SM Krishna, former Karnataka chief minister and ex-External Affairs Minister died at 92 in Bengaluru on Tuesday. The veteran politician breathed his last at his home in Bengaluru. In March 2017, Krishna left the Congress and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In 2023, the government honoured him with Padma Vibhushan. The 92-year-old veteran politician was ailing for quite some time, a family source said.
"SM Krishna is no more. He breathed his last at 2.45 am at his residence in Bengaluru. Mortal remains are likely to be taken to Maddur today," the source said.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah condoled SM Krishna's death in a post on X. He wrote, "Saddened by the demise of former Chief Minister Shri S.M. Krishna. His unparalleled contributions as a Union Minister, Chief Minister, and leader have left an indelible mark. Karnataka will forever remain indebted to him, especially for his visionary leadership in transforming the IT-BT sector during his tenure as Chief Minister. A statesman and a leader without adversaries, Shri Krishna was a guide and mentor to me during my early days in the Congress party and remained a well-wisher throughout. His foresight, disciplined life, and kind nature are an inspiration for aspiring politicians. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family and admirers in this moment of grief. May his soul rest in peace."
SM Krishna ended 50-year-long association with Congress
Before joining the saffron party in 2017, he was one of the tallest Congress leaders in the southern region. He later joined the BJP, ending his nearly 50-year-long association with the Congress. He announced his resignation from the Congress in January 2017, saying the party was in a “state of confusion” on whether it needed mass leaders or not.
SM Krishna donned several caps
SM Krishna served as the Karnataka chief minister, the external affairs minister and the Governor of Maharashtra before retiring from politics. He served as the External Affairs Minister during the Manmohan Singh-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government from 2009 to 2012.
Krishna is survived by his wife Prema and two daughters Shambhavi and Malavika. Born in Somanahalli in Karnataka's Mandya district on May 1, 1932, Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna started his career in electoral politics in 1962 by winning the Maddur assembly seat as an independent.
He was then associated with the Praja Socialist Party before joining the Congress. Krishna in January last year announced that he was retiring from active politics, citing his age as the reason.
SM Krishna was 16th Karnataka CM
He was the 16th Chief Minister of Karnataka from October 11, 1999, to May 28, 2004, (from Congress).
A law graduate, Krishna studied in the US graduating from the Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and The George Washington University Law School in Washington DC, where he was a Fulbright Scholar.
Krishna served as the Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from December 1989 to January 1993. He was also a member of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha several times between 1971 and 2014.
Krishna was a member of both the Karnataka Assembly and Council and also served as Deputy Chief Minister (1993 to 1994). He was Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president ahead of the 1999 assembly polls in which the party won and he became the chief minister.
Krishna is credited by many for putting Bengaluru on the global map as a fillip given to the IT sector during his tenure resulting in the city growing as India's Silicon Valley'.
(With agencies inputs)
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