S. M. Krishna

Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna
Minister of External Affairs
In office
23 May 2009 – 28 October 2012
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
Preceded by Pranab Mukherjee
Succeeded by Salman Khurshid
Governor of Maharashtra
In office
12 December 2004 – 5 March 2008
Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh
Preceded by Mohammed Fazal
Succeeded by Sanayangba Chubatoshi Jamir
Chief Minister of Karnataka
In office
11 October 1999 – 28 May 2004
Governor V. S. Ramadevi
Triloki Nath Chaturvedi
Preceded by Jayadevappa Halappa Patel
Succeeded by Narayan Dharam Singh
Personal details
Born (1932-05-01) 1 May 1932
Somanahalli, Mandya
(now India)
Nationality Indian
Political party Indian National Congress
Spouse(s) Prema Krishna
Alma mater Mysore University
Southern Methodist University
George Washington University
Website Official website

Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna (born 1 May 1932) is an Indian politician who served as Minister of External Affairs of India from 2009 to October 2012.[1] A member of the Indian Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, Krishna was the 16th Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1999 to 2004 and the 19th Governor of Maharashtra from 2004 to 2008.

Early life and education

S. M. Krishna is son of S.C. Mallaiah. He was born in a village named Somanahalli in the 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 was elected to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly in 1962.[2]

Personal life

He is married to Prema. They have two daughters.[3] His son-in-law is Siddarth Hegde, who is a businessman.[4][5]

Political career

Krishna(center) with US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama during a reception at the Metropolitan Museum in New York.

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 1985 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 Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, he led his party to victory in the assembly polls and took over as Chief Minister of Karnataka, a post he held until 2004. He was also instrumental in creating power reforms with ESCOMS and digitization of land records (BHOOMI) and many other citizen friendly initiatives. He encouraged private public participation and was a fore bearer of the Bangalore Advance Task Force. He later became the Governor of Maharashtra.

Krishna resigned as Governor of Maharashtra on 5 March 2008. It was reported that this was due to his intention to return to active politics in Karnataka.[6] President Pratibha Patil accepted his resignation on 6 March.[7] Krishna entered the Rajya Sabha and subsequently took the oath of office as Union Cabinet Minister of External Affairs in the Council of Ministers under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 22 May 2009.

Krishna resigned as External Affairs Minister on 26 October 2012 indicating a return to Karnataka state politics.[1][8]

Positions held

Foreign visits

On 2 July 2012, Krishna paid a two-day visit to Tajikistan to strengthen its economic and energy ties.[11]

References

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Political offices
Preceded by
Jayadevappa Halappa Patel		 Chief Minister of Karnataka
1999–2004 		Succeeded by
Dharam Singh
Preceded by
Mohammed Fazal		 Governor of Maharashtra
2004–2008 		Succeeded by
Sanayangba Chubatoshi Jamir
Preceded by
Pranab Mukherjee		 Minister of External Affairs
2009–2012 		Succeeded by
Salman Khurshid
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