 "SM Krishna passes away at 92, remembered for 'Brand Bengaluru' vision")
Former Karnataka Chief Minister Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna, widely known as SM Krishna, passed away early Tuesday morning at the age of 92.
“SM 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,” news agency PTI reported.
He is survived by his wife, Prema Krishna, and two daughters, Malavika and Shambhavi Krishna.
Early life and education
Born on May 1, 1932, in Somanahalli village in Mandya’s Maddur taluka in Karnataka, SM Krishna was the son of SC Mallaiah. He pursued his early education at Maharaja’s College in Mysore and obtained a law degree from Bengaluru’s Government Law College. He later attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas and George Washington University in the US.
On returning to India, Krishna worked as an International Law professor at Renukacharya Law College in Bengaluru. His political career began in 1962 when he was elected to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly.
Political career
SM Krishna entered the Indian Parliament in 1968, representing the Lok Sabha. Although re-elected to the fifth Lok Sabha, he shifted focus to state politics in 1972, serving as Karnataka’s Minister for Commerce, Industries, and Parliamentary Affairs until 1977.
More From This Section
In 1980, Krishna returned to the Lok Sabha and later served as Minister of State for Industry (1983-84) and Finance (1984-85). From 1989 to 1992, he was Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1996 and served until 1999.
Krishna also represented India internationally, serving on a United Nations delegation in 1982 and participating in the Commonwealth Parliamentary Seminar in 1990.
Krishna served as Karnataka’s Chief Minister from October 1999 to May 2004 and later as Maharashtra’s Governor in 2004. From 2009 to 2012, he was India’s External Affairs Minister in the UPA government led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
After decades with the Congress Party, Krishna joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2017, citing dissatisfaction with the Congress, which he described as being in a “state of confusion.” He retired from active politics in 2023, months before the Karnataka Assembly elections.
Legacy: ‘Brand Bengaluru’
Krishna is best remembered for his tenure as Karnataka’s Chief Minister and his vision for “Brand Bengaluru.”
Recognising the potential of the IT sector, he implemented policies fostering growth and innovation. His administration established the Bangalore Agenda Task Force (BATF) in 1999, which included industry leaders like Nandan Nilekani of Infosys and Azim Premji of Wipro. This initiative aimed to create a strategic roadmap for Bengaluru’s development as an IT hub.
Under his leadership, Bengaluru emerged as an alternative to California’s Silicon Valley. His government focused on improving infrastructure, streamlining processes for IT companies, and promoting public-private partnerships. This proactive approach resulted in significant job creation and positioned Bengaluru globally as a technology and innovation hub.
In 2022, Krishna wrote to then-Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, urging measures to preserve “Brand Bengaluru” and suggesting the revival of the Bangalore Agenda Task Force to create a forward-looking blueprint for the city’s development.
Even after stepping away from active politics, Krishna remained invested in Bengaluru’s future. He voiced concerns about maintaining “Brand Bengaluru” amid challenges such as urbanisation and infrastructure strain.
His strategic initiatives laid the foundation for Bengaluru’s rise as a global innovation hub. As the city evolves, Krishna’s influence will continue to guide policymakers aiming to sustain its growth trajectory.