Manmohan Singh was humility personified but undaunted by criticism, says former Principal Secretary T.K.A. Nair

T.K.A. Nair reflects on former PM Manmohan Singh's humility, respect for others, and dedication to the country.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was humility personified and had a genuine respect for the people whom he met, recalls T.K.A. Nair, who was Principal Secretary to Singh when he was Prime Minister.

“He never sought to project himself as the architect of any remarkable achievement and as a democrat to the core, warned us in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) against such a portrayal,” Mr. Nair told The Hindu over the phone on Friday (December 27, 2024).   

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“Criticism, however ruthless and uncharitable, did not deter him from pursuing what he thought was good for the country. During the first United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, he was fully aware of the fact that he was not an elected Prime Minister. He knew his limitations, but UPA-1 was a crowning success. Many of the programmes today were begun by him. Undoubtedly, his greatest challenge was inking the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal, which faced strong headwinds. The ministry’s future was at stake, but he was undaunted by criticism as he strongly believed that the deal was good for the country. The interests of the country remained uppermost for him,” said Mr. Nair.

To a question on the PMO during Singh’s term being mocked as a ‘Mallu Club’ for featuring many Malayali officers, Mr. Nair said Singh was aware of this. “He was accused of fostering a ‘Mallu Club’ around him, and he once asked me about this. ‘It was not by design,’ I told him. It just so happened that many senior officers across departments were brought in based on their performance and seniority,” Mr. Nair explained.  

“In a way, he was my guru, and I have the deepest respect for him,” added Mr. Nair.