A Scholar's Humble Journey: Manmohan Singh's Cambridge Days

Daman Singh's book 'Strictly Personal' reveals her father, Manmohan Singh's struggles during his student years at Cambridge. Despite financial hardships, he excelled academically, earning a top degree in Economics. His resilience and humor shine through anecdotes, highlighting his simple yet enduring journey from a Punjab village to global prominence.

Manmohan Singh, while studying at Cambridge University on a scholarship in the mid-1950s, frequently faced financial struggles that forced him to make sacrifices, sometimes skipping meals or surviving on a Cadbury's chocolate bar, according to his daughter Daman Singh.

Despite these challenges, Singh achieved a First Class Honours degree in Economics in 1957. Daman's book 'Strictly Personal: Manmohan and Gursharan', published by HarperCollins in 2014, shares the story of her parents, highlighting her father's resilience and simplicity.

The book details Singh's early life in Punjab, now part of Pakistan, and his humble lifestyle at Cambridge. With expenses far exceeding his scholarship funds, Singh lived frugally, relying solely on his careful budgeting and occasional help from friends when family support was delayed.

(With inputs from agencies.)