Glowing tributes were paid to India’s former Prime Minister, the late Manmohan Singh, at a special prayer meeting held in his memory Saturday, January 11, 2025, at the Royal Albert’s Palace in New Jersey.

Organized jointly by the New Jersey Chapter of Indian Overseas Congress and the Indo-American Cultural Society USA, Inc., the memorial service was attended by more than 500 community members, community leaders, local and federal elected officials and political leaders who paid respects to the memory of the sculptor of modern India’s economy.

IOC leaders from across the US and India had traveled to be present at the prayer and tribute meeting. Chief among these were IOC National Vice President John Joseph, IOC Karnataka President Rajiv Gowda, IOC Punjab President Gurmeet Singh Gill, IOC Telangana President Rajeshwar Reddy and IOC Andhra Pradesh President Sriniwasarao Bhimineni.

Greeting the gathering were special IOC members Qayam Masumi, IOC Joint Secretary Arjumand Juveria, IOC General Secretary Harbachan Singh and Pomposh Sheikh who recounted memories of Singh. Also present were IOC National President Mohinder Singh Gilzian, NJ Chapter Vice Presidents Anil Patel, Mahesh Patel, and Manmit Singh Vasdev, IOC Treasurer Rajesh Desai, IOC Public Relations Officer Harvender Singh.

The event began with playing of a special video message from IOC Global and USA President Sam Pitroda who paid special tribute to Singh.

Video clips were also played of individual interviews with Singh by noted Indian journalists Punya Prasun Vajpai, Ashok Vankhede, Vinod Sharma, Deepak Sharma and Abhisar Sharma.

Speakers spoke about Singh’s contribution to India and to the people whose lives he transformed with new economic reforms.

Special homage was paid by speakers including President of the Indian Overseas Congress (IOC) Pradeep Peter Kothari, IOC working President Pardip Samala, North Brunswick Council Member Rajesh Mehta, community leader Upendra Chirukula, President of Indo American Cultural Society USA Pradeep Peter Kothari, former New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey, Woodbridge Township Council Member Viru Patel, NJ Senator Owen Henry.

Jim McGreevey, former New Jersey Governor, called Singh “this Gentle Giant.” McGreevey mentioned how former US President Barack Obama had described Singh in his ‘A Promised Land’ as “wise, thoughtful and scrupulously honest.”

Singh was “someone who by virtue of his intellect and his academic training understood the fundamental importance of economic reforms in India,” McGreevey said.

Calling Singh’s move to open up the hereto closed doors of Indian economy to the world free market a radical step, McGreevey credited Singh for setting in motion India’s economic growth as early as 1991 when he “drafted what economists called one of the most radical budgets in India’s history.”

Singh understood that this was essential if India was to take her place among the nations of the world as the world’s largest democracy, McGreevey said.

Viru Patel, Council Member, Woodbridge Township, credited Singh for creating the foundational structure for cooperation among the countries of the global south, a coalition of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Korea, thus creating South-South cooperation on the international front and creating a vigorous and dynamic economy.

Singh was a visionary, transforming India by eliminating License Raj, reviving the economy and rooting out corruption, making the lives of people in India much better, said community leader Upendra Chirukula. He said Singh’s life and his contributions should be celebrated and not mourned.

Commending Singh for stabilizing India’s economy, Kothari said the prayer meeting was an honest effort to recognize Singh’s decade of service to the world as an economist, former chairman of Reserve Bank of India, former Finance Minister, former Planning Board Chairman and more.

Singh was one of the best Prime Ministers India has had, said Rajesh Mehta, Council Member, North Brunswick.

NJ Senator Owen Henry said having come to know more about Singh, he would look to him for guidance. “I will pray to him every day and ask him for strength and courage to make the tough decisions that he had to make as Prime Minister of India,” Henry said.

Mentioning both Singh and former President Jimmy Carter, Henry said, “They are two examples of what we can do with our lives, two shining examples how we can make the world a better place…. Let us keep Dr. Singh’s legacy alive.”

A salute to the late Prime Minister was paid by singing of India’s national anthem. Prayers and Bhajans were also sung. Samala thanked committee members of the IOC and IACS for organizing the prayer meeting. Kothari and Mukesh Kashiwala gave the vote of thanks.

(Used with permission)

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