Bengaluru: Former External Affairs Minister and Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna died at his residence early Tuesday morning.
The 92-year-old veteran politician was ailing for quite some time, a family source said.
“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.
Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna is survived by wife Prema and two daughters.
The Karnataka government has announced state mourning for three days as a mark of respect to the veteran leader.
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.
Born in Somanahalli in Mandya district on May 1, 1932, Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna began 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.
Later, he joined the BJP in March 2017, ending his nearly 50-year-long association with the Congress.
In January last year, Krishna announced his retirement from active politics, citing his age as the reason.
He was the 16th Chief Minister of Karnataka from October 11, 1999, to May 28, 2004, (from Congress).
He also served as the Governor of Maharashtra and was the External Affairs Minister during the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government from 2009 to 2012.
A law graduate, Krishna studied in the US. He graduated 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 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’.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the passing of Krishna and said he was a remarkable leader admired by people from all walks of life.
“Shri SM Krishna Ji was a remarkable leader, admired by people from all walks of life. He always worked tirelessly to improve the lives of others,” he said in a post on X.
Recalling that he has had many opportunities to interact with Krishna over the years, Modi said he will always cherish those interactions.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge hailed the former Karnataka Chief Minister as a true champion of development who made significant contributions to the state and the nation.
“Extremely saddened by the passing away of Former Chief Minister of Karnataka and Former Union Minister, S M Krishna. A true champion of development, he made significant contributions to the state and the nation,” Kharge said in a post on X.
“His vision, dedication and exceptional public service played a pivotal role in Karnataka’s progress, while his approach to balance welfare with development placed a global stamp on Bengaluru’s transformative paradigm.My deepest condolences to his family, friends and followers,” he said.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar expressed sorrow over the death of former External Affairs Krishna and said his contributions to the development of Karnataka and as EAM will be vividly remembered.
In a post on ‘X’, he said, “Deeply saddened by the passing away of former EAM S M Krishna.”
Posting a photo of him with SM Krishna, Jaishankar fondly recalled his many interactions with him during his term as EAM.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said former Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna has left behind a rich legacy of statesmanship and public service.
In a post on ‘X’, she said she was “deeply saddened” by the passing of S M Krishna and expressed heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones.
“He made invaluable contributions to public life, serving with distinction as Chief Minister of Karnataka and Union Minister of External Affairs. He has left behind a rich legacy of Statesmanship and Public Service,” she added.
JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda expressed his sadness over the demise of Krishna, calling him his “friend and longtime Karnataka colleague.”
“We started out in politics around the same time, and cultivated very different approaches to development and governance. Om Shanti,” he said in a post on ‘X’.
Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot expressed grief over Krishna’s death.
In a post on ‘X’, he said, “Krishna’s immense contributions to the development of Karnataka and the nation are unforgettable.”
Mourning Krishna’s death, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on ‘X’, “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.”
Calling him ‘a statesman and a leader without adversaries’, the CM said, “Krishna was a guide and mentor to me during my early days in the Congress party and remained a well-wisher throughout.”
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, Senior BJP leader B S Yediyurappa, Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy, Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu also expressed their condolences over the death of Krishna.
