Manmohan Singh’s culinary trail in Delhi: A tale of family memories

For Manmohan Singh, Delhi was more than the bustling seat of power, it was a city where he found joy in books, food and family.

The former prime minister, who passed away at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here on Thursday at the age of 92, cherished moments of detachment from his demanding work, indulging in quiet escapes to bookshops and iconic eateries with his loved ones.

In her memoir, titled “Strictly Personal”, Singh’s daughter Daman Singh provides a rare glimpse into these outings, calling them “thrilling excursions”.

“Our most thrilling excursions were to bookshops: Ramakrishna and Sons in Kashmere Gate, and Galgotia and New Book Depot in Connaught Place. Let loose among the tantalising shelves, we would stumble out in a drunken daze, clutching our purchases,” she writes.

The family would often spend hours at these bookstores. However, it was the culinary journeys that truly captured Singh’s delight in the city.

In her memoir, Singh’s daughter recalls that “every couple of months, we went out to eat at preordained locations: Krishna Sweets in Kamla Nagar for south Indian food, the Tandoor in Daryaganj for Mughlai, Fujiya on Malcha Marg for Chinese, and Bengali Market for chaat“.

“Manmohan Singh used to visit our restaurant often in those days,” recalls Manpreet Singh, the owner of Fujiya.

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“He particularly enjoyed hot and sour soup and spring rolls. The kids loved American chopsuey. They also used to send someone to pick up food for home delivery. The last takeaway was about three years ago and their last visit was in 2007,” Manpreet Singh said.

At Krishna Sweets, the family savoured dosas and idlis while Bengali Market’s papri chaat and golgappas added a burst of flavour to their outings.

The Tandoor’s rich Mughlai dishes were another staple in their rotation, highlighting Singh’s appreciation for Delhi’s diverse cuisine.

Jagdish Aggarwal, the 77-year-old second-generation owner of Bhimsains Bengali Sweet House, said, “Manmohan Singh’s family used to frequently visit our shop. Mostly, they would send someone to pick up the delicacies. I remember, he (Singh) was very fond of sweets. After lunch and dinner, he would eat something sweet to end his meal. But from a health point of view, he was very particular about the kind of sweet he ordered and ate. Sweets like sandesh and rasgulla were what he liked.”

Aggarwal said he has been supplying sweets to the Parliament House for 60 years.

“Prime ministers like Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee also used to come here. As a student of economics myself, I remember what a great man he was. His policy decisions have steered India through the most difficult times,” he added.

A vegetarian by choice, Singh once considered breaking his dietary vow for a special dish. During a 2011 visit to Bangladesh, the first by an Indian prime minister since 1999, he admitted, “I am willing to break my vegetarian vow because I have heard about the delicious dish of Hilsa fish.”

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He said this in a lighter vein during an interview to Bangladeshi national news agency BSS.

These culinary outings, along with visits to close family friends, reveal a softer, more personal side to the economist and statesman.

Singh, who was admitted to the AIIMS in a critical condition, leaves behind a legacy of economic reforms and a life dedicated to public service.