MANDYA: Former CM of Karnataka, SM Krishna, BA, BL, MCL (TEXAS), who served as union minister thrice, is no more. He breathed his last at his residence in Bengaluru at 2.45 am on Tuesday.
He served as Karnataka CM between October 11, 1999, and May 20, 2004. He served as Maharashtra governor between December 6, 2004, and March 8, 2008.
Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna was born on May 1, 1932, at Somanahalli village in Maddur taluk of the district. He pursued his early and graduate education in Mysuru. Krishna, who pursued his law studies at govt law college, Bengaluru, is a Fulbright scholar. Krishna started his political career as an MLA from Maddur. He won as an independent candidate in 1962. He married Prema in 1964.
Krishna served as a Lok Sabha member, Rajya Sabha member, Speaker of the Karnataka Assembly, Karnataka DCM, and MLC. A past student of Maharaja’s College, Mysuru, Government Law College, Bengaluru, Southern Methodist University, Dallas Texas, USA, Fulbright Scholar-Graduate Student, George Washington University, Washington DC, USA, he served as Professor of International Law at Sri Jagadguru Renukacharya Law College, Bengaluru, before becoming a full-time statesman.
Krishna was a member of the 3rd Karnataka Legislative Assembly from 1962-67, a member of the Indian Parliamentary Delegation to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in New Zealand in 1965, a member of the 4th Lok Sabha from 1968-70, a member of the 5th Lok Sabha from 1971-72, and a member of the Karnataka Legislative Council from 1972-77.
He was the minister for commerce, industries, and parliamentary affairs for the govt of Karnataka from 1972-77, a member of the Indian Delegation to the United Nations in 1982, union minister of state for industry during 1983-84, union minister of state for finance during 1984-85, a member of the 9th Karnataka Legislative Assembly from 1989-94, Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from 1989-92, a delegate to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Seminar at Westminster, UK, in March 1990, deputy chief minister of Karnataka from 1992-94, a member of the Rajya Sabha from April 1996 to October 1999, and chief minister of Karnataka from October 11, 1999, to May 20, 2004, before moving to the union cabinet as the external affairs minister.
Krishna was associated with the World University Service. His favourite pastime and recreation included designing men’s clothes and reading. He was known for his love for tennis.