SM Krishna: Former Karnataka Chief Minister who transformed Bengaluru into India's Silicon Valley, passes away
Former Union Minister and Karnataka Chief Minister SM Krishna passed away on Tuesday in Bengaluru at the age of 92. The Padma Vibhushan awardee, who held several political posts throughout his more than six-decade-long career, was most known for his time in office as the 10th Chief Minister of Karnataka.
How SM Krishna changed Bengaluru?
Krishna, who served as the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1993 to 1994, became the Chief Minister in 1999 and held the post till May 2004.
It was a pivotal period for Karnataka and India at large, as it was also the time of the IT revolution. Krishna's policies helped transform the Karnataka capital into the Silicon Valley of India and a hub for global IT companies.
Other important positions held by SM Krishna?
After his term as Karnataka Chief Minister ended, Krishna was appointed the Governor of Maharashtra but resigned from the post four years later, in 2008.
Krishna returned to national politics as a Rajya Sabha MP and was soon made the Union Minister of External Affairs in the first UPA government, during which he played a major role in shaping India's foreign policy.
Ending ties with Congress
Once considered one of the strongest leaders in Congress in South India, Krishna shocked the party in 2017 when he announced his resignation, ending more than five decades of ties.
Later the same year, Krishna joined the BJP; however, last year, he announced that he was retiring from politics due to poor health.
Death of VG Siddhartha
Krishna also suffered many personal setbacks in his final years, including the tragic death of his son-in-law. VG Siddhartha, the founder of the caf¨Ś chain Caf¨Ś Coffee Day, who was married to Krishna's daughter Malavika, died on 29 July 2019 after he jumped off a bridge over the Nethravati River near Mangalore. Siddhartha took the extreme step after facing financial setbacks in his business.
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