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‘India has lost one of finest economists’: Prominent industry leaders pay tribute to Dr Manmohan Singh

Birla, Jindal, and Tata Sons chairman Chandrasekaran join many businessmen, economists, and industrialists in remembering former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh on his passing

(File) Then-PM Dr Manmohan Singh makes a speech at an event by the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) in Tokyo on May 28, 2013 | AP

Aditya Birla group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla, Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran, and JSW Group chairman Sajjan Jindal were among the prominent names in the business world who paid tribute to the late Dr Manmohan Singh on Friday. 

“India has lost one of its tallest leaders and finest economists. His most defining contribution—the epochal 91 reforms spurred a multi-decadal economic boom and, more importantly, reshaped the calculus of possibilities for India and Indians,” Birla said in a statement.

JSW’s Jindal took to social media, and wrote that he was “deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. Manmohan Singh ji, former Prime Minister of India and the visionary leader behind India’s economic liberalisation”,  describing the former prime minister as “a statesman of humility”.

 “Dr Singh will always be remembered for his visionary thinking and deep insights while always being humble and upholding his personal values,” said Chandrasekaran of Tata Sons in an official statement. 

Dr Singh passed away on Thursday night at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi at the age of 92.

Former World Bank chief economist Kaushik Basu also remembered Dr Singh on the news of his passing. “I have no doubt that he will go down in history as one of the great political leaders not just of India but of the world,” said Basu, who also served as the central government’s chief economic adviser (CEA) from 2009 to 2012, working with the late prime minister during their term together.

Former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan also reacted to the news. “He was a brilliant economist with a great vision of what India could be, combined with a fine sense of what was possible politically... the liberalisation and reforms he undertook with the support of Prime Minister Narasimha Rao laid the foundations of the modern Indian economy,” said the 23rd Governor of the Reserve Bank of India.

Later last night, Gautam Adani and many industrialists took to social media to talk about Dr Singh. “History will forever honour his pivotal role in the transformative 1991 reforms that reshaped India and opened its doors to the world,” said the Adani Group chairman.

RPG Enterprise Chairman Harsh Goenka posted, “An architect of economic reforms, he shaped modern India with intellect, grace, and integrity. A leader who let actions speak louder than words.”

“Farewell Dr Manmohan Singh. You loved this nation. And your service to it will long be remembered,” tweeted Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra.