H. D. Deve Gowda

Haradanahalli Doddegowda Deve Gowda ಹರದನಹಳ್ಳಿ ದೊಡ್ಡೇಗೌಡ ದೇವೇಗೌಡ हरदनहल्ली दोद्देगोव्दा देवे गोव्दा
11th Prime Minister of India
In office 1 June 1996 – 21 April 1997
President	Shankar Dayal Sharma
Preceded by	Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Succeeded by	Inder Kumar Gujral
Minister of Home Affairs
In office 1 June 1996 – 29 June 1996
Preceded by	Murli Manohar Joshi
Succeeded by	Indrajit Gupta
Chief Minister of Karnataka
In office 11 December 1994 – 31 May 1996
Governor	Khurshed Alam Khan
Preceded by	Veerappa Moily
Succeeded by	Jayadevappa Halappa Patel
Personal details
Born	18 May 1933 (1933-05-18) Haradanahalli, Mysore kingdom (now India)
Nationality	Indian
Political party	Janata Dal (Secular)
Other political affiliations	Indian National Congress (Before 1962) Independent (1962–1977) Janata Party (1977–1988)
Spouse(s)	Chennamma Deve Gowda
Children	4 sons(H.D. Balakrishne Gowda H.D. Revanna H.D.Kumaraswamy Dr. H.D. Ramesh) 2 daughters
Religion	Hindu
Website	hddevegowda.in
As of feb, 2012 Source: [[1][2]]

Haradanahalli Doddegowda Deve Gowda (Kannada: ಹರದನಹಳ್ಳಿ ದೊಡ್ಡೇಗೌಡ ದೇವೇಗೌಡ, Hindi: हरदनहल्ली दोद्देगोव्दा देवे गोव्दा; born 18 May 1933) was the 11th Prime Minister of India (1996–1997) and the 14th chief minister of the state of Karnataka (1994–1996).

When the Indian National Congress party was defeated in the 1996 general elections and Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao resigned, Deve Gowda became prime minister of the United Front (India) coalition government after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) failed to form a government.

Early life and education

Hardanhalli Dodegowda Deve Gowda was born in 1933 in Haradanahalli village of Holenarasipura taluk, Hassan District in Karnataka. He is the son of Shri Dodde Gowda and Smt. Devamma. He is married to Smt. Chennamma, and the couple have four sons and two daughters.He earned his degree in Diploma in Civil Engineering educated at Smt.L.V. Polytechnic, Hassan, Karnataka.

Shri H.D. Deve Gowda's parents, Shri Dodde Gowda and Smt. Devamma are from middle class agricultural background. Shri Deve Gowda was exposed to the hardships of farmers' life and it moulded him to become a fighter who would fight for the cause of poor farmer, underprivileged and oppressed.

Political career

Born into a farming family, he won his first seat in the Karnataka state assembly in 1962, rising to become Karnataka's chief minister. In the late 1970s Deve Gowda rose in the Janata Party and was an important figure in reuniting its successor, the Janata Dal party, after the original group splintered in 1980.

Deve Gowda joined the Congress Party in 1953 and remained a member till 1962. He was the President of Anjaneya Cooperative Society of Holenarasipura taluk and later as a Member of Taluk Development Board, Holenarasipura taluk, Hassan.

In 1962, Deve Gowda contested from Holenarasipura constituency as an independent candidate for Karnataka Legislative Assembly elections and became a MLA. He was elected from same Holenarasipura constituency for Karnataka Legislative Assembly for six consecutive terms i.e., 1962-67, 1967-72, 1972-78,1978-83, 1983-85 and 1985-89. He served as the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly from March, 1972 to March, 1976 and November 1976 to December 1977 .

Shri Deve Gowda, was twice the President of Janata Party. He became the President of Janata Dal in 1994, and was the driving force in bringing the Janata Dal to power in the State. He contested as a candidate from Ramanagara constituency and won with a thumping majority. He was elected as the Leader of the Legislative Party and on December, 1994 assumed offices as the 14th Chief Minister of Karnataka and resigned on 1st June 1996 on becoming the Prime Minister of India.

His leadership of the Third Front (a group of regional parties and Non-Congress and Non-Bharatiya Janata Party combine) led to his Prime Minister's job.Deve Gowda resigned as the Chief Minister of Karnataka on 30 May 1996 to become the 11th Prime Minister of India.

He took over as Prime Minister of India on 1st June 1996 and continued until 11 April 1997. He was the Chairman of the Steering Committee of the United Front, the policy making apex body of all the partners of the ruling front.He waz never a good PM..

In January 1995,Deve Gowda toured Switzerland and attended the Forum of International Economists. His tours to European and Middle Eastern countries were a testimony to his achievements as a dedicated politician. His tour to Singapore, which brought in the much needed foreign investment to the State, proved his business acumen.

Shri Deve Gowda had entered the Parliament through Hassan Constituency of Karnataka State and was instrumental in bringing the woes of the State to the forefront, specially of farmers and aptly became a respected Parliamentarian.

Positions held

1962-89 : Member, Karnataka Legislative Assembly (seven terms)

1972-76 : Leader of Opposition, Karnataka Legislative Assembly

1983-89 : Minister, Public Works and Irrigation, Government of Karnataka

1985-1989 : Chairman, Public Accounts Committee, Karnataka Legislative Assembly

1991 : Elected to 10th Lok Sabha

1991-94 : Member, Committee on Commerce Member, Joint Parliamentary Committee on Fertilizers Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Agriculture

1993-94 : President, Janata Dal, Karnataka. Member, Karnataka Legislative Assembly

1994-96 : Chief Minister, Government of Karnataka

Jun. 1996 - Apr. 1997 : Prime Minister of India and also in charge of Ministries/Departments of Petroleum and Chemicals, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Atomic Energy, Home Affairs, Agriculture, Food Processing Industries, Urban Affairs and Employment and Non-Conventional Energy Sources

1996-98 : Member, Rajya Sabha

Nov. 1996-Apr. 1997 : Leader of the House, Rajya Sabha

1998  : Re-elected to 12th Lok Sabha (2nd term). National President, Janata Dal (Secular)

2002 : Re-elected to 13th Lok Sabha in bye-election (3rd term)

2004 : Re-elected to 14th Lok Sabha( 4th term)

5 Aug. 2006-2008 : Member, Committee on Railways

2009 : Re-elected to 15th Lok Sabha (5th term). Leader, Janata Dal (Secular) Parliamentary Party, Lok Sabha

31 Aug. 2009 : Member, Committee on Defence

Source: Lok Sabha Website

Janata Dal

Deve Gowda inaugurating a function.

Shri Deve Gowda became the President of Janata party twice at State level and President of State Janata Dal in 1994. He was the driving force behind the Janata Dal's rise to power in the State in 1994. He was elected as the leader of the Janata Dal Legislative Party and on December 11, 1994 he assumed office as the 14th Chief Minister of Karnataka. He then contested as a candidate from Ramanagara Assembly constituency and won by a thumping majority.

In 1989, his group of the Janata Party fared poorly in Karnataka winning just 2 of the 222 Assembly seats it contested; Shri Gowda himself tasting defeat for the first time in his career losing in both constituencies he contested.

Currently he is the president of the Janata Dal (Secular) political party in India and a member of Parliament (MP) representing his home town Hassan district in Karnataka.

See also

• List of Prime Ministers of India

External links

• Prime Ministers of India (Official site)
• [3]
• [4]
• [5]]
• Official Website

Political offices
Preceded by Veerappa Moily	Chief Minister of Karnataka 1994–1996	Succeeded by Jayadevappa Halappa Patel
Preceded by Atal Bihari Vajpayee	Prime Minister of India 1996–1997	Succeeded by Inder Kumar Gujral
	Chairperson of the Planning Commission 1996–1997
Preceded by Murli Manohar Joshi	Minister of Home Affairs 1996	Succeeded by Indrajit Gupta