SM Krishna: The Visionary Behind Karnataka's IT Boom

Krishna's tenure as Karnataka CM saw the ground prepared for the Metro Rail and Kempegowda International Airport.

SM Krishna, a visionary leader, transformed Karnataka's tech landscape, despite challenges during his tenure.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

The year 2000 saw chief ministers of two neighbouring states – Karnataka and undivided Andhra Pradesh – vie with each other to draw Information Technology (IT) investments to their respective states. Both SM Krishna and N Chandrababu Naidu had assumed power in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, respectively, around the same time in October 1999, with the only difference being it was Naidu's second term.

Dubbed as the czars to make IT as their state's bastion, Krishna and Naidu engaged themselves in a friendly competition to make Bengaluru 'India's Silicon Valley' and Hyderabad 'Cyberabad of India'. The high point was when the then US President Bill Clinton was due to visit India in March 2000.

Top White House teams made recce of both states, and while many foreign dignitaries had visited Karnataka and Hyderabad in the past, Clinton's visit was something Krishna and Naidu did not want to miss.

Eventually, Clinton included Hyderabad in his itinerary to New Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, and Mumbai – and Bengaluru was left out "due to time constraint."

Krishna took Clinton's drop of Bengaluru in a good spirit.

"I don't think a single visit of the President or anybody else will be the sole criterion for flow of investment to any state. Businessmen have so many other parameters. Regardless of who comes to visit the city or not, Bengaluru will continue to be the IT capital of India and Asia... our efforts will be to keep the momentum going,'' he told the media.

On Tuesday, 10 December, Naidu paid glowing tributes to his counterpart Krishna, who passed away due to age-related ailments. He was 92 years old.

"Our friendship transcended the competitive spirit we shared in attracting investments to our respective states. He was a true leader who always prioritised the welfare of the people,'' Naidu said in his condolence message.  

All Eyes on Bengaluru

During his tenure as Chief Minister of Karnataka from October 1999 to April 2004, Krishna prioritised branding Bengaluru as a global innovation hub. This earned him the criticism of neglecting the rural sector, which was reeling under drought – one of the reasons for him to advance the Assembly elections by six months fearing a poor monsoon and an agrarian crisis.

The decision bombed at the hustings as the Congress, which had returned to power after a decade by winning 132 seats, was reduced to a two-digit figure of 65 in the 224-member Legislative Assembly.

His tenure saw the ground prepared for the Metro Rail, the Kempegowda International Airport, flyovers in Bengaluru, and above all the annual 'IT.com' event that brought international IT players to attend. The event became so popular that leaders cutting across party lines acknowledge Krishna for making "Bengaluru the must visit destination for IT czars."

In her tribute to Krishna on X, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Executive Chairperson of Biocon Limited, said, "SM Krishna was a visionary moderniser who transformed the way Karnataka developed into tech leadership. He created Vision Groups that are a unique model the world over. I consider him as one of the great CMs of the country."

Infosys Co-founder NR Narayana Murthy said Krishna was a visionary gentleman politician who encouraged IT, new airport, and several other foundational ideas to advance Karnataka.

To improve Bengaluru's infrastructure, which he wanted to make another Singapore, the Bangalore Agenda Task Force (BATF) was constituted. A public-private partnership venture, BATF had experts from various sectors to address Bengaluru citizens' problems.

The concept of e-governance was also ushered in by him where video conferences with the districts' deputy commissioners were held for the first time in the country.

It was not just IT and e-governance which were the highlights of his administration. He introduced the midday meals scheme in schools, realising that it was difficult for a child to learn on an empty stomach. The scheme boosted the attendance of children in government schools as parents were sure that their wards would get at least one full meal in a day.

For the women, the Stree Shakti programme was started which aimed to improve the economic development of women in rural areas. The programme helped women to form self-help groups to pool their savings and lend. Though Krishna was criticised for neglecting the farming sector, the Yashashwini health scheme was launched in 2003, which provided   cost effective medical care to farmers.

Crises During Krishna's Tenure

Alongside the innovative measures Krishna took, his tenure had its share of ups and downs. 

Kannada film icon Rajkumar was kidnapped twice by sandalwood poacher Veerappan during his tenure.

While actor Rajkumar was released, a Janata Dal (U) MLA H Nagappa, kidnapped by the sandalwood poacher, was killed.

After the failure of southwest monsoon resulted in Karnataka not being able to release the stipulated quantum of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, the state got a series of raps from the Supreme Court, following petitions by late Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa with non-compliance of the Cauvery Water Disputes' Tribunal award.

After the Congress lost the Assembly polls under Krishna's leadership in 2004, the first coalition government was formed with the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular-JDS). Representing the Vokkaliga community, Krishna's association with former prime minister HD Deve Gowda was not good. Gowda used to shoot off missives to then Chief Minister N Dharam Singh (2004 to 2006), alleging corruption during Krishna's tenure as chief minister.

According to political insiders, Gowda had insisted that Krishna should be sent out of Karnataka when the Congress and the JDS came together to form the first coalition government.

A reluctant Krishna was posted as Maharashtra's governor, which he gave up in 2008 to return to active politics. In 2009, Krishna was inducted into the Union ministry after the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government returned to power for the second time. He was given the charge of external affairs but resigned when the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh decided to go in for a reshuffle in 2012 – and he was given indications of not being continued.

Miffed at being sidelined in the Congress, Krishna joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2017.

Sources close to him said Union Home Minister Amit Shah had called Krishna after he quit the Congress and promised the Vice-President of India's post. Shah did not keep his promise. He was sidelined in the BJP too, and in a surprise move, he was conferred the Padma Vibhushan in 2023.

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, to whom Krishna was a mentor, said:

"Krishna's political journey and governance is not a fiction. A farmer's son from Mandya changed the lifestyle of people through his vision, which is not a small achievement."

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recalled his association saying he (Siddaramaiah) had gone to meet Krishna, when he was Maharashtra's governor. "I had gone to consult him on my plans to join the Congress, he hosted me and said your services are needed for the party."

(Naheed Ataulla is a senior political journalist based in Bengaluru. Views are personal.)