Karnataka: Former Foreign Minister SM Krishna passed away, breathed his last at the age of 92

Bengaluru. Former Chief Minister of Karnataka, Foreign Minister and former Governor of Maharashtra SM Krishna passed away. He breathed his last at his home in Bangalore at 2:45 am today. His body will be taken to Maddur today. SM Krishna was born in 1932. His full name is Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna. He was the Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1999 to 2004 and the Governor of Maharashtra from 2004 to 2008. On 22 May 2009, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh included Krishna in the Union Cabinet and handed over the responsibility of the Ministry of External Affairs on 23 May 2009. In March 2017, SM Krishna left the Congress and joined the BJP. In 2023, the government honored SM Krishna with the Padma Vibhushan.

Early education
SM Krishna’s father’s name is SC Mallaiah. Krishna did his graduation from Maharaja College, Mysore. Then he got a law degree from Government College, Bangalore. He went to America for higher education. After graduating from there, he started teaching international law. In America, he became interested in active politics. There he campaigned for John F. Kennedy’s presidential election. Soon after returning from Karnataka, he was elected a member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly in 1962. He married Prema on 29 April 1964.

Political career
SM Krishna started his political innings around 1960. In 1962, he contested as an independent candidate from Maddur assembly seat and won the election by defeating the Congress candidate. After this, he joined the Praja Socialist Party and won the by-election of Mandya Lok Sabha seat in 1968. Then SM Krishna joined the Congress and again won the election from Mandya Lok Sabha seat in 1971. In 1985, SM Krishna again returned to state politics and contested the assembly elections. He was the Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1999 to 2004. He was the Governor of Maharashtra from December 2004 to March 2008. SM Krishna also held the post of Foreign Minister in PM Manmohan Singh’s government. In January 2023, SM Krishna announced that he would no longer be in active politics.

He was elected MP several times from Mandya, Karnataka. He served as a minister during the rule of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. He became Minister of State for Industry and Finance during the period of Indira Gandhi between 1983-84 and Rajiv Gandhi between 1984-85.