Manmohan Singh preferred Maruti 800 over BMW

Lucknow: Manmohan Singh preferred his modest Maruti Suzuki 800 over luxury BMWs even when holding the office of prime minister as it reaffirmed his connection with the middle class and commitment to work for the common man.

Singh's humility and grounded nature were highlighted in a heartfelt social media memoir by Uttar Pradesh Minister of State for Social Welfare (Independent Charge) Asim Arun, a former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer who worked as Singh's chief bodyguard for almost three years. He shared the note on social media shortly after the 92-year-old Singh passed away late on Thursday at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi.