Former Karnataka Chief Minister and External Affairs Minister SM Krishna, who is credited with having transformed the southern Indian city of Bangalore into the country’s Silicon Valley, has died after a prolonged illness.
He was 92.
According to reports, he died at his residence in Bangalore.
Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge wrote on X: “Deeply saddened by the demise of Shri S.M. Krishna, the former Chief Minister of Karnataka, whose legacy of leadership and public service has left an indelible mark on our state and nation.”
Apart from serving as the Karnataka Chief Minister from 1999 to 2004, the former External Affairs Minister was appointed as the Governor of Maharashtra from 2004 to 2008.
During former PM Manmohan Singh’s second term of the United Progressive Alliance rule, he served as the External Affairs Minister from 2009 to 2012.
In 2017, Krishna ended his long association with the Congress to join the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Born on May 1, 1932, Krishna graduated from Maharaja’s College, Mysore, and then obtained a law degree from the Government Law College, Bangalore.
He went to the USA to study at Southern Methodist University, Dallas, and then at George Washington University.
After returning to India, Krishna worked as a Professor of International Law in Renukacharya Law College, Bangalore.
In his political career, Krishna was elected to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly in 1962.
He made his debut in Parliament in 1968 and became a Member of the fourth Lok Sabha.
He was elected to the fifth Lok Sabha but preferred to return to state politics in 1972 when he was elected to the Legislative Council and inducted as the Minister for Commerce, Industries and Parliamentary Affairs, a charge he held between 1972 and 1977.
In 1980, he returned to Lok Sabha and was made the Minister of State for Industry from 1983-84, and the Minister of State for Finance from 1984-85.
He became the Speaker of Karnataka Legislative Assembly in 1989, a post he held till 1992.
He became Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka in 1992.
He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1996 and remained its member till October 1999.
Reactions
Several politicians mourned the demise of the veteran leader and posted their message on X.
Indian PM Narendra Modi described him as a ‘remarkable’ leader.
“Shri SM Krishna Ji was a remarkable leader, admired by people from all walks of life. He always worked tirelessly to improve the lives of others. He is fondly remembered for his tenure as Karnataka’s Chief Minister, particularly for his focus on infrastructural development. Shri SM Krishna Ji was also a prolific reader and thinker,” Modi said.
“Deeply saddened by the passing of Shri S.M. Krishna Ji. He made invaluable contributions to public life, serving with distinction as Chief Minister of Karnataka and Union Minister of External Affairs. He has left behind a rich legacy of Statesmanship and Public Service. Heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones,” Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman posted on X.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu wrote: “I’m deeply saddened to hear about the passing of former Karnataka Chief Minister, Sri SM Krishna Garu. Our friendship transcended the competitive spirit we shared in attracting investments to our respective states. He was a true leader who always prioritized the welfare of his people. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family and friends during this difficult time.”
Former Indian PM HD Devegowda said: “I am saddened by the passing away of Shri. SM Krishna, my friend and longtime Karnataka colleague. We started out in politics around the same time, and cultivated very different approaches to development and governance. Om Shanti.”
