BENGALURU: Former chief minister SM Krishna dedicated the Padma Vibhushan award to the people of Karnataka who nurtured him for six decades. Krishna, a former External Affairs Minister under the UPA regime, thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for the award.
Krishna said he had not expected the award and said he was humbled to accept it and grateful to the government of India and people of Karnataka. In 2017, Krishna joined the BJP after ending his nearly 50- year association with the Congress.
The veteran politician recently announced his retirement from active politics. As Karnataka CM from 1999 to 2004, he was credited with taking several initiatives that helped the Information Technology sector’s growth in the state and putting Bengaluru on the global map.
“My heartiest congratulations to Shri SM Krishna on being bestowed the Padma Vibhushan. He has been a great visionary CM of Karnataka under whose leadership Bengaluru became the IT/BT/Science capital and the World’s Software Capital. Jai Hind,” tweeted Biocon Chief Kiran Mazumdar Shaw.
Health and Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar said the visionary leader contributed immensely to making Bengaluru the IT hub of India. “SM Krishna avarige Padma Vibushana What a proud, proud moment for all of us Kannadigas!
A statesman and one of the best CM’s Karnataka has ever had. Such wonderful news- my father would celebrated if he were alive today Many many congratulations, Sir!” tweeted former MP Divya Spandana.