One of the more non-political faces of Indian politics, Dr Manmohan Singh is best known as the "liberator" of Indian economy. As the Union Finance Minister in the Narasimha Rao government (1991-96), he liberalised the economy to put India on the path of globalisation. He worked as the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission from 1985 to 1987 and as the Governor of the Reserve Bank for three years before that. He has also been the Central government's Advisor on Economic Affairs, besides taking international assignments at the International Monetary Fund and the Asian Development Bank. He was first elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1991, and has represented the Congress there since. In 1999, he contested the Lok Sabha elections from South Delhi, but lost. He was the Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House until becoming the Prime Minister of India.| He has won several awards for his work and contribution to society, including the Padma Vibhushan in 1987, the Euromoney Finance Minister of the year award in 1993 and the Asiamoney Finance Minister of the year award in 1993 and 1994. Singh was born in Gah in West Punjab (now in Pakistan) in September 1932, and studied economics in Chandigarh and later went to Cambridge & Oxford UK for higher studies. He later taught the subject at the Punjab University. He has authored a book on Indian export trends.
FACTFILE
Place of birth Gah in West Punjab (now in Pakistan) Date of birth September 26, 1932 Education MA, DPhil (Oxford), DLitt (Honoris Causa)
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Senior Lecturer in Economics (1957-59), Reader in Economics (1959-63), Professor in Economics (1963-65) at Punjab University, Chandigarh Professor of International Trade, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi (1969-71) Honorary Professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 1976, and at Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi, 1996 National Fellow, National Institute of Education, NCERT, 1986 Honorary Fellow, (i) St John's College, Cambridge UK, 1982, (ii) Indian Institute of Bankers, 1982 (iii) All India Management Association, 1993 and (iv) Nuffield College, University of Oxford, Oxford, 1994 Wrenbury Scholar, University of Cambridge, 1957 Non-Academic Career Economic Affairs Officer, 1966 and Chief, Financing for Trade Section, UNCTAD, United Nations Secretariat, New York, 1966-69 President, Indian Economic Association, 1985 Chairman, (i) UGC, March 15, 1991 to June 20, 1991, (ii) India Committee of the Indo-Japan Joint Study Committee, 1980-83 and (iii) Committee on Commerce, August 1, 1996-December 4, 1997 Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, January 15, 1985 to July 31, 1987 Governor, Reserve Bank of India, September 16, 1982 to January 14, 1985 Director, (i) Reserve Bank of India, 1976-80 and (ii) Industrial Development Bank of India, 1976-80; Economic Advisor, Ministry of Foreign Trade, India, 1971-72 Chief Economic Advisor, Ministry of Finance, India, 1972-76 Advisor to Prime Minister of India on Economic Affairs, December 10, 1990 to March 14, 1991 Secretary-General and Commissioner, South Commission August 1, 1987 to November 10, 1990 Secretary, Ministry of Finance (Department of Economic Affairs), Government of India, November, 1976 to April, 1980 Member-Secretary, Planning Commission, April, 1980 to September 15, 1982 Member, (i) Finance, Atomic Energy Commission, Government of India, (ii) Finance, Space Commission, Government of India,(iii) Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, 1983-84 Member,(i) Committee on Finance,(ii) Committee on Rules, (iii) Committee of Privileges and (iv) Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Finance Leader, Indian Delegation to (i) Indo-Soviet Monitoring Group Meeting, 1982, (ii) Indo-Soviet Joint Planning Group Meeting, 1980-82 (iii) Aid-India Consortium Meetings, 1977-79, (iv) Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, Cyprus, 1993 and (v) Human Rights World Conference, Vienna, 1993 Attended as member of Indian Delegations (a) South-South Consultations, New Delhi, 1982, (b) Cancun Summit on North-South Issues, 1981, (c) Aid-India Consortium Meetings, Paris, 1973-79, (d) Annual Meetings of IMF, IBRD and Commonwealth Finance Ministers, 1972-79 (e) Third Session of UNCTAD, Santiago, April-May, 1972, (f) Meeting of UNCTAD Trade and Development Board, Geneva, May 1971-July 1972 and (g) Ministerial Meeting of Group of 77, Lima, October, 1971 Deputy for India in IMF Committee of Twenty on International Monetary Reform, 1972-74 Associate, Meetings of IMF Interim Committee and Joint Fund-Bank Development Committee, 1976-80 and 1982-85; Alternate Governor for India, (i) Board of Governors,IBRD, 1976-80, (ii) Board of Governors IMF, 1982-85 and (iii) Board of Governors Asian Development Bank, Manila, 1976-80 Governor for India on the Board of Governors of the IMF and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, 1991-95 Participated in Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Meeting, Kingston, 1975; represented Secretary-General UNCTAD at several Inter-Governmental meetings, including Second Session of UNCTAD, 1968 and Committee on Invisibles and Financing related to Trade Consultant to UNCTAD, ESCAP and Commonwealth Secretariat Political Career Union Finance Minister, June 21, 1991 to May 15, 1996 Leader of Opposition, Rajya Sabha; elected to the Rajya Sabha in October, 1991 and re-elected in June 1995