His Holiness the Dalai Lama wrote to the widow of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Gursharan Kaur, conveying deep condolences over his demise on Thursday night.
In a moving letter, the Dalai Lama wrote, “I will remember him in my prayers and offer my condolences to you and your family at this sad time.” He reflected on their meetings over the years, noting, “I deeply appreciated his concern and good counsel. I felt he was like an elder brother to me.
The letter cited Singh’s lifelong commitment to public service including: “Your husband was motivated by a strong wish to help others. He made a significant contribution to India’s development and prosperity, especially its economic growth, improving the lot of the Indian people.”. He was also a good friend to the Tibetan people.” Concluding his message, the Dalai Lama said, “We can rejoice that for 92 years he lived a truly meaningful life—an inspiration to us all.”
A state funeral for Manmohan Singh will be held on Saturday. His body will be taken to the All India Congress Committee office in Delhi before the ceremony, where the public can pay their respects. He will be cremated near Rajghat, the site reserved for the last rites of Prime Ministers.
Singh breathed his last at the age of 92 at AIIMS, Delhi, due to medical issues related to old age. He suddenly collapsed unconscious at home before being taken to the hospital.
A team of senior Congress leaders comprising Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge called on Singh at his residence. Both Sonia and Rahul gave wreaths on the tricolor-wrapped body and offered prayers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah among other prominent leaders went to Singh’s residence and paid homage.
