Bengaluru: Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna, a towering figure in Indian politics and a transformative leader, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 92. Known for his statesmanship and reformative vision, Krishna breathed his last at his Bengaluru residence, succumbing to age-related ailments after prolonged treatment.
Krishna’s political journey spanned over five decades, during which he became synonymous with Karnataka’s rise as an economic powerhouse. Born on May 1, 1932, in Maddur, Karnataka, Krishna’s academic brilliance shone early. He earned his law degree from Government Law College in Bengaluru and later pursued advanced education at Southern Methodist University in Texas and George Washington University in Washington, DC, as a Fulbright scholar.
His tenure as Karnataka’s Chief Minister from 1999 to 2004 is often credited with laying the groundwork for Bengaluru’s transformation into a global IT hub. “He envisioned Bengaluru as a world-class city and put Karnataka on the global map of innovation and technology,” said a former colleague.
Krishna’s illustrious career saw him don many hats: Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly (1989–1993), Governor of Maharashtra (2004–2008), and India’s External Affairs Minister (2009–2012) under the UPA government. As External Affairs Minister, his tenure was marked by India’s active engagement in global diplomacy, with a focus on strengthening India’s position on the world stage.
In 2017, Krishna made headlines when he left the Congress, his political home for decades, to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), citing a divergence in ideological alignment. Despite the shift, he remained a statesman respected across party lines. In recognition of his lifetime of service, Krishna was honored with the Padma Bhushan in 2023.
Even in retirement, Krishna remained deeply connected to Karnataka’s heritage and culture, exemplified by his inauguration of the Mysuru Dasara festivities in 2021. His passing leaves a void in Indian politics that few can fill.
Condolences poured in from across the country. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah called Krishna’s death “an irreparable loss to the state and the nation,” while Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered him as “a statesman who combined vision with action.”
Krishna is survived by his wife Prema, two daughters, and grandchildren. His legacy, however, lives on in Karnataka’s growth story and India’s evolving diplomatic engagements.
Krishna’s funeral will be conducted with full state honors on Wednesday in Bengaluru, as the nation pays homage to one of its most remarkable leaders.
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