KARNATAKA: Former Chief Minister of Karnataka and former Union Minister of External Affairs, Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna, passed away on Tuesday in Bengaluru at the age of 92.
SM Krishna also served as the Governor of Maharashtra and was credited with transforming Bengaluru into the Silicon Valley of India. He is survived by his wife, Prema Krishna, and two daughters.
Krishna served as the Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1999 to 2004. He also held the position of Speaker of the Karnataka Assembly. Over his long political career, Krishna represented both houses of the Karnataka legislature (Assembly and Council) as well as both houses of Parliament (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha). He began his political journey in 1962 when he was elected as an MLA. In 2023, he was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian honor.
Bengaluru, known as the IT capital of India, owes much of its transformation to Krishna’s visionary leadership. He was a graduate of Maharaja's College, Mysuru, and later obtained a law degree from University Law College, Bengaluru. Krishna pursued further studies in the United States, graduating from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and The George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C., where he was a Fulbright Scholar.
Krishna quit the Indian National Congress in 2017 and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Many dignitaries, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, and others, expressed their condolences.
Siddaramaiah, while paying tribute, said that Karnataka will always remain grateful for Krishna's contributions to the IT and BT sectors. "He guided me during my initial days in Congress," he added.
Karnataka government announce three-day state mourning
The Karnataka government announced state mourning for three days as a mark of respect to veteran politician. His last rites will be performed with full state honours at his native in Mandya district on Wednesday.
The three-day state mourning is from December 10 to 12, official notification said.
During this period, there will be no official entertainment programmes and the national flag will be flown at half mast in all government buildings, it said.