State Honors Farewell for Former Karnataka CM and Padma Vibhushan S.M. Krishna

Mandya (Karnataka), Dec 11 (NationPress) The farewell ceremony for the esteemed politician, former Chief Minister of Karnataka and Padma Vibhushan awardee S.M. Krishna was conducted on Wednesday.

The rites were performed following Hindu Vokkaliga customs and with state honors at his birthplace, Somanahalli, located near Maddur in Mandya district of Karnataka.

His grandson, Amartya Hegde, who is also the son-in-law of Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar, took part in the final rites and ignited the sandalwood pyre.

Reportedly, around 1,000 kilograms of sandalwood logs were utilized to create the funeral pyre.

Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar personally oversaw the arrangements for the funeral of his close relative, S.M. Krishna.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, along with his Cabinet members, Congress MLAs, former CM B.S. Yediyurappa, state BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra, Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka, and various other dignitaries attended the ceremonies.

Notable religious figures, including Vokkaliga seer Nirmalanandanatha Swami, were also present at the event.

Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, H.D. Kumaraswamy, along with Union Minister for Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Pralhad Joshi, arrived to pay their respects to the deceased leader.

S.M. Krishna passed away on Tuesday at the age of 93 following a prolonged illness.

Before departing from the Congress party in 2017, S.M. Krishna dedicated 46 years to public service, serving in multiple roles including member of the Legislative Assembly, Legislative Council, Lok Sabha, and Rajya Sabha, and held significant positions such as the Chief Minister of Karnataka, External Affairs Minister, and Governor of Maharashtra.

Widely regarded for his contributions to Karnataka, S.M. Krishna is respected across party lines.

His initiatives, starting from the launch of the Mid-Day Meal (MDM) Scheme for students to the promotion of 'Brand Bengaluru', are celebrated by all.

The Congress regime introduced the MDM Scheme in Karnataka during the year 2002-03 under his leadership.

Another significant achievement was the launch of the Yashasvini health insurance scheme, considered a major milestone for the citizens of the state, as no health insurance scheme existed prior to this.

S.M. Krishna first contested Legislative Assembly elections independently in 1962. He is notable for being a rare politician who has served in all four legislative bodies: Legislative Assembly, Legislative Council, Rajya Sabha, and Lok Sabha.

After a lengthy career with the Congress party, he transitioned to the BJP but announced his retirement from politics within a year.

S.M. Krishna is credited with bringing the international airport to Bengaluru and played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Metro project in the city.

In recognition of his invaluable contributions, the Modi government honored S.M. Krishna with the Padma Vibhushan award in 2023.

During his tenure as Chief Minister, it is well-known that numerous IT/BT companies flocked to Bengaluru.

He is also celebrated as an internationally recognized statesman who helped earn Bengaluru the title of Silicon City.