Former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh was on Monday, 19 November, awarded the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development.
While presenting the award in a ceremony in Delhi, Sonia Gandhi heaped praise on Singh, referring him as an epitome of integrity, humility, sagacity and gravitas, whose demeanor makes him appear born wise.
“Not for him tall claims, not for him empty and fanciful boasts, not for him self- promoting bombasts, not for him falsification of facts and history, not for him language of abuse and vitriol,” she added.
In the award ceremony held on the occasion of Indira Gandhi’s birthday, Sonia recalled her as a “compelling personality” who is remembered for her indomitable courage and fierce commitment to India.
Reflecting upon the relations between Singh and Indira Gandhi, she said, “We honour a man who worked very closely with her for almost a decade and a half. A man who was an advisor on economic matters , to whom she turned to when the economy faced severe crisis in the mid-70s and early 80s”.
She further lauded Singh’s tenure as the prime minister, observing that India recorded its highest economic growth under him. She also claimed that the several rights-based legislations that Singh brought forth gave deeper social meaning to economic growth.
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