Veteran BJP leader and former Karnataka minister SV Ramachandra Gowda passed away at a private hospital in Bengaluru on Tuesday after battling age-related illnesses. The senior leader was undergoing treatment for age-related health issues and breathed his last at 6.20 am at a private hospital in Chandra Layout. His final rites will be conducted at his private property in Kamakshipalya, where family members, political leaders, supporters and well-wishers are expected to pay their last respects.
BS Yediyurappa expresses grief
BJP leader BS Yediyurappa expressed grief and said he lost a soulmate of decades. “I have lost yet another brother. The news of the passing of Shri Ramachandra Gowda, my soulmate of decades, senior leader, and former minister, has brought me immense sorrow. The days of struggle—standing shoulder to shoulder since the Jana Sangh era, toiling day and night, building the party from the grassroots level together in the state—swirl before my eyes. As a colleague in my cabinet, I have witnessed his administrative acumen and dedication up close. His departure has created a profound void not only for the party and the public sphere but also personally within me. I pray that God grant peace to his soul, and bestow strength upon his family members and admirers to bear this grief,” BSYediyurappa said.
Know all about Ramachandra Gowda
It should be noted that Ramachandra Gowda was one of the BJP's senior-most leaders in Karnataka and had a long political journey that spanned several decades. He served the state in several key ministerial roles and spent decades in public life. During his career, he held several important responsibilities in both the government and the party.
When he was a minister in Karnataka, he handled major portfolios including Higher Education, Medical Education, Sericulture, Science and Technology, Small Savings, and Mining & Geology.
Apart from this, he also served in the BJP-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition government led by HD Kumaraswamy, where he was entrusted with departments such as Small Savings, Mining & Geology, and Science & Technology.
In later days, during the BJP government headed by BS Yediyurappa, he served as the Medical Education Minister. During his tenure in public office, Karnataka also imposed a ban on lotteries.
Notably, Ramachandra Gowda started participating in social and political activities during his school days after being inspired by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). While still in high school, he participated in the Goa Liberation Movement and then he became an active member of the erstwhile Bharatiya Jana Sangh, laying the foundation for his long political career.
He he entered the Bangalore City Corporation in 1970 as a Jana Sangh member and, in the same year, was elected to the City Improvement Trust Board (CITB). The senior leader in the BJP served as the State General Secretary for many years and played an important organisational role in strengthening the party in Karnataka.
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