Manmohan Singh had held several important positions, including that of the governor of the Reserve Bank of India, but it was as P V Narasimha Rao's finance minister that he sprang into the public consciousness.

His selection was a masterstroke by Narasimha Rao. In fact, Dr Singh himself was 'very surprised' when he heard the news, and found it hard to believe.

Friends advised him against taking the job. India was on the verge of bankruptcy and they feared he would become the scapegoat.

But Manmohan Singh saw an opportunity to try and make a difference. If he succeeded, he thought, he would 'have a footnote in India's history.'

Happily, he has more than a footnote now.

Photograph: Ramesh