Never thought I would reach that far: PM

Washington, Nov 23 (PTI) Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh Monday said he never thought that he would get an
opportunity to lead India one day, and attributed his success
to the functioning of democracy in the country.
"I never thought that I would reach that far," the Prime
Minister said in an interview to CNN.
"I am what I am, because of the education that I
received.
"But it's due to democracy that a person with such a
background as mine can, I think, become the Prime Minister of
this great republic of ours," Singh said in response to a
question.
Asked whether world has anything to learn from the
Indian democracy, the Prime Minister said if it (India)
succeeds in remaining a functioning democracy, and
simultaneously tackling problems of poverty, disease,
illiteracy, it is going to be an international public good.
"It would have lessons for the evolution of the
countries of the hitherto Third World in the 21st century,"
the Prime Minister said.
"The fact that there are very few countries of India's
size, which have remained functioning democracy throughout the
60 years of our independence, I think the world has to
recognise that.
"If we do succeed, it will have some bearing on the
evolution of the countries of the Third World in the 21st
century," Singh said. PTI LKJ
ANU