Political parties, academicians pay tributes to Dr. Manmohan Singh in Vizag

Leaders of political parties and citizens from various walks of life paid rich tributes to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who passed away in New Delhi on December 26.

Minister for Home Affairs V. Anitha garlanded a portrait of Dr. Singh at the mega job mela organised at Payakaraopeta in Anakapalli district on Saturday (December 28). She conveyed her condolences to the bereaved family members of Dr. Singh. The participants observed a two-minute silence as a mark of respect to the former Prime Minister.

Leader of the Opposition in the A.P. Legislative Council Botcha Satyanarayana, YSRCP district president Gudivada Amarnath and other YSRCP leaders garlanded a portrait of Dr. Singh at a condolence meeting held at the YSRCP office on Saturday.

Mr. Satyanarayana said the nation lost a great leader, who placed India on the path of progress. The ‘Food For Work’ scheme initiated by Dr. Singh helped the poor make a living.

Mr. Amarnath recalled Dr. Singh’s contribution to the expansion of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) and the protection of other public sector undertakings in Visakhapatnam such as Hindustan Shipyard Limited and Bharat Heavy Plate and Vessel through their merger with the defence sector and with Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited respectively.

Former MP B. Jhansi said the economic reforms introduced by Dr. Singh will help future generations reap the benefit.

Noted physician Kutikuppala Surya Rao, in a statement, described Dr. Singh as a great intellectual and economist. Dr. Surya Rao said it was his fortune that he received the Padma Shri in presence of Dr. Singh. He said he had an opportunity to interact with Dr. Singh at the High Tea given by the President at the Rashtrapathi Bhavan.

K.V. Ramana, principal of Government Institute of Chemical Engineering-Visakhapatnam, said: “It was during Dr. Singh’s tenure that Aadhaar, which gave a unique identity to the common people, was launched. The ‘Food for Work’ scheme and the Right To Information (RTI) Act were brought in during his tenure as Prime Minister.”

“I had also participated in the 95^th Indian Science Congress held at Andhra University in January 2008, wherein Dr. Manmohan Singh delivered the keynote address. I had presented a paper and poster in mathematical sciences and got a certificate, which is an unforgettable memory in my academic and professional life,” Mr. Ramana added.