G. Parameshwara, the longest serving president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (since October 27, 2010), finally made it to the Deputy Chief Minister’s post, which eluded him earlier.
He was the president of the State Congress when the party came to power in 2013 and Siddaramaiah became the Chief Minister. Since he had lost the 2013 Assembly polls in Korategere constituency, the party made him Member of the Legislative Council and later the Home Minister in the Siddaramaiah government.
The soft-spoken Dr. Parameshwara is an educationist. He runs the Deemed University of Medical Science, an engineering college and many schools, which are part and parcel of the Siddhartha Group of Institutions in Tumakuru.
ADVERTISEMENT
He obtained a doctoral degree from Waite Agricultural Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Australia. He was an active sportsman.
Born on August 6, 1951, the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi identified the leadership qualities of Dr. Parameshwara and brought him into active politics in the late 1980s.
Son of late Gangamalamma and H.M. Gangadharaiah, former MLC, Dr. Parameshwara has been elected to the Assembly five times. He represented Madhugiri Assembly constituency three times (1989, 1999, and 2004) and after delimitation, Koratagere Assembly Constituency twice (2008 and 2018).
ADVERTISEMENT
Earlier portfolios
He earlier served as Minister for Sericulture (1993-94), Minister for Higher Education, Medical Education, Science & Technology, Information & Publicity (1999-2004) and as Minister for Home (2015-17).
He was instrumental in establishing Tumkur University.