S. M. Krishna facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
S. M. Krishna
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Krishna in 2009.
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| 27th Minister of External Affairs | |
| In office 23 May 2009 – 28 October 2012 |
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| Prime Minister | Manmohan Singh |
| Preceded by | Pranab Mukherjee |
| Succeeded by | Salman Khurshid |
| 18th Governor of Maharashtra | |
| In office 12 December 2004 – 5 March 2008 |
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| Chief Minister | Vilasrao Deshmukh |
| Preceded by | Mohammed Fazal |
| Succeeded by | S. C. Jamir |
| 10th Chief Minister of Karnataka | |
| In office 11 October 1999 – 28 May 2004 |
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| Preceded by | J. H. Patel |
| Succeeded by | N. Dharam Singh |
| 1st Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka | |
| In office 21 January 1993 – 11 December 1994 |
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| Chief Minister | M. Veerappa Moily |
| Preceded by | Office Established |
| Succeeded by | J. H. Patel |
| Constituency | Maddur |
| 13th Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 18 December 1989 – 20 January 1993 |
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| Preceded by | B. G. Banakar, JP |
| Succeeded by | V. S. Koujalagi, INC |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 May 1932 Somanahalli, Kingdom of Mysore, British India (now in Karnataka, India) |
| Died | 10 December 2024 (aged 92) Bengaluru, Karnataka, India |
| Political party | Bharatiya Janata Party (March 2017 – 2023) |
| Other political affiliations |
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| Spouse | Prema(1966-2024) |
| Relatives | V. G. Siddhartha (son in-law) |
| Alma mater | Mysore University Southern Methodist University George Washington University Law School |
| Honours | Padma Vibhushan (2023) |
Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna (born May 1, 1932 – died December 10, 2024) was an important Indian politician. He held many big jobs in the government. He was the Minister of External Affairs for India from 2009 to 2012. This role is like being the country's main diplomat, dealing with other nations.
Before that, he was the 10th Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1999 to 2004. He also served as the 19th Governor of Maharashtra from 2004 to 2008. S. M. Krishna was known for helping to make Bengaluru a global hub for information technology (IT) during his time as Chief Minister. In 2023, he received the Padma Vibhushan, which is India's second-highest civilian award.
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Early Life and Education
S. M. Krishna was born in a village called Somanahalli in the Mandya district of Karnataka. His family belonged to the Vokkaliga community. He went to high school at Sri Ramakrishna Vidyashala in Mysore.
He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Maharaja's College, Mysore. Then, he studied law at University Law College in Bangalore. Krishna also studied in the United States. He earned a Master of Laws degree from Southern Methodist University in Texas and The George Washington University Law School in Washington D.C. He was a special student there, called a Fulbright Scholar. Soon after returning to India, he started his political journey.
S. M. Krishna's Political Journey
Krishna began his political career in 1962. He won a seat in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from the Maddur area. He ran as an independent candidate, meaning he wasn't part of a major political party at first.
He later joined the Praja Socialist Party. In 1968, he won a special election for the Mandya (Lok Sabha constituency) seat in the national parliament. He served three times as a Member of Parliament (MP) from Mandya. His later terms were as a member of the Indian National Congress party.
In 1972, he became a minister in the Karnataka government. He also served as a minister for the national government under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi from 1983 to 1984.
Important Roles in Karnataka
Krishna was the Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from 1989 to 1993. The Speaker is like the referee in a debate, making sure rules are followed. He then became the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1993 to 1994.
In 1999, he led the Indian National Congress party to victory in the state elections. He then became the Chief Minister of Karnataka. During his time as Chief Minister, he brought in many new ideas. He worked on improving electricity services and making land records digital. He also encouraged private companies to work with the government on projects. He was Chief Minister until 2004.
National and State Leadership
After his time as Chief Minister, Krishna was appointed Governor of Maharashtra in December 2004. The Governor is a representative of the President in a state. He resigned from this role in 2008 to return to active politics in Karnataka.
In 2009, he became the Union Cabinet Minister of External Affairs for India. In this role, he traveled to many countries to build stronger relationships. He resigned from this position in 2012, again to focus on politics in Karnataka.
In 2017, Krishna left the Indian National Congress party. He said the party was not focusing enough on experienced leaders. He then joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in March 2017. In January 2023, he announced his retirement from politics due to his age.
Key Positions Held
S. M. Krishna held many important positions throughout his long career:
- Member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly (state parliament) from 1962–67, 1989–94, and 2004.
- Member of the Lok Sabha (lower house of national parliament) from 1968–70, 1971–72, and 1980–84.
- Member of the Karnataka Legislative Council (upper house of state parliament) from 1972–77.
- Minister for Commerce & Industries & Parliamentary Affairs for Karnataka from 1972–77.
- Union Minister of State for Industry from 1983–84.
- Union Minister of State for Finance in 1984.
- Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from 1989–1992.
- Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1992–1994.
- Member of Rajya Sabha (upper house of national parliament) from 1996–99 and 2008–2014.
- President of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee from 1999–2000.
- Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1999–2004.
- Governor of Maharashtra from 2004–2008.
- External Affairs Minister for India from 2009–2012.
Personal Life
S. M. Krishna was married to Prema. They had two daughters. One of his daughters, Malavika Krishna, was married to the late V. G. Siddhartha, who founded Cafe Coffee Day. Krishna also had a younger brother named Shankar, who was also involved in politics.
He wrote a book about his life called "Smritivahini." In this book, he shared interesting stories from his time in politics.
S. M. Krishna passed away in Bengaluru on December 10, 2024, at the age of 92. The government of Karnataka announced a three-day mourning period to honor him. He was cremated with full state honors in his hometown of Mandya.
