The Legacy of Dr. Manmohan Singh: How His Library Restored Congress's Historical Connection

In his passing, Dr. Manmohan Singh has remarkably reconnected the grand old party with its historical roots and literary heritage, accomplishing what had abruptly ceased back in 1971.

The Congress split of 1969 held tremendous significance on multiple fronts. Following this division, Indira Gandhi's Congress faction lost its hold over 7 Jantar Mantar, which had served as the party headquarters since Independence. Indira established a temporary office at Windsor Place in the residence of MV Krishnappa, a devoted Congress loyalist who had served under Nehru. The party office relocated to 5 Rajendra Prasad Road in 1971, and subsequently to 24 Akbar Road in 1978. Despite numerous attempts, the Congress failed to reclaim control of 7 Jantar Mantar Road.

Indira deeply lamented the loss of her party's precious archives, but upon her triumphant return to power in 1980, she declined to pursue claims on 7 Jantar Mantar. "I have rebuilt the party from nothing, not once, but twice. The new premises will invigorate our party members for generations," she told her son Sanjay when he suggested returning to their former headquarters. After the Emergency, the bitter 1978 split left Indira's Congress faction with virtually nothing. Saddiq Ali, the office secretary at the time, refused to surrender any official documents, papers, or books to Indira, leaving the party without files, historical records, correspondence, stationery, flags, or even typewriters.

Sonia Gandhi, herself a passionate reader, author, and editor of four books, felt profound disappointment whenever reminded that the party headquarters at 24 Akbar Road lacked a proper library.

According to respected writer and columnist Jairam Ramesh, the concept of establishing the Dr. Manmohan Singh Research Centre and Library originated with Sonia Gandhi. She reportedly shared this vision with him and other senior party figures on January 15, 2025, during the inauguration of Indira Bhavan, the new party office at 9A, Kotla Marg, New Delhi. The Centre and Library was formally launched by Sonia, Rahul Gandhi, AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge, and Mrs. Gursharan Kaur on September 26, 2025, commemorating Dr. Manmohan Singh's 93rd birth anniversary.

In January 2025, the party sought out Abdul Moin Zaidi and his wife Shahida Gufran Zaidi to develop the library collection. Zaidi had served as librarian at 7 Jantar Mantar and later at 5 Rajendra Prasad Road. He had meticulously compiled The Encyclopedia of the Indian National Congress, which chronicles the party's entire history since 1885, including commentaries, speeches, and Congress Working Committee meeting minutes. AM Zaidi authored numerous books, including comprehensive records of all AICC meetings since 1885—an invaluable resource for serious scholars and commentators on contemporary Indian history and politics. Ramesh personally contributed an impressive 1,000 books, including collected works of Mahatma Gandhi and selected writings of Motilal Nehru, Jawaharlal Nehru, B.R. Ambedkar, Rajaji, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, Subhash Chandra Bose, Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, Jayprakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Acharya Narendra Dev, Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, NV Gadgil, and many others.

Reflecting Manmohan's worldview and political philosophy, the library's collection extends beyond Congress leaders' biographies. It houses life accounts of various political figures and autobiographies of those who departed from the party or opposed the Nehru-Gandhi family.

The Manmohan Singh Research and Library features a dedicated section on the Constitution, including a rare photograph of the Constituent Assembly, Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar's Collected Works, literature by and about Ambedkar, books on the Constitution, and Constituent Assembly debates. Subjects dear to Manmohan Singh—economics, politics, culture, and foreign policy—are comprehensively represented. His prime ministerial speeches share space with volumes on other prime ministers, including Nehru, Indira, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Rajiv Gandhi, and PV Narasimha Rao.

A noteworthy aspect of the research center and library is the prominence given to numerous books authored by Shashi Tharoor, widely regarded as a leading dissident figure currently. Works by Manish Tiwari, P Chidambaram, Salman Khurshid, Mani Shankar Aiyar, and K Natwar Singh are also featured in the collection. In 2013, during the UPA government, Sonia Gandhi addressed party chief ministers in Shimla, stating that democracy provides space for dissent and debate, not merely monologues. Many Congress insiders wonder whether Sonia's appreciation for constructive dissent has been inherited by her son Rahul Gandhi.

Manmohan Singh, himself an intellectual giant, thinker, and lecturer, remained reluctant to write his memoirs. This correspondent, encouraged by well-wishers and family members, repeatedly urged him to produce an autobiographical account, but the former prime minister declined, indicating that his loyalty as a 'Congressman' from July 1991 until his death prevented him from crossing any 'Laxman Rekha.' The books attributed to his authorship in public records primarily consist of his speeches, lectures, and reports prepared for the Commonwealth group.