About the Author

V.P. Singh was born in Allahabad in 1931, and graduated from Allahabad and Pune universities. He became an MLA in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly in 1969, and two years later a member of the Lok Sabha. He has held ministerial positions at the Centre including the defence and finance portfolios, and was chief minister of Uttar Pradesh from 1980 to 1982. He was Prime Minister of India from 1989 to 1990. While V.P. Singh remains active in politics and social work, his special interests include painting - he has held several solo shows - and poetry.