Former Karnataka CM S M Krishna Passes Away At 92, Credited For Bengaluru’s Rise As 'Silicon Valley Of India'

S M Krishna, the former Chief Minister of Karnataka, died early Tuesday morning on (10 December) at his home, according to his family.

A family source revealed that the 92-year-old statesman had been experiencing health issues for a considerable period.

His death has been mourned by President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and numerous other leaders.

"S M Krishna is no more. He breathed his last at 2:45 am at his residence. Mortal remains are likely to be taken to Maddur today," the source said.

His wife Prema, along with her two daughters Shambhavi and Malavika, are the surviving family members of the former CM.

The Karnataka government has announced a mourning period of three days. The cremation is scheduled to take place in the deceased's home village in the Mandya district, with full state honors, on 11 December.

Political career

Krishna, born on 1 May 1932, in Somanahalli, a region in the Mandya district of Karnataka, began his journey in electoral politics in 1962.

He marked the start of his career by securing victory as an independent candidate for the Maddur assembly seat. He initially had an association with the Praja Socialist Party prior to becoming a member of the Congress.

In March 2017, he became a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), thereby concluding his almost half-century-long affiliation with the Congress. In January 2023, Krishna declared his retirement from active politics, attributing it to his advancing age.

From 11 October 1999 to 28 May 2004, he served as the 16th Chief Minister of Karnataka, representing the Congress party. He revealed that he was a contender for the Prime Minister position in 2004.

Many attribute Bengaluru's global recognition as India's Silicon Valley to Krishna. They believe his tenure significantly boosted the IT sector, leading to the city's substantial growth.

He not only held the position of Maharashtra's Governor but also functioned as the External Affairs Minister under the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government led by Manmohan Singh, from 2009 to 2012.

Early life

Krishna, a graduate of law, completed his studies in the United States. He earned his degrees from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and The George Washington University Law School in Washington DC. Additionally, he was recognized as a Fulbright Scholar during his academic journey.

From December 1989 to January 1993, Krishna held the position of Speaker in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. In addition to this, between the years 1971 and 2014, he was repeatedly elected as a member of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

Krishna served not only as a member of the Karnataka Assembly and Council, but also held the position of Deputy Chief Minister from 1993 to 1994.

Before the 1999 assembly elections, he held the position of president for the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee. The party emerged victorious in the elections, leading to him assuming the role of chief minister.