FORMER federal minister Herb Dhaliwal in a statement on Thursday said: “I am, personally, very saddened by the loss today of my good friend, Dr. Manmohan Singh. Beginning in the late 1990s I had the distinct privilege of becoming acquainted with this wonderful, gentle man. I met him several times during his terms of Office, first as Finance Minister and then as Prime Minister, as well as since he and I both left politics.”

Dhaliwal added: “India has lost an icon, a distinguished past Prime Minister highly respected by his world leader peers. He was a humble, long standing career official who rose to make an indelible mark as an inspirational economic visionary. His dynamic policies on deregulation changed many sectors, opening India to foreign investment and the prosperity resulting.”

He noted: “Manmohan Singh was the first Sikh in history to occupy the Lok Kalyan Marg (Prime Minister’s official residence). He also was a man whose legacy includes, although with his characteristic soft voice, being outspoken on behalf of India’s less fortunate.”

Dhaliwal said: “May he rest in peace, remembered for having been a kind human being, one who brought India forward to becoming a modern economic marvel among the community of nations.”