SM Krishna: A charismatic leader with a modern outlook

92-year-old Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna (SM Krishna), who passed away on December 10, was a charismatic leader with a modern outlook who carved a niche for himself in the country’s political landscape with his administrative skills and a unique vision of development.

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During his career, he held several prominent positions as External Affairs Minister, Governor of Maharashtra, Chief Minister of Karnataka, Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and Minister in the Government of Karnataka.

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“Bengaluru Brand”

He not only laid a strong foundation for the growth of the IT and BT industry in Karnataka but also managed to bring them on board with the government to build the ‘Bengaluru brand’ at the international level. He gained a reputation as a reformist icon with a focus on development at a time when populism and caste politics dominated the scene.

Mr. Krishna was born in a farming family in Somanahalli in Mandya district and after graduating, he studied law in the US by receiving a Fulbright scholarship. This proved to be a platform to launch his political career as he entered the Legislative Assembly from Maddur in 1962 by defeating an experienced and influential politician, HK Veeranna Gowda, soon after his return from the US

In his political career spanning nearly five decades, Mr. Krishna has served as a member of the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council and has also held organizational roles such as Chairman of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee.

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A series of challenges

As chief minister of Karnataka from 1999 to 2004, he faced a number of challenges and crises, including the Tamil Nadu matinee idol Dr Cauvery’s kidnapping of Kannada matinee idol Dr Cauvery water, which turned into a legal challenge. But Mr. Krishna is credited with managing to overcome all challenges and also take up various development initiatives that are putting Karnataka in general and Bengaluru in particular on a global map.

However, his party lost the assembly elections held in 2004 amid a drought, leading to the Congress high command transferring him to Maharashtra as governor and later appointing him as external affairs minister. A section of political leaders believe that Mr. Krishna would have been in the race for the Prime Minister’s post if his party had managed to win the 2004 general elections. This is acknowledged by Krishna in his biography entitled Smrithivaahini.

With his suave personality and focus on building the ‘Bengaluru Brand’, Mr. Krishna particularly endeared himself to the aspirational class, especially the aspiring city dwellers. But he also took on several important projects for rural areas, including the renewal of tanks Jalasamvardhane groundwater recharge project, Yashaswini Health insurance scheme for members of cooperative societies, mid-day meal scheme for government school students, digitization of land records and housing schemes for the poor. However, they were overshadowed by the push that Bengaluru received during his regime. He also brought the Karnataka Lokayukta institution into limelight by appointing N. Venkatachala as Lokayukta, who aggressively took action against “corrupt” officials.

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Joining BJP

Years after he was sacked as foreign minister, Mr Krishna severed his nearly five-decade-long ties with the Congress and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), almost at the end of his political career.

At the end of his life, he also had to witness a personal tragedy when his son-in-law and founder of Café Coffee Day VG Siddarth took his life after his company fell into a financial crisis. But Lord Krishna took this calmly. His grandson is married to the daughter of KPCC president and deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, who was his protégé. Mr. Krishna maintained his dignity by retiring from active politics in recent years.

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Long association with The Hindu

Mr. Krishna had a connection with The Hindu since his childhood. “Ours was the only house (in Somanahalli of Maddur taluk in Mandya district) available The Hindu back then,” Mr. Krishna said in his autobiography Smrutivaahini. Although his father SC Mallaiah never had a higher education, he could read and understand The Hinduhe says in the book.

In an interview in 2023, he had recalled: “As early as the early and mid-1940s, The Hindu, the newspaper from Madras, was delivered daily to my village house in Somanahalli.” I was so captivated by the sports pages that covered tennis in detail report. I became a big fan of tennis stars like Frank Sedgman, Roy Emerson, Dick Savitt (Richard Savitt) and others.”

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Influence of the Ramakrishna Ashrama

Mr. Krishna’s personality had an impact on the Ramakrishna Ashrama, particularly the discipline for which he was known when he came into contact with the Ashrama at a young age. He was a student at the Ashrama dormitory in Mysuru from the age of 6^Th Standard to the second PU.

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Kennedy was his political idol

Mr. Krishna, who studied LLM in the US by receiving a Fulbright scholarship when John F. Kennedy was president there, always considered it his political ideal. He was particularly influenced by Mr. Kennedy’s style of building an emotional connection with people and his political focus on ensuring equality based on democratic principles. In fact, Mr Krishna worked for Mr Kennedy in the 1962 US presidential election, campaigning in areas where Indians lived. He had even sent a letter to Kennedy informing him of his campaign. Mr Kennedy had responded personally and thanked him profusely for his gesture.

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Love for tennis and music

Mr SM Krishna loved tennis. Even as prime minister, he visited the tennis court two to three times a week to play. For him, tennis was not only a sport that trained his body, but also a means of relieving political tensions. His hobby of playing tennis had kept him in good shape.

Likewise, music was one of Mr. Krishna’s favorite pastimes and in times of political tension he often found solace in music. His love for music was such that he traveled all the way to Chennai, Pune, Bhopal and Jaipur to attend the concerts of legendary musicians like MS Subbulakshmi, Bhimsen Joshi, Gangubai Hanagal, Mallikarjun Mansur, T. Chowdaiah, Lalgudi Jayaraman and M . to visit. Balamurali Krishna.

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Impeccable dress sense

The suave Mr. Krishna was a rare politician known for his impressive dress sense. In fact, he had a penchant for designing men’s clothing. Whether it is the traditional one panche And jubba, informal Kurta or the formal suite, Mr. Krishna could carry it out in public life with grace and ease. His dress sense was hard to miss as he was known to dress impeccably for the occasion.

He was also a gentleman who never used harsh words even when criticizing his political opponents. At the same time, he was a good speaker, proficient in both Kannada and English and had a sound knowledge of history.

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Learned law even after becoming an MLA

Mr. Krishna, who completed his LLM degree in the US, also taught law in a law school after completing his MLA degree. Mr. Krishna taught international law at Renukacharya Law College in Bengaluru despite being an MLA.