New Delhi, 27 December 2024: A seven-day period of state mourning has been announced across India to pay homage to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who passed away Thursday night at AIIMS in New Delhi. The national flag will remain at half-mast from December 26, 2024, to January 1, 2025, according to a statement by the Union Home Ministry.
The ministry communicated the decision to all state and union territory chief secretaries, confirming that Singh would be accorded a state funeral. “The Government of India announces with deep sorrow the demise of Manmohan Singh, former prime minister of India, on December 26, 2024, at AIIMS hospital in New Delhi,” the statement said.
During this period, official entertainment will be suspended as a mark of respect for the veteran leader.
The directive also specified that the national flag will be flown at half-mast on the day of Singh’s funeral at all Indian embassies, high commissions, and missions abroad.
A renowned economist and statesman, Singh served as India’s prime minister from 2004 to 2014, leaving behind a legacy of impactful governance and policy reforms. Funeral arrangements and details about the ceremony are expected to follow.
