List of Chief Ministers of Karnataka and their Tenure

The Chief Minister of Karnataka is the executive head of the state government, responsible for governance, policy implementation, and administration. List of Chief Ministers of Karnataka and their Tenure

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The Chief Minister of Karnataka is the executive head of the state government, responsible for governance, policy implementation, and administration. Since its formation, Karnataka has seen dynamic leadership that has shaped the state’s development across sectors such as education, infrastructure, economy, and social welfare.

This article provides a complete list of Karnataka’s Chief Ministers (1947-2025) along with their key policies, political impact, and contributions.

List of Chief Ministers of Karnataka (1947-Present)

Chief Minister	From	To	Key Policies & Contributions
K. Chengalaraya Reddy	25 Oct 1947	30 Mar 1952	First CM of Mysore; worked on land reforms and rural development.
K. Hanumanthaiah	30 Mar 1952	19 Aug 1956	Developed Bangalore as a modern city; initiated Vidhana Soudha construction.
Kadidal Manjappa	19 Aug 1956	31 Oct 1956	Continued land reform policies.
S. Nijalingappa	01 Nov 1956	16 May 1958	Led Karnataka’s unification movement; promoted industrialization.
B. D. Jatti	16 May 1958	09 Mar 1962	Later became India’s 5th Vice President.
S. R. Kanthi	14 Mar 1962	20 Jun 1962	Focused on education reforms.
S. Nijalingappa	21 Jun 1962	28 May 1968	Expanded irrigation and rural development programs.
Veerendra Patil	29 May 1968	18 Mar 1971	Strengthened industrial growth.
D. Devaraj Urs	20 Mar 1972	31 Dec 1977	Implemented major land reforms benefiting farmers.
R. Gundu Rao	12 Jan 1980	06 Jan 1983	Developed Bengaluru’s IT sector foundation.
Ramakrishna Hegde	10 Jan 1983	29 Dec 1984	Introduced Panchayati Raj System in Karnataka.
S. R. Bommai	13 Aug 1988	21 Apr 1989	His dismissal led to the landmark Bommai Judgment on President’s Rule.
S. M. Krishna	11 Oct 1999	28 May 2004	Spearheaded Bengaluru’s IT boom.
H. D. Kumaraswamy	Multiple Terms	–	Focused on farmer welfare & rural development.
B. S. Yeddyurappa	Multiple Terms	–	First BJP CM; launched Krishi Bhagya Scheme.
Siddaramaiah	13 May 2013	15 May 2018	Introduced Anna Bhagya (free rice scheme).
Basavaraj Bommai	28 Jul 2021	13 May 2023	Launched Gruha Lakshmi & Women Empowerment Schemes.
Current CM (2023-2025)	TBD	Present	Will update as per official announcements.

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Important Facts about Karnataka CMs for UPSC & State Exams

Chief Ministers of Karnataka	Facts about the CM of Karnataka
B.S. Yediyurappa	He has the shortest tenure of any CM in 2018 with only 2.5 days of service.
D. Devaraj Urs	He was the Chief Minister for the longest period, nearly seven years in the 1970s.
Ramakrishna Hegde	The most terms served were three discontinuous terms.
Veerendra Patil	largest gap between the two terms was about 17 years
B. D. Jatti	Served as the fifth Vice President of the nation.
H. D. Deve Gowda	shortened his term as Chief Minister (1994–1996) to become India’s Prime Minister

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Political Impact of Karnataka’s Chief Ministers

D. Devaraj Urs – Implemented land reforms, benefiting marginalized farmers.
Ramakrishna Hegde – Strengthened Panchayati Raj & decentralization of power.
S. M. Krishna – Led Bengaluru’s rise as India’s IT capital.
Siddaramaiah – Launched welfare schemes like Anna Bhagya & Indira Canteen.
B. S. Yeddyurappa – Pioneered Krishi Bhagya Scheme for irrigation development.
Basavaraj Bommai – Introduced Gruha Jyoti & Gruha Lakshmi schemes for women empowerment.

Conclusion

The Chief Ministers of Karnataka have played a crucial role in shaping the state’s economy, education, agriculture, and industrial growth. Leaders like D. Devaraj Urs, S. M. Krishna, and Ramakrishna Hegde have left a lasting impact through their policies and governance. With each tenure, new reforms and initiatives continue to drive Karnataka’s progress.