Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the architect of India’s economic reforms, died on  Thursday night. He was 92. Singh’s death was announced by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, where he was admitted in the Emergency ward around 8.30 PM in a critical condition.

An AIIMS bulletin said “he was treated for age related medical conditions and had sudden loss of consciousness at home” on December 26. “Resuscitative measures were started immediately at home. He was brought to the medical emergency at AIIMS Delhi at 8.06 pm. Despite all efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 9.51 pm,” said the bulletin.

Singh, who was PM for two terms in the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government from 2004 to 2014, had been in poor health for the last few months. He is survived by wife Gurcharan Singh and three daughters. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and her mother Sonia Gandhi reached the hospital as soon as the news of his hospitalisation became known.

Singh, who was Finance Minister under the then PM PV Narasimha Rao, was the architect and the brainchild of economic reforms in 1991 that pulled India from the brink of bankruptcy and ushered in an era of economic liberalisation that is widely believed to have changed the course of India’s economic trajectory.

Singh died as the Congress party concluded its Congress Working Committee meeting at Belagavi in Karnataka, where all top party leaders were present. Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi rushed to Delhi from Belagavi followed by several top party leaders and workers from across the country.

A galaxy of leaders across the political party lines condoled the death of Singh with Prime Minister Narendra Modi remarking “We had extensive deliberations on various subjects relating to governance; his wisdom, humility were always visible”.

“With the passing of former PM Manmohan Singh, India has lost a visionary statesman, a leader of unimpeachable integrity,” said Mallikarjun Kharge. “Manmohan Singh’s policy of economic liberalisation and rights-based welfare paradigm profoundly transformed lives of crores,”Kharge added before leaving the CWC meet at Belagavi.

“Few people in politics inspire the kind of respect that Sardar Manmohan Singh did. Manmohan Singh’s honesty will always be an inspiration for us. He remained steadfast in commitment to serve the nation despite being subjected to unfair, deeply personal attacks,”Priyanka Gandhi said as her husband Robert Vadra was the first to announce on social media the demise of Dr Singh.

Rahul Gandhi in his remarks said he lost a mentor and guide as millions like him admired Dr Singh who will be remembered with the utmost pride. “Manmohan Singh Ji led India with immense wisdom and integrity. His humility and deep understanding of economics inspired the nation. My heartfelt condolences to Mrs. Kaur and the family,” Rahul Gandhi said.

Here is the timeline of his five-decade old career in bureaucracy and politics. 1954: Completed Master’s in Economics from Panjab University 1957: Economic Tripos (3-year degree prog) from Cambridge University 1962: D.Phil in Economics from Oxford University 1971: Joins Government of India as Economic Advisor in Commerce Ministry 1972: Appointed Chief Economic Advisor in Finance Ministry 1980-82: Member, Planning Commission

1982-1985: Governor of the Reserve Bank of India 1985-87: Served as Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission 1987-90: Secretary General of South Commission in Geneva 1990: Appointed Advisor to Prime Minister on Economic Affairs March 1991: Appointed chairman of University Grants Commission 1991: Elected to Rajya Sabha from Assam, and re-elected in 1995, 2001, 2007 and 2013 1991-96: Finance Minister under P V Narasimha Rao government 1998-2004: Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha 2004-2014: Prime Minister of India.

President Draupadi Murmu led the nation to condole the demise of former PM. “Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh Ji was one of those rare politicians who also straddled the worlds of academia and administration with equal ease. In his various roles in public offices, he made critical contributions to reforming Indian economy. He will always be remembered for his service to the nation, his unblemished political life and his utmost humility. His passing is a great loss to all of us. I pay my respectful homage to one of the greatest sons of Bharat and convey my heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and admirers,” Murmu said in a statement.

As a correspondent this reporter was fortunate to have covered Dr Manmohan’s last Press conference as PM when he announced to hang his boots from active politics on January 3, 2014 and from where he remarked that history will be kind to him than the contemporary India.