S. M. Krishna

Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna (Kannada: ಸೋಮನಹಳ್ಳಿ ಮಲ್ಲಯ್ಯ ಕೃಷ್ಣ) (born 1 May 1932), generally referred to as S. M. Krishna, is an Indian politician who has served in the government of India as Minister of External Affairs since 2009. A member of the Indian Parliament from Karnataka in the Rajya Sabha, Krishna was the Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1999 to 2004 and Governor of Maharashtra from 2004 to 2008.

Biographical information

S.M. Krishna is the son of S.C. Mallaiah, Krishna born in a village Somanahalli in Maddur Taluk of Mandya District. He completed his Bachelor's in Arts from Maharaja's College, Mysore and obtained a Law degree from University Law College, which was then known as Government Law College in Bangalore. Krishna studied in the United States, graduating from the Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas and The George Washington University Law School in Washington D.C, where he was a Fulbright Scholar. Soon after his return to India, he got elected to the Karnataka legislative assembly in 1962. [1].

He is married to Prema on 29 April 1964 and has two daughters.

Political biography

See also: Bhagavad Gita trial in Russia

In addition, Krishna has served multiple terms as an MP from the Mandya district of Karnataka starting from 1968 in the 4th, 5th, 7th and 8th Lok Sabha. He served as minister under Indira Gandhi between 1983–84 and Rajiv Gandhi between 1984 and 85 as minister of state for industry and finance respectively. He was member of the Rajya Sabha in the years 1996 and 2006. He was member of the Karnataka legislative assembly and council at different times. Between 1989 and 1992 he was speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka.

In 1999, as KPCC president, he led his party to victory in the assembly polls and took over as Chief Minister of Karnataka, a post he held till 2004. He was also instrumental in creating power reforms with ESCOMS. He encouraged private public participation and was a forebearer of the Bangalore Advance Task Force. He later became the Governor of Maharashtra.

Krishna resigned as Governor of Maharastra on 5 March 2008. It was reported that this was due to his intention to return to active politics in Karnataka.^[1] President Pratibha Patil accepted his resignation on 6 March.^[2] Krishna entered the Rajya Sabha and subsequently took the oath of office as a Union Cabinet Minister of External Affairs in the Council of Ministers under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 22 May 2009.

He was criticised by Bharatiya Janata Party for mistakenly reading the speech prepared for Portugese foreign minister during a meeting at United Nations on 14 February 2011.^[3]

Corruption and allegatons

On accusation of complicity in the alleged illegal multi-crore mining scam, on order of the Special Lokayukta Court in Banglore, the Lokayukta police on December 8, 2011 filed First Information Report against S. M. Krishna and other two former Chief Ministers of Karnataka.^[4][5][6]

Positions held

• Member of 3rd Karnataka Legislative Assembly 1962–67
• Member, Indian Parliamentary Delegation to Commonwealth
• Parliamentary Conference, New Zealand, 1965
• Member, 5th Lok Sabha 1971–1976
• Member, 7th Lok Sabha 1980–1984
• Member, Karnataka Legislative Council 1972–1977
• Minister for Commerce & Industries & Parliamentary Affairs, Government of Karnataka 1972–77
• Member, Indian Delegation to the United Nations, 1982
• Union Minister of State for Industry during 1983–1984
• Union Minister of State for Finance during 1984–1985
• Member, 9th Karnataka Legislative Assembly 1989–1992
• Speaker, Karnataka Legislative Assembly 1989–93
• Delegate to Commonwealth Parliamentary Seminar at West Minister, UK in March 1990
• Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, 1992–1994
• Elected to Rajya Sabha in April 1996
• Chief Minister of Karnataka October 1999–2004
• Re-elected to Karnataka Legislative Assembly: 2004
• Governor, Maharastra: 2004–2008
• External Affairs Minister, Government of India: 22 May 2009 to date

References