I had the privilege of meeting our prime minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, in June 2001 when he visited New York along with Congress President Sonia Gandhi and other senior leaders.

A reception was held for them at the Marriott.

When I introduced a delegation of community leaders to Dr Singh, he met everyone with a smile. He was very polite and humble.

I told him it was because of his economic reforms that India and Indians were doing well the world over.

The next day, I again met him at Hotel Carolyn where he was put up with the rest of the Congress delegation.

I had gone there to meet Sonia Gandhi.

He spoke well with all of us.

I think our prime minister is highly educated, humble and has a great track record. I wish him the very best and hope he will strengthen our country's economy further.

God bless him with good health and a long life.
 
Rajender Dichpally
Youth President (2001-2003), Indian National Overseas Congress
Senior Programmer/Analyst
Nomura Securities
Wall Street

Par excellence 

I met Dr Manmohan Singh in Gwalior in 1997, at the annual national conference of the Indian Economic Association.

I was so enthusiastic about meeting him that I made his sketch.

When I showed it to him, he smiled. He cheerfully signed on the sketch and wrote an inspiring note.

I expressed my appreciation for his contribution towards our country's progress.

Nothing bad can be said about him.

In the public life, he remains a person par excellence.

We are lucky to have him at the helm.

Manish Sharma
Doctoral Fellow
University of Tokyo

A gentle intellectual

When I was younger, I was an avid political watcher and a keen autograph collector. I made it a point to try and go for functions attended by celebrities.

One such programme was the annual K S Hegde Memorial Lecture, which was to be delivered by former finance minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

I was excited at the prospect of seeing the man who had single-handedly given a much-needed lift to the reputation of the scam-tainted Narasimha Rao government.

Security was minimal and accessing the simple, turban clad Dr Singh was not difficult.

I did not know which exit Dr Singh would take at the end of the lecture to avoid being mobbed so, after he was done, I went and waited by the car that was to take him to the airport.

As soon as he reached the car, I asked him for his autograph.

Dr Singh asked me my name. Before I could reply, he said if he gave me an autograph he would be delayed and miss his flight. I replied that the flight would wait for him. He smiled and signed an autograph for me before getting into his car.

It was an unforgettable encounter with a gentle intellectual.

Dr Singh may not have a constituency or mass support base. Yet, as member of the Rajya Sabha from Assam, he has done a lot for this northeastern state. His image as Mr Clean will increase the country's growth momentum in the days to come.

I'll always cherish the day I met him.

Amith Prabhu
Junior Associate
Genesis Public Relations Pvt Ltd
Gurgaon

Into the 21^st century

I had meet Dr Manmohan Singh when he was finance minister.

He had come to attend the Annual Grape Growers Meet at Pune; my father was the president.

My first impression of him remains as fresh as ever -- the way the way he greeted everybody in particular.

I am proud to have a prime minister like Dr Singh.

I am confident that, just as he once transformed the economy, he will now transform the country.

Anand S Kanchan
Marketing research trainee
Mahagrapes
Mumbai