Bengaluru: Senior Karnataka BJP leader and former minister Ramachandra Gowda passed away on Tuesday at a private hospital in Bengaluru following age-related illness. He was 88.
A veteran politician, Ramachandra Gowda was associated with the Jana Sangh before the formation of the BJP and played a pivotal role in strengthening the party’s organisational base in Karnataka. He also served as a minister in the B.S. Yediyurappa-led state government.
Leaders across the political spectrum condoled his demise, recalling his decades-long contribution to public life and the BJP’s growth in the state.
Paying tribute, BJP MLC C.T. Ravi described Ramachandra Gowda as a founding pillar, mentor and guiding force for generations of party workers.
“Ramachandra Gowda was not merely a senior politician; he was a mentor who inspired thousands of workers, corrected them when necessary and showed them the right path. Even while holding public office, he remained simple, humble, committed to the party’s ideology and deeply connected with grassroots workers,” Ravi said.
Recalling his personal association with the veteran leader, Ravi said the encouragement he received from Ramachandra Gowda during the 1992 Chikkamagaluru Youth Conference remained one of the defining moments of his political journey.
“With his passing, Karnataka has lost a seasoned statesman and the BJP has lost a rare ideologue. Personally, I have lost an elder whose blessings guided me. His ideals, patriotism and commitment to public service will continue to inspire generations of party workers,” Ravi added.
