'My Life And Tenure An Open Book': Manmohan Singh In His Last Speech As PM

Manmohan Singh’s Last Speech: Dr Manmohan Singh, former Prime Minister of India, passed away on Thursday, December 26, at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi. He was 92. Singh was admitted to the hospital’s emergency department at 8:06 PM and was pronounced dead at 9:51 PM.  

Dr Singh first gained national prominence as India’s Finance Minister from 1991 to 1996 under Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao, spearheading transformative economic reforms that redefined the country’s financial landscape. He later served as Prime Minister for two consecutive terms, leading the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government from 2004 to 2014.  

A distinguished economist and statesman, Singh continued to serve as a member of the Rajya Sabha until his retirement in April this year.  

Reflecting on his life and legacy in his final speech as Prime Minister on May 17, 2017, Singh described his tenure and personal journey as "an open book."

What Manmohan Singh Had Said In His Last Speech as PM

My Fellow Citizens,

I address you today for the last time as Prime Minister of India.

Ten years ago, when I was entrusted with this responsibility, I entered upon it with diligence as my tool, truth as my beacon and a prayer that I might always do the right thing.

Today, as I prepare to lay down office, I am aware that well before the final judgment that we all await from the Almighty, there is judgment in the court of public opinion that all elected officials and governments are required to submit themselves to.

Fellow citizens, each one of us should respect the judgement that you have delivered. The just concluded elections have deepened the foundations of our democratic polity.

As I have said on many occasions, my life and tenure in public office are an open book. I have always tried to do my best in serving this great nation of ours.

In the last ten years, we as a country have seen many successes and achievements that we should be proud of. Today, India is a far stronger country in every respect than it was a decade ago. I give credit for these successes to all of you. However, there is still vast latent development potential in our country and we must collectively work hard to realise it.

As I leave office, my abiding memory will be the love and kindness that I have always received from you. I owe everything to this country, this great land of ours where I, an underprivileged child of Partition, was empowered enough to rise and occupy high office. It is both a debt that I will never be able to repay and a decoration that I will always wear with pride.

Friends, I am confident about the future of India. I firmly believe that the emergence of India as a major powerhouse of the evolving global economy is an idea whose time has come. Blending tradition with modernity and unity with diversity, this nation of ours can show the way forward to the world. Serving this nation has been my privilege. There is nothing more that I could ask for.

I wish the incoming government every success as it embarks on its task and pray for even greater successes for our nation.