Manmohan Singh was last living Indian statesman I knew: Gopal Krishna Gandhi

New Delhi: Former West Bengal governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi has said late Manmohan Singh was the last true Indian statesman he had known and praised the former prime minister for demonstrating that there was still room for "sharafat in siyasat" (decency in politics).

Speaking at the India International Centre (IIC) on Wednesday during the launch of his book The Undying Light: A Personal History of Independent India, Gandhi remarked that with Singh's passing last year, "civility in Indian public life has shrivelled and decency withered".

"Dr Manmohan Singh was the last living Indian statesman I have known... He was in office, not in a war room. His table was a desk, it was not a battle board. His pen wrote, he did not decree. 'Siyasat' is a Hindustani word for politics, and 'sharafat' for honesty and decency. Manmohan has shown there was space in 'siyasat' for 'sharafat' and for 'sharafat' in 'siyasat'," said Gandhi.

Singh, widely regarded as the architect of India’s economic reforms and a consensus builder amid the often tumultuous landscape of politics, passed away in December last year at the age of 92.

Addressing a packed audience -- including Singh's wife, Gursharan Kaur, seated in the front row -- the 79-year-old added that the "Indian sky has decisively darkened by the departure of the good man".

Gandhi's book was formally launched by veteran actor Sharmila Tagore. The event was followed by a discussion on the book by activist Aruna Roy, economist Montek Singh Ahluwalia and professor Rudrangshu Mukherjee.

Touted to be a "magisterial account of seminal events in the country from Independence to the present day", The Undying Light is published by Aleph Book Company. It is priced at Rs 999.