Manmohan Singh, the architect of India’s economic reforms, was deeply connected to his humble roots and always preferred his modest Maruti 800 over the luxury of the BMW designated for his official travel as the Prime Minister, a former IPS officer who was in charge of Singh’s security has said.

Asim Arun, chief of the Special Protection Group (SPG) during Singh’s tenure as the Prime Minister, on Friday fondly recounted his simplicity and unassuming nature.

Asim said while the BMW, with its advanced security features, embodied the grandeur of the Prime Minister’s Office, Singh’s heart always longed for his Maruti, reflecting his simplicity and his connection with the struggles of the ordinary man.

“I served as his bodyguard for nearly three years starting in 2004. The Special Protection Group (SPG) has an innermost security ring for the Prime Minister — the Close Protection Team (CPT) — which I had the opportunity to lead. The assistant inspector-general of the CPT can never stay away from the PM. If there was only one bodyguard allowed, it would be me. Therefore, my responsibility was to stay with him like his shadow,” Arun posted in Hindi on X.

“Dr sahab owned just one car, a Maruti 800, which used to be parked behind the gleaming black BMW in the PM House. Manmohan Singh ji would often tell me — ‘Asim, I do not like travelling in this car, my car is this one (Maruti)’. I would explain that this car is not for your luxury but has security features that the SPG required,” he added.

Highlighting Singh’s fondness for the Maruti 800, which symbolised his middle-class roots, Arun reminisced how Singh’s gaze would always linger on his modest car. “Whenever the convoy passed by the Maruti 800, he would always gaze at it longingly as if reaffirming his identity as a middle-class person who cared for the common man. He seemed to be repeating a resolution that the car worth crores (BMW) belongs to the PM, mine is this Maruti,” Arun wrote.

Singh’s last affidavit, which was submitted during his nomination as an MP from Assam in 2013, had disclosed that he owned a Maruti 800 that was valued at just ₹21,033.

Arun took voluntary retirement in January 2022 to join politics. He successfully contested the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election in 2022 as a BJP candidate from Kannauj and is currently a minister in the Yogi Adityanath government.

Following the terror attack on Parliament in 2001, the BMW 7 series became the designated vehicle for the Prime Minister.

Sources said Prime Minister Narendra Modi often travels in a customised black Range Rover Sentinel SUV. The Range Rover has advanced security features, including ballistic and blast protection, armoured glass and a system to counter assault rifles, grenades and IEDs. It is also equipped with a public address system and emergency lighting.

Like the BMW 7 Series, the Range Rover Sentinel has the capability to drive on flat tyres at the speed of 80kmph.