Misplaced Pages

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Redrose64 (talk | contribs) at 23:40, 3 December 2010 (→External links: use proper stub template instead of placing directly in category). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

R. Gundu Rao ( Kannada: ಗುಂಡೂ ರಾಯ ) (1935–1993) was Chief Minister of Karnataka state, India from 1980 to 1983.

Rao was born in Kushalnagar, Kodagu, India. His parents were K. Rama Rao and Chinamma. His father was a local Headmaster and well respected in Kodagu district. He was Town Municipal President of Kushalanagar. He was a well-known Ball Badminton Player in Kodagu and has won numerous trophies. He was elected MLA from Somwarpet in 1972 and 1978. He became the second Brahmin Chief minister of Karnataka after Ramakrishna Hegde in 1983 after the fall of Devaraja Urs government. Gundu Rao built Majestic bus station in Bangalore which is known today as Kempe Gowda bus station. He built bus stations at a strategic place near Bangalore city railway station where people coming from other places either by bus or train can alight and board city buses to different parts of Bangalore. The city bus station is built in a semicircular fashion, so that non-natives can easily find bus routes and stops just by walking on the foot bridge provided at the diameter of semicircle. This bus station is said to be unique in whole of Asia. He was first to plan for ring road for Bangalore as well as Metro Rail for Bangalore. He was known as a bold and daring Chief Minister. He was famous for taking "on the spot decisions". He was considered a very good administrator though he was also widely misunderstood. Many officers of the government even till date say that Gundu Rao administration was the best. It was during his period as Chief Minister, Foundation was laid for development of Information Technology (IT) sector in Karnataka, particularly Bangalore. He also sanctioned numerous Medical and Engineering Colleges in Karnataka. The Cauvery IInd Stage was completed within a year and half during his tenure. He was also responsible for the "Kala Mandira" in Mysore. He was also known for being a very secular leader and helped all castes and faiths.

Gundu Rao was also a Member of Parliament from Bangalore South Constituency from 1989 to 1991. He died of leukemia in London on 22 August 1993, aged 57.

External links

• Gundu Rao's biography release
• Gundu Rao
• Contribution of R Gundu Rao
• Indian states after 1947 A-L

Template:Persondata

This article about an Indian politician is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it.

• v
• t
• e

• Use dmy dates from November 2010
• 1936 births
• 1993 deaths
• People from Kodagu
• Brahmins
• Indian politician stubs