Manmohan Singh

Manmohan Singh is an Indian economist and politician who served as the 13th Prime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014. He is a member of the Indian National Congress (INC) and is widely regarded for his role in liberalizing India's economy in the 1990s when he served as the Finance Minister under Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao. Singh was instrumental in initiating key economic reforms that opened up India to global markets, reduced government control on businesses, and set the country on a path of rapid economic growth.

Born on September 26, 1932, in Gah (now in Pakistan), Singh is known for his academic brilliance and his contributions as an economist before entering politics. He holds a doctorate in economics from Oxford University and has held several prestigious academic and governmental positions, including Governor of the Reserve Bank of India and Chief Economic Advisor to the Government of India.

As Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh's tenure was marked by efforts to accelerate economic growth, reduce poverty, and expand India’s global influence. His government passed important legislations like the Right to Information Act and the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. However, his administration was also criticized for corruption scandals, including the 2G spectrum case and the Commonwealth Games scandal, which marred his second term.

Despite being a soft-spoken and reserved leader, Singh's economic expertise and integrity earned him respect both in India and abroad. His legacy is often viewed through the lens of India's economic transformation, although his political leadership faced challenges, particularly during his later years as prime minister.

In December 2018, BOOM investigated a viral photo claiming that former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh attended a book launch of Pakistan's former ISI chief.

BOOM found that the photo was taken out of context and was actually from a different event, featuring Manmohan Singh and Hamid Ansari at a book launch months earlier. The claims about Singh attending an event with the ISI chief were false.

In July 2024, BOOM investigated a viral claim suggesting that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh did not meet the 2007 T-20 World Cup-winning cricket team.

BOOM found that this claim was false, as the team did indeed meet both then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi on the same day.