Manmohan Singh Death: Former Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh is no more with us. He died on Thursday (26 December) at the age of 92. Manmohan Singh’s image was that of a serious and dedicated leader, but his personal life was equally simple and deep. After reaching the pinnacle of politics, he never made his personal life a part of public display. His relationship with his wife Gursharan Kaur is an example where love, support and understanding were important.
The first meeting of Manmohan Singh and Gursharan Kaur was a simple incident, when Manmohan Singh was a young economist and Gursharan Kaur was a teacher. There was a simplicity and ease between the two which gradually turned into a deep friendship. After this both of them decided to marry each other. Both of them got married according to traditional Indian customs which was very simple and peaceful.
Manmohan Singh’s first meeting with Gursharan Kaur
When Dr. Manmohan Singh returned to India in 1957 after completing his studies from Cambridge University, his family started looking for matches for his marriage and a proposal came from an affluent family. The girl was not educated. Manmohan Singh refused to take dowry and made it clear, “I want an educated girl, not dowry.” Meanwhile, Gursharan Kaur’s elder sister Basant heard about Manmohan Singh and brought a relationship for him. Their first meeting took place on the terrace, where Gursharan Kaur appeared in white salwar-kurta. Seeing Gursharan, who was doing MA in History, Manmohan Singh immediately said ‘yes’ and thus their relationship began.
After their first meeting, Gursharan Kaur sang kirtan in a concert, in which her guru criticized. On this Manmohan Singh said, “No, he sang very well.” His praise inspired Gursharan. After this he invited Gursharan to his home for breakfast, where he served eggs and toast for breakfast. This was a way of impressing in his style which reflected his simple and strong personality.
Gursharan Kaur’s support and trust
Even after Manmohan Singh became the Prime Minister, there was no significant change in his and Gursharan Kaur’s life. Their relationship was always full of peace, trust and support. Gursharan Kaur always supported her husband whether it was the time of his becoming Prime Minister or the challenge of his leadership during the economic crisis. Manmohan Singh believed that personal relationships, especially marriage, should always be kept respectable and private.
He never avoided involving his wife much in public life, because he believed that personal relationships should not be dragged into the maze of politics. Simplicity, depth and true love were the core of his thinking and his life.
True power of Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh believed that he was never attracted to fame or public attention. He always took the support of his wife Gursharan Kaur in his decisions. This support was his true strength, which provided him stability in the struggles of politics and public life. Their relationship was not just a traditional marriage, but an example of deep friendship, understanding and trust.
The biggest characteristic of Manmohan Singh was that he always maintained a balance between his personal and public life. For him, family and love were always his priority and this was his real strength. Such an example is rarely seen in politics and this was the reason why his and Gursharan Kaur’s love story became a role model for India.
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