PM Modi condoles SM Krishna's demise, hails him as 'remarkable leader'
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the passing away of Former Karnataka chief minister S M Krishna on Tuesday and said he was a remarkable leader admired by people from all walks of life.
The 92-year-old Krishna had been ailing for quite some time and died at his residence in Bengaluru early Tuesday morning, his family said.
"Shri SM Krishna Ji was a remarkable leader, admired by people from all walks of life. He always worked tirelessly to improve the lives of others," Modi said in a post on X.
"He is fondly remembered for his tenure as Karnataka's Chief Minister, particularly for his focus on infrastructural development. Shri SM Krishna Ji was also a prolific reader and thinker," the prime minister said.
Modi said he has had many opportunities to interact with Krishna over the years, and he will always cherish those interactions.
"I am deeply saddened by his passing. My condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti," Modi said.
Krishna is survived by his wife Prema and two daughters Shambhavi and Malavika.
Born in Somanahalli in Karnataka's Mandya district on May 1, 1932, Krishna started his career in electoral politics in 1962 by winning the Maddur assembly seat as an Independent.
He was associated with the Praja Socialist Party before joining the Congress. He ended his nearly 50-year-long association with the Congress in March 2017 and joined the BJP.
He announced his resignation from the Congress in January 2017, saying the party was in a state of confusion on whether it needed mass leaders or not.
In January last year, Krishna announced that he was retiring from active politics, citing his age as the reason.
As a Congress leader, he served as the 16th chief minister of Karnataka from October 11, 1999 to May 28, 2004.
He also served as the governor of Maharashtra and was the External Affairs Minister during the Manmohan Singh-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government from 2009 to 2012.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Biker injured, leopard dies in road accident near forest area in Shivamogga
Shivamogga: A leopard was killed after being hit by a motorcycle near Mandagadde in Thirthahalli taluk of Shivamogga district.
According to reports, the biker was travelling from Shivamogga towards Thirthahalli when the leopard suddenly came onto the road from a nearby forest area near Mandagadde. The rider is said to have lost control of the bike and crashed into the animal.
The leopard suffered severe injuries in the impact and died on the spot. The biker also fell onto the road along with the motorcycle and sustained serious injuries. He was shifted to a hospital in Shivamogga for further treatment.
After receiving information about the incident, forest department officials, including Gajanur RFO Vinay Kumar, visited the spot and conducted an inspection.
