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

Veteran politician Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna, or SM Krishna, known for his efforts to promote 'Brand Bengaluru, passed away at the age of 92 on Tuesday.

The former Karnataka chief minister (1999-2004) and former external affairs minister was bestowed with the Padma Vibhushan for his contribution to public affairs in 2023.

Early life

Born on May 1, 1932, SM Krishna was the son of late SC Mallaiah, from Somanahalli in Mandya's Maddur Taluka. He got married to Prema, with whom he has two daughters, Malavika and Shambhavi.

Krishna graduated from Maharaja's College in Mysore, obtained a law degree from Bengaluru's Government Law College, and then pursued his education at Southern Methodist University, Dallas, USA, and later at George Washington University.

Then, in India, he worked as a professor of International law at Renukacharya Law College, Bangalore. Krishna was first elected to the legislative assembly in 1962.

SM Krishna's political journey

The politician made his Parliament debut in 1968 when he was elected to the Lok Sabha. Though he was elected to the fifth Lower House as well, SM Krishna chose to return to state politics in 1972. He was elected to the legislative council, after which he became the minister for commerce, industries and parliamentary affairs (1972-1977).

Later, in 1980, Krishna made a comeback at the Lok Sabha. He served as a minister of state of Industry between 1983-84 and a minister of state for Finance during 1984-85.

He served as the Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from 1989-1992. Then, Krishna was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1996, and remained a member of the Upper House till October 1999.

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

After serving as the chief minister of Karnataka from October 1999 to May 2004, SM Krishna took charge as the Governor of Maharashtra in December 2004.

Krishna, in his career spanning more than six decades, was also once the External Affairs Minister in the 2009-2012 UPA government under the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Notably, the veteran leader, who was associated with the Congress, cut loose his 46-year-long relationship with the grand old party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2017. He had exited the Congress saying that it was in a "state of confusion".

It was just months before the 2023 Karnataka assembly elections that Krishna announced his retirement from active politics.

'Brand Bengaluru'

Of all these factors, Krishna is most known for his work as the Karnataka chief minister and the promoter of 'Brand Bengaluru'.

It was during his tenure as the chief minister of Karnataka that the Information Technology (IT) sector in Bengaluru grew as an alternative to California's Silicon Valley, generating jobs for several thousands of youths.

In 2022, Krishna had written to the then chief minister Basavaraj Bommai to protect the 'Brand Bengaluru' by taking strong measures in its direction. He had suggested the reconstituting of the Bangalore Agenda Task Force (BATF), formed in 1999 by the Krishna government, which comprised of experts from various sectors to prepare a blueprint for the city's development with a futuristic vision.