As the nation mourns the loss of one of its most respected statesmen Manmohan Singh, his former food and agriculture secretary T Nanda Kumar on Friday shared his memories of working with the former prime minister during some of India's most challenging times. Manmohan Singh, whose leadership was defined by compassion and intellect, passed away in New Delhi on Thursday night at the age of 92. Recalling his first one-on-one meeting with Singh in 2006, Nanda Kumar said India was facing a shortage of what at that time and it was decided to import it, sparking criticism from several quarters. Nanda Kumar said he went to the prime minister to talk over the issue. "He heard me patiently and explained, like the professor he was, the need to augment supplies when demand outstripped availability. He told me, 'as prime minister, I cannot let any Indian go without food'. That summed up the basis of his decisions," Nanda Kumar recounted to PTI. "This ethos guided Singh's leadership during cris