Manmohan Singh's 33-year long Rajya Sabha tenure ends

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh ends his 33-year-long innings in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. Singh is known for ushering in several bold reforms in the Indian economy.

Singh became a member of the House for the first time in October 1991. He was the finance minister in the Narasimha Rao government from 1991 to 1996. Singh is the only prime minister outside Nehru-Gandhi family to have completed 10 years of two full terms in office from 2004 to 2014.

Singh represented Assam for five years in the Upper House and then shifted to Rajasthan in 2019.

In the late 1970s, Singh became a go-to consultant to prime ministers as he was named in many economic advisory posts. From 1976-80 he became director of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI); from 1892-85 he served as RBI's governor.

During the 1991 economic crisis, Singh made a slew of economic policy changes including devaluing the rupee, lowering taxes, privatising state-run industries, and encouraging foreign investment. His economic reforms revived the Indian economy. Until 1996 Singh served as a finance minister in the country.

As Congress secured a victory in 2004 parliamentary elections, defeating the now-ruling BJP, Sonia Gandhi recommended Singh for the PM's post.

Singh witnessed a rapidly growing India during his tenure, however, he also faced tough criticism. In July 2008, he had a narrow escape after his government faced a vote of no confidence.

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In 2014, Singh announced that he wouldn't seek another term in the office.

During his tenure in the parliament, he would not miss a chance to flaunt his proficiency in Urdu poetry and would play poetic banters while addressing the parliament.

As Singh's retirement leaves the Rajasthan seat vacant, Sonia Gandhi will enter the Upper House for the first time from Rajasthan, filling the seat that 91-year-old Singh leaves after completing his tenure on April 3.