Manmohan Singh: The hockey player who hit Pakistan's founding father, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, with a foul ball

Manmohan Singh was cremated with full state honours on December 28, 2024, in the presence of his family members and renowned politicians. The funeral took place at Delhi's Nigambodh Ghat crematorium. When the mortal remains of the former Prime Minister of India left the Congress headquarters, several party workers chanted 'Manmohan Singh amar rahe'.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was cremated with full state honours on December 28, 2024, at Delhi's Nigambodh Ghat crematorium in the presence of his family members and renowned politicians. When the mortal remains of the 13th Prime Minister of India left the Congress headquarters, several party workers chanted 'Manmohan Singh amar rahe'.

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Not only this, but the government has also decided to allocate space for a memorial for Manmohan Singh as a token of appreciation for everything the former Prime Minister had done for the country. Manmohan Singh passed away on December 26, 2024, at the age of 92, due to old-age-related health issues. He breathed his last at Delhi's AIIMS Hospital, and the news of his demise is still making waves globally.

Amidst all the tributes flowing on the internet, a particular anecdote from Manmohan Singh's life is making a lot of noise on the internet because it also features Pakistan's founding father, Mohammad Ali Jinnah. For the uninitiated, Manmohan Singh was an avid hockey player during his teenage years.

Manmohan Singh was born on September 26, 1932, in Gah, Punjab Province (now in Pakistan). The incident occurred back in 1945 in Lahore, where Manmohan Singh completed his junior college. The hockey ground of the junior college was reportedly attached to Mohammad Ali Jinnah's bungalow, and one day, when Manmohan Singh was playing there with his mates, his ball hit Pakistan's founding father. It was Manmohan Singh himself who shared this incident during a press conference in Bengaluru.

Recalling the incident, Manmohan Singh shared that he hit the ball towards the goalpost, but it missed the target and hit Mohammad Ali Jinnah's head. The former PM added that Mr Jinnah was standing on the verandah of his luxurious bungalow when his ball hit him. However, the Pakistani politician did not know what had hit him because the ball had gone somewhere. The interesting anecdote is doing rounds all over the internet at the moment.

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Talking about some of the most notable contributions of Manmohan Singh's political career, he implemented transformative economic reforms that played a crucial role in India's economic growth. For the uninitiated, under Manmohan Singh's leadership, India's GDP growth rate touched the mark of 10.03 per cent in 2010-11. Apart from this, the late PM also implemented the Right to Information Act and built strong ties with China and Pakistan. However, it's fair to say that the way Manmohan Singh negotiated the India-US civil nuclear agreement stands out in his accomplishments. 

No matter how many years pass, Manmohan Singh will be remembered as one of the most sought-after politicians in Indian politics.

Also Read: Meet Manmohan Singh's Daughters, Upinder, Daman, Amrit: Know About Their Education And Professions