on a murine model of breast cancer, the hydrogel showcased remarkable efficacy. A single injection of the hydrogel, loaded with the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin, resulted in a 75% reduction in tumour size within 18 days. Crucially, the hydrogel remained localized at the tumour site, steadily releasing the drug over time without causing detectable side effects on other organs, the IIT Guwahati said.

“This innovative delivery system enhances the drug’s effectiveness while reducing the required dosage, thus minimizing toxicity. Laboratory studies further demonstrated that the hydrogel improves drug uptake by cancer cells, induces cell cycle arrest, and promotes programmed cell death, thereby attacking tumours on multiple fronts,” the institute further stated.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)


Manu Bhaker, Gukesh among four athletes to get Khel Ratna award; record 17 para-athletes to receive Arjuna

“The awardees will receive their awards from the President of India at a specially organised function at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 17th January, 2025 (Friday) at 1100 hours,” the Sports Ministry said.

Double Olympic-medallist Manu Bhaker and chess world champion D Gukesh were among four winners of the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award announced by the Sports Ministry, which also named an unprecedented 17 para-athletes in the list of 32 Arjuna awardees to honour their resounding success at the Paris Paralympics.

The other two Khel Ratna winners unveiled by the ministry on Thursday for the year 2024 were men’s hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh and para-athlete Praveen Kumar.

The awards will be conferred on the athletes by President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 17.

22-year-old Manu Bhaker became independent India’s first athlete to win two medals in a single edition of the Olympics with her bronze-winning show in the 10m air pistol individual and 10m air pistol mixed team events in August.

In the same Games, Hamranpreet led the Indian hockey team to its second consecutive bronze medal.

18-year-old Gukesh , on the other hand, became the youngest ever World champion while also helping the Indian team win a historic gold in the Chess Olympiad last year.

The fourth recipient will be para high-jumper Praveen, who was crowned the T64 champion in the Paris Paralympics.

The T64 classification is for athletes who have one or both legs missing below the knee and rely on a prosthetic leg for running.

“The awardees will receive their awards from the President of India at a specially organised function at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 17th January, 2025 [Friday] at 1100 hours,” the Sports Ministry said in a press release.

The Khel ratna awardees receive a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh along with a citation and a medallion. The Arjuna awardees are given Rs 15 lakh as cash reward, a statuette of Arjuna and a citation.

The athletes selected for this year’s Arjuna award include Paris Olympics bronze medal-winning lot of wrestler Aman Sehrawat, shooters Swapnil Kusale and Sarabjot Singh and the men’s hockey team players Jarmanpreet Singh, Sukhjeet Singh, Sanjay and Abhishek.

The para-athletes outnumber the able-bodied ones in the list of Arjuna winners this time due to the magnificent Paris showing in which they returned with 29 medals, including seven gold and nine silver.

The official list also includes sprinter Jyothi Yarraji, javelin thrower Annu Rani, women’s hockey team captain Salima Tete, world champion boxers Nitu Ghangas and Saweety, veteran swimmer Sajan Prakash, Olympiad gold-winning chess player Vantika Agrawal and squash star Abhay Singh.

Among the para athletes, Paris Paralympics gold-medallists Dharambir (club throw), Navdeep Singh (javelin throw) and Nitesh Kumar (para badminton) are the prominent names in the record number of Arjuna winners.

Paris Olympics bronze-winning para-archer Rakesh Kumar, para-shooters Mona Agarwal and Rubina Francis also feature in the list among others.

The ministry also cleared three coaches for Dronacharya award in the regular category, including Olympic bronze-medallist Swapnil Kusale’s coach Deepali Deshpande.

The Dronacharya award in the lifetime category will be conferred on former India football manager Armando Colaco and badminton coach S Muralidharan.

The award is given to coaches to honour their outstanding work and for enabling athletes to achieve excellence in their chosen sport in top international competitions.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

‘First ever’ glass bridge opened in India’s southernmost tip | Key details

Glass bridge connecting Vivekananda memorial, Thiruvalluvar statue inaugurated in Tamil Nadu.

Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin on Monday inaugurated a glass bridge connecting the Vivekananda Rock Memorial and the 133-feet Thiruvalluvar statue in the Kanyakumari district.

The structure claimed to be the first such one in India, was inaugurated to mark the silver jubilee of the unveiling of the renowned Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar’s statue by late chief minister M Karunanidhi.

The glass bridge connecting the two monuments offers visitors a breathtaking view of the sea. “It provides a thrilling experience of walking above the sea,” a tourist official told news agency PTI.

Key details about Kanyakumari glass bridge

The glass bridge is 77-meter-long, 10-metre wide and 133-feet high.

According to the state government, the bowstring arch on the glass bridge has been designed to withstand the saline breeze from the sea and high humidity.

Tourists who used to travel between the two historical monuments on a ferry can now walk over the glass bridge and reach the other end quickly.

Politics over glass bridge

After the inauguration, Stalin walked over the bridge accompanied by deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, state ministers, MP Kanimozhi, and senior officials. A laser light show was held at the Thiruvalluvar statue.

Stalin hailed the legacy of the Tamil poet and announced that last week of every December will be celebrated as “Thrirukkural week” to spread the poet’s teaching in his renowned work “Thirukkural”.

Meanwhile, opposition AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said the project was sanctioned and granted environmental clearance during his tenure as the chief minister.

“Chief Minister M K Stalin who inaugurated the glass bridge in Kanyakumari on Monday evening did not bring the project. It was brought during the AIADMK regime when I was the Chief Minister,” Palaniswami told reporters here.

“Since Kanyakumari is a very popular tourist destination, I requested (union shipping minister) that a bridge be built to link Thiruvalluvar statue with the Vivekananda Rock Memorial,” he added.

(With PTI inputs)

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

India got 14.3% of global remittances in 2024, its highest ever

China secured only 5.3% of global remittances in 2024, its lowest share in at least two decades.

In 2024, India received an estimated $129.1 billion worth of remittances, the highest ever for a country in any year. Moreover, India’s share in global remittances was 14.3% this year, the highest such share since the turn of the millennium for any country. The conclusions are based on a blog article published last week by the World Bank.

Remittances refer to the money that individuals working abroad send back to support their families in their home country. They are often a crucial source of income for households in developing countries and can contribute significantly to the economy of the recipient country.

Following India, Mexico and China received the largest remittances in 2024.

Chart 1 shows the top 10 receivers of remittances in $ million in 2024.

The Philippines, France, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Guatemala, and Germany are the other countries on the list. While China was third on the list, past years’ numbers provide interesting insights.

Chart 2 shows the share of global remittances for the top 10 countries mentioned in Chart 1 in the 2000-2024 period.

China’s share of remittances grew from less than 1% in the early 2000s to over 10% by the late 2000s and early 2010s, matching India’s numbers, before gradually declining to below 10% in the late 2010s.

From 2020, the share declined rapidly reaching a two-decade low of 5.3% in 2024. According to the World Bank, China’s rising economic prosperity and an ageing population slowed the pace of emigration of less-skilled people, which contributed to this decline.

India’s share has remained above the 10% mark for most of the years since 2000, with few exceptions. In fact, in the post-pandemic years, there has been a rapid increase in its share. India’s share in global remittances was twice the share of Mexico’s in 2024 (7.5%); Mexico was a distant second.

Though India leads in absolute remittance inflows, in some economies, remittances play a more critical role in funding current account deficits and fiscal shortfalls.

To better understand this, Chart 3 depicts estimated remittances in 2024 as a share of a country’s GDP. Each circle is a country. The farther the circle is to the right, the higher the remittance in 2024 as a share of GDP. The bigger the circle, the higher the remittance in 2024 in absolute figures.

In Nepal, remittances formed over 25% of the GDP in 2024. In Tajikistan, Nicaragua, Lebanon, Samoa, Honduras, and Tonga, the share of remittances in 2024 formed over 25% of their respectives GDPs. In India, remittances formed 3.3% of the GDP this year.

For many low-and middle-income countries, remittances act as a major source of income. In 2024, these countries received $685 billion as remittances, the highest ever in a year. According to the blog, remittances to these countries have consistently outpaced other types of external financial flows.

In recent years, remittances have even surpassed Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in low-and middle-income countries put together. FDIs are investments by a foreign country to control or run a business in another country. Remittances are also much higher than the official development assistance (ODA) received by these countries. ODA is the aid from rich countries to help poorer ones develop, often through grants or cheap loans.

Chart 4 compares remittances, FDI, and ODA received by low-and middle-income countries between 2000 and 2024.

Over the past decade, remittances increased by 57% while FDI declined by 41% in low-and middle-income nations, the blog notes.

Source: The data for the charts were sourced from a blog article published by the World Bank on December authored by Dilip Ratha, Sonia Plaza and Eung Ju Kim

vignesh.r@thehindu.co.in

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Lupin acquires Huminsulin in India from Eli Lilly

Lupin Ltd has announced the acquisition of Huminsulin in India from Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly) to further enhance its diabetes portfolio for an unspecified amount.

Lupin has been marketing the Huminsulin range of products comprising of Insulin Human, including Huminsulin R, Huminsulin NPH, Huminsulin 50/50, and Huminsulin 30/70, through existing Distribution and Promotion Agreements with Lilly, India.

“This acquisition is strategic to our ongoing efforts to expand our diabetes portfolio and provide high-quality, affordable health care to our patients. It reinforces our unwavering commitment to combating diabetes and providing comprehensive care,” said Nilesh Gupta, Managing Director, Lupin in a statement.

Rajeev Sibal, President – India Region Formulations, Lupin said, “Lupin has been at the forefront of providing holistic diabetes care to patients. This acquisition further strengthens our diabetes portfolio and enables us to offer a broad range of human insulin options to millions of patients, thereby helping them lead healthier lives.”

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Ex-SC judge Sanjay Kaul appointed member of Bahrain International Commercial Court

The BICC is a part of the Bahrain government’s “Team Bahrain” to enhance private sector investment in the country by providing a forum for dispute resolution between parties.

Retired Supreme Court judge Sanjay Kishan Kaul has been appointed a member of the Bahrain International Commercial Court by King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

He is among the nine members appointed to the newly established BICC. Leading arbitrator Jan Paulsson has been appointed as BICC president and former British judge Sir Christopher Greenwood as its vice president.

The BICC is a part of the Bahrain government’s “Team Bahrain” to enhance private sector investment in the country by providing a forum for dispute resolution between parties.

The BICC will have exclusive jurisdiction within the country to hear international commercial disputes and will also be empowered to hear arbitration-related matters.

Justice Kaul retired on December 25, 2023, after serving as a judge of the apex court for over six years. During his tenure he authored decisions in several important rulings, including a concurring opinion in the landmark nine-judge bench case recognising the right to privacy as a fundamental right in 2017.

In December 2023, he was a part of the seven-judge bench that ruled in favour of upholding the validity of an ‘unstamped’ arbitration agreement — where the parties had not paid the necessary stamp duty for the contract to be admissible before a court of law. The court held that the “defect” could be rectified at a later date, noting that the purpose of the Indian Arbitration Act was to provide “speedy and efficient resolution” to disputes.

In his final year as an SC judge, Justice Kaul authored decisions rejecting the Centre’s curative petition to enhance compensation for victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy and upheld the Bar Council of India’s power to conduct the All India Bar Examination.

Justice Kaul’s legal career began in 1982 after graduating from Campus Law Centre, Delhi University. He became an advocate-on-record in 1987 and was given the coveted senior advocate designation in 1999. He was appointed as senior counsel for the Delhi High Court and Delhi University, and served as additional senior standing counsel for Delhi Development Authority.

His career in the judiciary began in May 2001 when he was appointed as a judge of the Delhi High Court. In September 2012, he served a brief 2-day stint as Acting Chief Justice of the Delhi HC. In June 2013, he was appointed the Chief Justice of the Punjab & Haryana HC before being transferred to the Madras HC in July 2014, where he served as the Chief Justice until February 2017.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

How Haryana’s Carterpuri village was named after former US President Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter, the third US president to visit India, had a personal link through his mother, Lillian, who served as a Peace Corps health volunteer in the 1960s.

Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president and third American leader to visit India, after whom a village in Haryana was named Carterpuri has passed away at 100 in Georgia.

Carter, the longest-lived president in US history, passed away on Sunday at the age of 100.

According to the Carter Centre, on January 3, 1978, Carter and then First Lady Rosalynn Carter travelled to the village of Daulatpur Nasirabad, an hour southwest of New Delhi.

He was the third American president to visit India and the only one with a personal connection to the country – his mother, Lillian, had worked there as a health volunteer with the Peace Corps during the late 1960s.

“The visit was so successful that shortly after, village residents renamed the area ‘Carterpuri’ and remained in contact with the White House for the rest of President Carter’s tenure. The trip made a lasting impression: Festivities abounded in the village when President Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, and January 3 remains a holiday in Carterpuri,” the Carter Centre said.

“In fact, since the Carter administration, the US and India have worked closely on energy, humanitarian aid, technology, space cooperation, maritime security, disaster relief, counterterrorism, and more. In the mid-2000s, the United States and India struck a landmark agreement to work toward full civil nuclear cooperation, and bilateral trade has since skyrocketed,” the centre said.

President Carter understood that shared democratic principles formed a strong foundation for a long, fruitful relationship between the US and India. It is, therefore, no surprise that the two nations grew steadily closer in the decades after he left office, it said.

“India’s difficulties, which we often experience ourselves and which are typical of the problems faced in the developing world, remind us of the tasks that lie ahead. Not the Authoritarian Way,” Carter had said on January 2, 1978.

A day later at the signing of the Delhi declaration along with then Prime Minister Morarji Desai, Carter said at the heart of the friendship between India and the US is their determination that the moral values of the people must also guide the actions of the states, the governments.

With PTI inputs

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

National Maritime Heritage Complex at Lothal,Gujarat crucial to make India leading maritime nation: Sonowal

Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday said the ₹4,300-crore National Maritime Heritage Complex being developed at Lothal in Gujarat is a project of national importance and will be a crucial step towards making India a leading maritime nation.

Sonowal, who is Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister, reviewed the progress of the NMHC project along with Union Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.

Secretary of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, T K Ramachandran, said, “The phase 1-A of the project, coming up with an estimated cost of ₹1,200 crore, is expected to get over by August, 2025, with 65 per cent of its construction completed.” The entire project, being executed in two phases, is expected to be completed by 2028, he said.

Work on phase 1-A of the project, comprising six galleries, jetty walkway, Lothal town, etc, started in March 2022, before the Union Cabinet approved it in October 2024.

Apart from 14 galleries in phase 1 , phase 2 will have conceptualisation of Lothal city as it existed in ancient times, surrounded by the pavilions showcasing the maritime heritage of coastal states in their individual pavillions, he said. “We are planning for the inauguration of the Phase 1-A of the project by August-September 2025, and the aim is to complete the entire project by 2028. We have completed 65 per cent of the work under phase 1-A,” he said.

The Union ministers toured key project landmarks, including INS Nishank, the Lothal Jetty Walkway and the Museum Block, and interacted with workers at the site to know their challenges and work progress.

Sonowal expressed satisfaction with the significant milestones achieved in civil infrastructure development, noting that the project is advancing on schedule, an official release said.

He said the government is committed to ensuring that the NMHC is completed on time and is of highest standards.

“This project will boost tourism, provide a platform for maritime education, and foster collaboration between India’s maritime community and the global industry. It is a crucial step toward making India a leading maritime nation,” the release quoted him as saying. “The NMHC is a project of national importance, offering tremendous opportunities for growth and learning in the maritime sector.

The visionary leadership of PM Narendra Modi ji has ensured that India remains on course towards all round development of the country and that the people reap the fruit of India’s developmental story,” Sonowal said.

The project will boost tourism, provide a platform for maritime education, and foster greater collaboration between India’s maritime community and the global maritime industry, he added.

The release said this world-class facility will showcase India’s maritime heritage from ancient to modern times, adopting an innovative “edutainment” approach using cutting-edge technology to spread awareness and attract international tourists. Lothal, located some 80 km away from Ahmedabad, was a prominent city of the ancient Indus Valley Civilisation dating back to 2400 BCE.

It holds historical significance for its advanced dockyard, thriving trade and renowned bead-making industry. Artefacts such as seals, tools, and pottery unearthed by archaeologists reveal a rich cultural and economic history, making it a key Harappan site.

Designed as a world-class destination under the Sagarmala Programme of the Union government, the NMHC aims to showcase India’s naval achievements and cultural connections through interactive exhibits, state-of-the-art displays and engaging storytelling.

This initiative is poised to not only preserve India’s maritime heritage but also to attract global tourists and foster a deeper appreciation of its historical significance, the release said. “The idea is to generate a movement regarding knowledge about our heritage.

We are also looking at tourism with the development of several tourist circuits, and nearby heritage sites, oceanic, cruise and coastal tourism will be connected to this.

We hope that in the years to come, this will be one of the biggest complexes in the world,” Ramachandran said.

The ministry has also planned collaboration with 25 countries and signed MoUs with countries such as Portugal, UAE and Vietnam for the project, officials said.

Phase 1-B of the project will have eight galleries, a lighthouse museum, a ‘Bagicha complex’, and a 5D dome theatre. Museutel , eco resort, coastal state pavilion, Lothal city, theme-based parks and maritime research institute and hotel are highlights of phase 2 project.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

Manmohan Singh’s decisions that shaped a billion lives . RIP Thursday 26th December 2024

People in India are reflecting on former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s contribution to the country since his death on Thursday evening .

Singh, who held the top post for two consecutive terms between 2004 and 2014, was seen as an architect of India’s economic liberalisation which changed the country’s growth trajectory.

The first prime minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power, Singh was also the first Sikh to assume the top office.

Known as a soft-spoken technocrat, he had earlier headed India’s central bank, served as a finance secretary and minister, and led the opposition in the upper house of parliament.

Here are five milestones from Singh’s life that shaped his career and had a lasting impact on more than a billion Indians.

Economic liberalisation

Singh was appointed finance minister in 1991 by the Congress party-led government under Prime Minister PV Narsimha Rao.

India’s economy at the time was facing a serious financial crisis, with the country’s foreign reserves at a dangerously low level, barely enough to pay for two weeks of imports.

Singh led the initiative to deregulate the economy to avoid its collapse, which he argued was otherwise imminent. Despite stiff opposition from members of his government and party, Singh prevailed.

He took bold measures that included devaluing the currency, reducing import tariffs and privatising state-owned companies.

He was famously quoted as saying in parliament during his first budget speech in 1991 that “no power on Earth can stop an idea whose time has come”.

Later, as prime minister, Singh continued to build on his economic reform measures, lifting millions of Indians out of poverty and contributing to India’s rise as one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies.

Reluctant prime minister

The Congress party made a comeback in 2004 elections, handing a surprise defeat to the government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Congress chief Sonia Gandhi was widely expected to head the government, but many members of the outgoing ruling party raised questions over the fact that she was born in Italy. She declined to take up the post and instead proposed Singh’s name, who was seen as a non-controversial, consensus candidate of great personal integrity.

In the next parliamentary election, he helped his party win a bigger mandate, but critics often termed him a “remote-controlled” prime minister managed by the Gandhi family.

Singh often refused to comment on such allegations and kept his focus on the job.

He may have started his first stint as prime minister with some reluctance but he soon stamped his authority on the top job.

Singh’s tenure, particularly between 2004 and 2009, saw the country’s GDP grow at a healthy average pace of around 8%, the second fastest among major economies.

He took bold decisions on reforms and brought more foreign investment into the country. Experts credit him for shielding India from the 2008 global financial crisis.

But his second term, in an alliance with a disparate group of parties, was marked by allegations of corruption against some of his cabinet ministers, though his personal integrity was never questioned.

In response to these allegations, he told journalists in 2014 in his last press conference as prime minister that he hoped history would judge him differently.

“I honestly believe that history will be kinder to me than the contemporary media, or for that matter, the opposition parties in parliament,” he said.

“I think taking into account the circumstances and the compulsions of a coalition polity, I have done as best as I could do under the circumstances.”

Rights to education, information and identity

As prime minister, Singh took several far-reaching decisions that continue to impact the health of Indian democracy even today.

He introduced new laws that strengthened and guaranteed the right to seek information from the government, allowing citizens an extraordinary power to hold officials accountable.

He also introduced a rural employment scheme which guaranteed livelihood for a minimum of 100 days, a measure economists said had a profound impact on rural incomes and poverty reduction.

He also brought in a law that guaranteed the right to free and compulsory education for children between the ages of 6 and 14, significantly reducing the school dropout rates.

His government also introduced a unique identity project called Aadhar to improve financial inclusion and delivery of welfare benefits to the poor. The current federal government, run by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has continued to keep Aadhar as a cornerstone for many of its policies.

Apology for anti-Sikh riots

In 1984, prime minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards to avenge a military action she had ordered against separatists hiding in Sikhism’s holiest temple in northern India’s Amritsar.

Her death sparked massive violence that resulted in the death of more than 3,000 Sikhs and a widespread destruction of their property.

Singh formally apologised to the nation in 2005 in parliament, saying the violence were “the negation of the concept of nationhood enshrined in our constitution”.

“I have no hesitation in apologising to the Sikh community. I apologise not only to the Sikh community, but to the whole Indian nation,” he said.

No other prime minister, particularly from the Congress party, had gone this far to apologise in parliament for the riots.

Deal with US

Singh signed a historic deal with the US in 2008 to end India’s nuclear isolation after its 1998 testing of the weapon system.

His government argued that the deal wouldhelp meet India’s growing energy needs and sustain its healthy growth rate.

The deal, seen as a watershed moment in the India-US relations, promised to grant a waiver to India to commence civilian nuclear trade with the US and the rest of the world.

But it faced massive opposition, with critics of the deal alleging that it would compromise India’s sovereignty and independence in foreign policy. In protest, the Left Front withdrew support from the governing alliance.

Singh, however, managed to save both his government and the deal.

source/content: bbc.com (headline edited)