I remember that evening. It was a Saturday, July 22. Delhi was like a furnace but the day seemed lazy to me. Congress won the elections. The BJP lost. The results were a surprise but the bigger surprise was the Congress’s pick for prime minister.
As politics and speculations were on, my wife and I decided to go to a Connaught Place bar to end the day with some beer. I was a few beers down when my boss called me, and not giving me a chance to answer, put me on an assignment to go to the PMO. Why? Dr Manmohan Singh was to be the prime minister of the country.
Since that day, I have been taking Singh’s photos. I always thought that one day I would travel with him to Pakistan as he belonged to a village called Gah in the country. That day never came and Congress lost the 2014 elections. He was in Kartarpur in 2019 and I happed to be there too. Kartarpur is close to Gah, but Singh – known for his remarkable restraint – did not venture there.
He was respected by all.
Dr. Manmohan Singh enters office. Photo: Shome Basu.
Manmohan Singh at 10 Janpath, Sonia Gandhi’s residence, with the media. Photo: Shome Basu.
Manmohan Singh at Rashtrapati Bhavan addressing the press. Photo: Shome Basu.
Manmohan Singh at the Congress plenary. Photo: Shome Basu.
Dr Manmohan Singh and his SPG entourage at BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain’s Eid party. Photo: Shome Basu.
Manmohan Singh arrives at work. Photo: Shome Basu.
Manmohan Singh on his bullet proof BMW car after taking over again in 2009. Photo: Shome Basu.
Manmohan Singh. Photo: Shome Basu.
Manmohan Singh, at Kuldeep Nayar’s cremation in Delhi with wife Gurcharan Kaur. Photo: Shome Basu
Manmohan Singh on July 22, 2004, when he took over as PM. Photo: Shome Basu.
With Pranab Mukherjee, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Photo: Shome Basu.
Manmohan Singh at Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan in 2019. Photo: Shome Basu.
Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi, as the latter requests him to take over as PM. Photo: Shome Basu.
