'Manmohan Singh faced all challenges with smile on his face,' says Sachin Pilot

New Delhi: Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Friday praised former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, saying that he faced all the challenges when he was in the PM office with a smile on his face. He said that his passing was a loss for the party and the entire country.
Pilot further said that Manmohan Singh kept the nation as a priority all his life. The emotions people feel are telling that a huge personality who left his mark on the country has passed away, he added.
"When Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister, he faced challenges from allies and those in the opposition. However, he faced all the challenges that came his way with a smile on his face. He was a simple and calm person. He kept the nation as a priority, all his life. This is a loss for us, the party and the country. He said that history will see him differently. Not even one day has gone by since his passing and the emotions among people tell us that we have lost a huge personality who has left his mark on the country," Pilot told ANI.
The tributes have been pouring in for the former PM with Several politicians and personalities from all walks of life have been expressing their sorrow over his demise. The national flag was draped over the bier carrying the mortal remains of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. According to sources, the last rites of the former PM will be carried out with full state honours.
Singh, renowned for introducing the 1991 economic liberalisation reforms as the Finance Minister of India, will be cremated near Rajghat, at the location where the last rites of Prime Ministers are performed.
Manmohan Singh passed away at AIIMS, Delhi, on Thursday evening at the age of 92 due to age-related medical conditions. He had a sudden loss of consciousness at home after which he was rushed to the AIIMS Delhi.
Manmohan Singh was born on September 26, 1932. Apart from being an economist, Manmohan Singh served as Reserve Bank of India governor from 1982-1985. He was the 13th PM of India with his tenure from 2004-2014 and was the longest-serving PM after Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.
Serving as the finance minister of India in PV Narasimha Rao's government, Singh has been given credit for economic liberalisation in the country in 1991. The reforms made the Indian economy more accessible to foreign investors, which increased FDI and reduced government control. It greatly contributed to the country's economic growth.
Manmohan Singh's government also introduced the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), which later came to be known as MGNREGA.
The Right to Information Act (RTI) was passed in 2005 under the Manmohan Singh government, which made the transparency of information between the government and the public better.
He retired from the Rajya Sabha earlier this year after serving for 33 years.