Ramachandra Gowda

Ramachandra Gowda
Cabinet Minister Government of Karnataka
In office 30 May 2008 – 12 September 2010
Ministry	Term
Minister of Medical Education	30 May 2008 – 12 September 2010
In office 18 February 2006 – 8 October 2007
Ministry	Term
Minister of Sericulture	21 June 2006 – 25 January 2007
Minister of Planning & Statistics Department	18 February 2006 – 8 October 2007
Minister of Small Savings & Lottery	18 February 2006 – 8 October 2007
Minister of Science & Technology	18 February 2006 – 8 October 2007
Deputy Chairman State Planning Board Government of Karnataka
In office 23 September 2010 – 17 May 2012
Preceded by	D. H. Shankaramurthy
Member of Karnataka Legislative Council
In office 22 June 1988 – 21 June 2018
Succeeded by	A. Devegowda
Constituency	Bangalore Graduates
Personal details
Born	(1938-12-13)13 December 1938 Thippur, Tumkur district, Kingdom of Mysore, India
Died	14 July 2026(2026-07-14) (aged 87) Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Party	Bharatiya Janata Party
Spouse	Smt. Yashoda
Profession	Engineer, Agriculturist

Ramachandra Gowda (Kannada: ರಾಮಚಂದ್ರ ಗೌಡ, romanized: rāmacaṃdra gauḍa; 13 December 1938 – 14 July 2026) was an Indian politician who was a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka. Gowda took to social-political activities during his school days having been inspired by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Early life and career

Gowda participated in the Goa Liberation Movement when in high school. Later, he became an active member of the erstwhile Bharatiya Jana Sangh. He entered the Bangalore City Corporation as a Jana Sangh member in 1970. He was elected to the City Improvement Trust Board in the same year.

He was also the BJP State unit general secretary for a long period. He was first elected to the Karnataka Legislative Council from the Bangalore Graduates Constituency in 1988 and was re-elected 3 more times in 1994, 2000 and 2006. He held the portfolios of Small Savings, Mining & Geology and Science & Technology in the BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) coalition headed by H.D.Kumaraswamy. It was during his tenure as minister that the state imposed a ban on lottery. In the BJP Government headed by B.S. Yeddyurappa, he held the portfolio of Medical Education. He resigned in September 2010 after his name figured in a Medical Colleges recruitment scam for which high court gave a clean chit clearing all allegations. Subsequently, he was appointed the Deputy chairman of the State Planning Board.

Personal life

Born on 13 December 1938 at Tippoor in Kunigal taluk of Tumkur district, he held an engineering degree.

Political career

Early activism and party building

Gowda began his public life as an active volunteer in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and later joined the Bharatiya Jana Sangh. Alongside senior leaders like B. S. Yediyurappa and B. B. Shivappa, he was a member of the foundational generation that built the base for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka during the 1970s and 1980s. Because of his lifelong devotion and tactical organizing work in the state capital, he was widely revered within the party organization as the "Bhishma of Bangalore BJP."

Legislative and ministerial tenure

Gowda went on to serve as a prominent legislator, getting elected to the Karnataka Legislative Council for five consecutive six-year terms, spanning a total parliamentary career of 30 years.

During his legislative career, he held several key portfolios in the state government:

• Cabinet Minister for Small Scale Industries: Served in the JD(S)–BJP coalition cabinet led by Chief Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy.
• Minister for Medical Education: Served under the subsequent BJP government led by Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa. He resigned from this ministerial post in 2010 following allegations regarding recruitment irregularities in medical colleges, a move he maintained was taken to safeguard the party's image.
• Deputy Chairman of the State Planning Board: Appointed to the post in 2018 during a later administrative shuffle, highlighting his continued relevance in economic and state planning policies.

Death and reactions

Passing

Gowda died on July 14, 2026, at approximately 6:00 a.m. IST at a private hospital in Bengaluru after suffering from a prolonged period of age-related illness. He was 87 years old at the time of his passing. Following his demise, his body was kept near his residence in Basaveshwaranagar for party workers, supporters, and the public to pay their final respects. His final rites and cremation ceremonies were conducted later that evening at 4:00 p.m. at his private property in Kamakshipalya, Bengaluru.

Reactions

The news of his death prompted a wave of condolences from top political circles across Karnataka:

• B. S. Yediyurappa:The former Chief Minister expressed deep grief over the loss of his long-time political companion, describing Gowda as a "brother" and a "soulmate of decades." He recalled their collaborative efforts during the Jana Sangh era to painstakingly build the party from the grassroots level across the state.
• R. Ashoka:The Leader of the Opposition paid tribute by mourning the loss of a foundational stalwart, reverently describing him as the "Bhishma of Bangalore BJP."
• H. D. Kumaraswamy & Basavaraj Bommai: Union Minister Kumaraswamy and former Chief Minister Bommai offered condolences, with Kumaraswamy fondly recalling Gowda as a close friend who efficiently served in his first cabinet coalition government.
• Sapthagiri Gowda:His son and BJP District President for Bengaluru Central shared the family's profound grief, stating that his father had dedicated his entire life to strengthening the political organisation of the BJP.

Sources

• Ramachandra gowda's personal website