H.D. Deve Gowda (born 1933)
H.D. Deve Gowda is an Indian politician
Early life and Education:
H.D. Deve Gowda was born to Ramakrishna Gowda and Devamma in a farming family in Haradanahalli village. He completed his primary education in a government school in Haradanahalli, and later moved to Mysore for higher education. He graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Mysore in 1952.
Political Career:
H.D. Deve Gowda began his political career in the early 1960s by joining the Indian National Congress (INC) party. He was elected as a member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly in 1962 from the Holenarasipur constituency. He was re-elected in 1967, 1972, and 1978 from the same constituency.
In 1978, Gowda was appointed as the President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), the state unit of the INC party. However, he resigned from the post in 1980 to join the Janata Party, a political party that was formed after the Emergency period in India.
In 1983, Gowda was elected as a member of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament, from the Hassan constituency in Karnataka. He was re-elected in 1989, 1991, and 1996 from the same constituency.
In 1989, Gowda was appointed as the Chief Minister of Karnataka, after the Janata Party formed a coalition government with the support of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Left parties. He served as the Chief Minister for two years, till 1990.
In 1994, Gowda founded the Janata Dal (Secular) party, after the Janata Party split into several factions. The Janata Dal (Secular) is a regional political party that primarily operates in the state of Karnataka. Gowda served as the President of the party till 1999, and again from 2019 to 2021.
In 1996, the United Front, a coalition of several regional political parties, formed the government at the center with the support of the Indian National Congress (INC) party. H.D. Deve Gowda was chosen as the Prime Minister of India, after the former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao resigned from the post. Gowda served as the Prime Minister of India from June 1996 to April 1997.
After his tenure as the Prime Minister, Gowda returned to state politics and served as the Chief Minister of Karnataka for a brief period in 1999. He was also a member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament, from 2004 to 2009.
Personal Life:
H.D. Deve Gowda married Chennamma in 1954, and the couple has four sons and two daughters. Their eldest son, H.D. Kumaraswamy, is also a politician and has served as the Chief Minister of Karnataka.
Gowda is known for his simple and down-to-earth lifestyle. He is often seen wearing a traditional white dhoti-kurta and a Gandhi cap.
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