Manmohan Singh's sister Gobind Kaur mourns his demise

Kolkata, Dec 27 (PTI) The sister of former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Gobind Kaur, who resides in Kolkata, is finding it difficult to come to terms with the demise of her elder brother, whom she fondly referred to as 'Papaji', family members said.

Sitting in her south Kolkata residence, grief-stricken Kaur, in her advanced age, finds herself at a loss for words.

Singh, who passed away on Thursday night at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi at the age of 92, was a key figure in shaping India's economic reforms.

Kaur's son Gurdeep Singh shared that his mother had a deep emotional connection with her brother despite their infrequent meetings in recent years due to age-related constraints.

"Although he had stopped coming to Kolkata due to poor health, they stayed in regular touch over phone and video calls. I remember one such moment when they spoke to each other, and both had tears in their eyes," he said.

The family is planning to organise an Akhand Path and Kirtan, a 48-hour prayer service, following Singh's cremation as part of his final rites.

Other family members of Gobind Kaur, while talking to reporters, recounted the heartbreaking moment when they informed Kaur about Singh's passing.

"We didn't break the news to her last night. When we told her this morning, she broke down and expressed her desire to see him one last time, but her health does not allow her to travel," another family member said.

The family last met Singh in February last year during a visit to his Delhi residence.

The family is likely to leave for Delhi to bid a final farewell to the economist-turned-politician.

Manmohan Singh, who served as India's prime minister from 2004 to 2014, was also instrumental in the country's economic reforms as finance minister before that. Known globally for his expertise in financial and economic matters, he leaves behind a lasting legacy. PTI PNT ACD