The Karnataka Assembly on Tuesday passed a bill to rename Bengaluru City University as Dr Manmohan Singh Bengaluru City University, honouring the former Prime Minister who passed away earlier this year.
The move, backed by the Congress-majority assembly, comes as a tribute to Singh’s contributions to the nation and to Bengaluru’s growth. During his tenure as Prime Minister, Singh inaugurated several landmark infrastructure projects that shaped the city’s modern identity. Notably, in June 2006, he laid the foundation for the Bangalore–Electronic City Elevated Expressway and the Bengaluru Metro, both of which remain crucial to the city’s connectivity.
Dr Manmohan Singh served as India’s 13th Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014, before being succeeded by Narendra Modi. Widely respected for his role in steering India’s economy, Singh had earlier served as Finance Minister in PV Narasimha Rao’s government, where he introduced key liberalisation reforms in the 1990s. Before entering politics, he also held eminent posts including Governor of the Reserve Bank of India.
By renaming the university, the state aims to immortalise his legacy, especially for students and scholars in Bengaluru. The decision highlights Singh’s deep influence on both India’s economic policies and the city’s infrastructure landscape.