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People remember Krishna as the father of the IT revolution in Karnataka during his stint as chief minister but he was equally responsible for the industrial revolution in the state in the 1970s
SM Krishna won as a Congress candidate in the 1971 Parliament elections from Mandya and became a member of India Gandhi’s close circle. (X)
After his Masters of Law as a Fulbright scholar from Southern Methodist University in Texas, USA, 27-year-old SM Krishna moved to Washington DC to pursue a career in America in 1957-58.
One day, at a coffee shop, he came across an advertisement in The New York Times about an opening in the Association of American Manufacturers. It was for the post of “messenger”. Krishna had no idea what that meant, but he applied and attended the interview. It was a lobbyist job for the association. He had to meet American Senators and members of the lower house of Parliament to gather information concerning the manufacturing policies.
With some hesitation, he accepted the job and started visiting Capitol Hill. A pleasing personality and an avid reader and listener, Krishna made great contacts with them in a few weeks.
The America of the 1950s was a different place and security was minimal. Krishna could freely mingle with the top American senators, including John F Kennedy, whom he idolised till his last breath on Tuesday morning.
Krishna had campaigned for Kennedy in the Presidential race and a grateful Kennedy had written him a thank-you letter, which still adorns the wall of his house in Bengaluru.
Krishna had also established a good rapport with then then vice-president of America Richard Nixon, whom he detested in private.
Krishna wanted to work full-time for Kennedy and settle down in the USA. When Kennedy accepted the Democratic nomination for the presidency, Krishna was there to film that historic ceremony on his small video camera. Speaking about that moment, he had said: “I was standing just 20 feet away from Kennedy. When he read out his acceptance speech, Kennedy’s hands were shaking. I will never forget that moment.”
Unfortunately, Krishna lost that video tape during the shifting of his house in Bengaluru — a regret he held for long.
Krishna had also met Martin Luther King Jr at an Alabama Church and had stayed in touch with his family. In 2009, to commemorate the 50th year of King’s only visit to India in 1959, his grandson had visited Krishna at his home in Bengaluru.
As his father was unwell, and later died, Krishna had to abandon his PhD and head back home. Being the eldest son, he had to take care of his large family and stayed back home.
Krishna always felt that he was best suited for American politics and he would have made it big there. Fortunately, he made it big even in Karnataka and Indian politics later. He was happy and proud of his achievements.
Krishna did not like then prime minister Nehru’s policies and was a socialist. In the 1962 assembly elections, he was forced to contest as an independent candidate against sitting MLA and minister HK Veeranna Gowda in Maddur of Mandya district. Surprisingly, he won, defeating the giant of old Mysore politics.
The 30-year-old suave MLA Krishna was a much sought-after politician in the assembly in the 1960s. He lost the 1967 assembly election, but won the 1968 Lok Sabha bypoll from Mandya as the candidate of PSP.
He was noticed by then prime minister Indira Gandhi and was invited to join the Congress party.
“I was a die-hard socialist during those days. But, the Congress under Indira Gandhi was completely socialist. More socialist than the socialists. I realised that there was no point in being a socialist and joined the Congress,” he told this journalist many years later.
Krishna won as a Congress candidate in the 1971 Parliament elections from Mandya and became a member of India Gandhi’s close circle. In 1972, D Devaraj Urs led-Congress won the Karnataka assembly election, decimating the S Nijalingappa-led Congress. Urs, an old family friend of Krishna, wanted him to be his minister. He requested Indira Gandhi and she agreed. Urs offered him the education portfolio, but Krishna asked for industries and commerce.
People remember Krishna as the father of the IT revolution in Karnataka as the chief minister. But Krishna is equally responsible for the industrial revolution in Karnataka in the 1970s. He played a major role in developing Peenya in Bengaluru as Asia’s largest industrial area in the 1970s. Peenya is still one of the largest industrial areas in India.
Krishna returned to the Lok Sabha in 1980. He was later made minister of state, commerce and finance in the Indira Gandhi government. After her assassination, he shockingly lost the 1984 Parliament elections from Mandya and had to sit at home for the next five years.
In 1989, Krishna returned to Karnataka assembly as an MLA. He was made the Speaker of the House till 1992.
In 1992, then Congress president and prime minister PV Narasimha Rao had almost decided to appoint him as the next chief minister of Karnataka. He lost that opportunity due to many factors and reluctantly became deputy chief minister in the M Veerappa Moily government.
Krishna lost the 1994 assembly elections and became a member of the Rajya Sabha in 1996. He was appointed KPCC president in 1999 and led the party to a big win in the October 1999 elections, both in the assembly and Parliament.
His chief ministership is known for the huge investment in the IT industry, making Bengaluru Asia’s Silicon Valley.
He is also responsible for the Kempe Gowda International Airport and Bengaluru Metro. Besides these, Krishna was responsible for the mid-day meal scheme in government-run schools across Karnataka, Yashaswini insurance and Stree Shakti self-help groups etc.
Continuous droughts, Cauvery water-sharing dispute with neighbouring Tamil Nadu and the abduction of Kannada thespian Rajkumar by forest brigand Veerappan had caused enormous mental suffering to him. But Krishna faced that issue with equanimity and showed his statesmanship.
After the defeat in the 2004 assembly elections, Krishna was made the Governor of Maharashtra. An active politician, Krishna was not happy in the Raj Bhawan on the Malabar Hill in Mumbai. He resigned and returned to Karnataka ahead of the 2008 assembly elections. The Congress party lost the election and a year later, Krishna became foreign affairs minister in the UPA-2 government in New Delhi. It was his last posting.
After Narendra Modi rode to power in the 2014 general elections, Krishna had just retired from Parliament and was hoping for a re-nomination to Rajya Sabha again. But Rahul Gandhi chose someone else over him and a deeply hurt Krishna joined the BJP in 2017.
A Congressman for most of his political career and life, Krishna was a misfit in the BJP. Though he remained in the party, he did not take part in any political activities in BJP.
His biggest shock was losing his son-in-law and founder of the Cafe Coffee Day chain VG Siddhartha in 2019. Siddhartha’s suicide had deeply affected his whole family and Krishna could not really recover from the personal loss.
An erudite man, book lover, music lover, tennis player, a quintessential gentleman and a die-hard Kannadiga, Krishna was in a league of his own.
He lived a long life and was witness to everything his beloved Karnataka and India went through since 1947 to this day. He leaves behind his wife of 60 years Prema and two daughters — Malavika and Shambhavi.
Karnataka will deeply miss Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna, a distinguished son of the state, who made her proud.