India announces seven days of mourning for ex-PM Manmohan Singh
Al Jazeera
Singh, one of the architects of India’s economic liberalisation in the early 1990s, held office from 2004 to 2014.
India has announced seven days of mourning and a state funeral for former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was hailed as one of the architects of the country’s economic liberalisation in the early 1990s.
The government declared on Friday that mourning would be observed until January 1, with a state funeral accorded “as a mark of respect for the departed dignitary”, who passed away on Thursday in a New Delhi hospital at the age of 92.
The official date for the state funeral was not announced immediately, however, a senior member of the Congress party suggested the event, which will see the national flag flown at half-mast on official buildings nationwide, would be held on Saturday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed Singh, who held office from 2004 to 2014, as one of the country’s “most distinguished leaders”, while The Times of India newspaper ran a front-page tribute describing him as the “man who liberated India’s dreams”.
India’s cricket team paid respects to Singh on Friday, wearing black armbands as they took to the ground in Melbourne to battle hosts Australia in the fourth Test.
