D. Sudhakar, Karnataka’s Minister for Planning and Statistics and Chitradurga district in-charge minister, died in the early hours of Sunday after long-standing health complications.
He was 62. Sudhakar expired at about 3:15 a.m. at KIMS Hospital in Bengaluru, where he received advanced treatment for his severe lung infection, which had progressed after a knee surgery. He was first admitted to Manipal Hospitals, then moved to KIMS when his health deteriorated. Sudhakar, a senior Congress leader and MLA of Hiriyur constituency, was recognised by the people of the Chitradurga district region as the dominant political figure.
Born on March 28, 1961, in Challakere, he was a member of the Jain community and the third son of businessman Dasarathayya and Kanchanmala. He was a Bachelor of Commerce graduate who was survived by his wife Harshini, son Suhas and daughter Spoorthi. Sudhakar turned to politics in 2004 when he won the Challakere Assembly seat, defeating Basavaraj Mandimath.
The constituency became reserved for Scheduled Tribes, and he moved to Hiriyur, where he won the 2008 Assembly election as an independent candidate. Later, he supported the BJP government led by B. S. Yediyurappa and served as Social Welfare Minister. Sudhakar faced considerable political turmoil during his stint in the BJP government after the Beggars Colony matter, and the Social Welfare portfolio was withdrawn from him.
He was later appointed to the Muzrai department. He was also among the 11 MLAs disqualified in the political crisis under then Speaker K. G. Bopaiah, but stayed on after approaching the High Court. Sudhakar joined Congress in 2013 and became a Congress MLA after defeating in Hiriyur.
He lost to Poornima Srinivas in the 2018 elections, then made a comeback in 2023 by overpowering her again in the same constituency. He had a close political association with Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar, whom he often referred to as his political mentor.
Sudhakar was a successful businessman besides his political career. He began his business enterprise together with his father in the distilling and excise contract business before moving into real estate ventures in Nelamangala and Bengaluru. He also owned the Sewell Hilt business company, operated oil mills in Challakere, and was active in several educational and charitable works.
Sudhakar founded the Swami Vivekananda educational institutions in Challakere, where his teachings reached thousands of learners. He served as president of the Hoysala Cooperative Society and the Parshwanath Charitable Trust, amongst others. He has brought mourning rippling into Karnataka’s strata of political life; politicians of every party have expressed condolences and shared their memories of his service to public life and regional growth.
