SM Krishna passes away: The veteran's political career, legacy, and ‘Brand Bengaluru’

 

SM Krishna, born on May 1, 1932, in Somanahalli, Mandya's Maddur Taluka, was the son of the late SC Mallaiah. He married Prema and had two daughters, Malavika and Shambhavi. Krishna completed his education at Maharaja's College, Mysore, followed by a law degree from Bengaluru's Government Law College. He later pursued higher studies at Southern Methodist University, Dallas, and George Washington University.

Before entering politics, Krishna worked as a professor of International Law at Renukacharya Law College, Bangalore. He was first elected to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly in 1962.

Political Journey: Krishna began his parliamentary career in 1968 by being elected to the Lok Sabha. Although he was re-elected to the Lok Sabha in 1972, he chose to return to state politics. He was elected to the Karnataka Legislative Council and served as the Minister for Commerce, Industries, and Parliamentary Affairs from 1972 to 1977.

In 1980, he returned to the Lok Sabha and served as Minister of State for Industry (1983-1984) and Minister of State for Finance (1984-1985). He was Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from 1989 to 1992. Krishna then served in the Rajya Sabha from 1996 until October 1999.

In 1982, SM Krishna was a member of the Indian delegation to the United Nations, and in 1990, he attended the Commonwealth Parliamentary Seminar at the UK's Westminster as a delegate.

Krishna served as the Chief Minister of Karnataka from October 1999 to May 2004 and later became the Governor of Maharashtra in December 2004. He also held the position of External Affairs Minister in the UPA government from 2009 to 2012 under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

After a 46-year relationship with the Congress, Krishna joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2017, citing the Congress's state of confusion. He announced his retirement from active politics shortly before the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections.

Krishna is most known for his work as Karnataka's Chief Minister and for promoting 'Brand Bengaluru'. Under his leadership, Bengaluru's IT sector grew, becoming a major hub, and he contributed significantly to its development. In 2022, Krishna urged the state government to protect 'Brand Bengaluru' by reconstituting the Bangalore Agenda Task Force (BATF) to plan for the city's future.