Former Karnataka Chief Minister SM Krishna, who was instrumental in turning Bengaluru into a global tech hub, passed away at the age of 92. He died at his home in Bengaluru around 2:45 am after battling illness for some time.
Born on May 1, 1932, in Somanahalli, Mandya district, Mr. Krishna served as both the Chief Minister of Karnataka and as India’s External Affairs Minister. He had a long association with the Congress party before joining the BJP later in his career.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed his shock at Mr. Krishna’s death, describing his service as a State and Union Minister, and Chief Minister, as unparalleled. He praised Mr. Krishna’s significant contribution to the growth of the IT-BT sector, particularly during his time as Chief Minister, and acknowledged how Mr. Krishna had mentored him when he first joined the Congress.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu described SM Krishna as a true leader who always put the welfare of his people first. He added, “Our friendship went beyond the competitive spirit we shared in attracting investments to our states.” Naidu extended his heartfelt condolences to Mr. Krishna’s family and friends during this difficult time.
SM Krishna graduated from Maharaja’s College in Mysuru and earned a law degree from the Government Law College in Bengaluru. He then went on to the US, where he studied at Southern Methodist University in Dallas and George Washington University as a Fulbright Scholar.
His political career began in 1962 when he won the Maddur assembly seat as an Independent, defeating prominent Congress politician KV Shankar Gowda, and became a member of the Karnataka assembly. He made his debut in Parliament in 1968 by winning the Mandya by-election, but resigned in 1972 to return to state politics. He re-entered the Lok Sabha in 1980.
Krishna joined the Congress in 1971 after spending some time with the Praja Socialist Party. In 1999, he led the Congress to victory as the state unit chief and became the Chief Minister of Karnataka. He served as the Governor of Maharashtra from 2004 to 2008 and later became the Foreign Minister in 2009.
