K. Chengalaraya Reddy

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Kyasamballi Chengalaraya Reddy

| image = K. C. Reddy.jpg

| order = 3rd

| office = Governor of Madhya Pradesh

| term_start = 10 February 1966

| term_end = 7 March 1971

| 1blankname = Chief Minister

| 1namedata = Dwarka Prasad Mishra
Govind Narayan Singh
Nareshchandra Singh
Shyama Charan Shukla

| predecessor = P. V. Dixit {{small|(acting)}}

| successor = Satya Narayan Sinha

| term_start1 = 11 February 1965

| term_end1 = 2 February 1966

| 1blankname1 = Chief Minister

| 1namedata1 = Dwarka Prasad Mishra

| predecessor1 = Hari Vinayak Pataskar

| successor1 = P. V. Dixit {{small|(acting)}}

| office2 = Minister of Commerce and Industry

| primeminister2 = Jawaharlal Nehru

| term_start2 = 5 April 1961

| term_end2 = 19 July 1963

| predecessor2 = Lal Bahadur Shastri

| successor2 = Manubhai Shah

| office3 = 1st Chief Minister of Mysore State

| term_start3 = 26 January 1950

| term_end3 = 30 March 1952

| predecessor3 = Office Established

| successor3 = Kengal Hanumanthaiah

| office4 = 1st Prime Minister of Mysore State

| term_start4 = 25 October 1947

| term_end4 = 26 January 1950

| predecessor4 = Office Established

| successor4 = Himself as Chief Minister

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1902|05|04|df=y}}

| birth_place = Kyasamballi, Kolar District, Kingdom of Mysore, Mysore Residency, British India
(Now in Kyasamballi, Kolar District, Karnataka, India)

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1976|02|27|1902|05|04}}

| death_place =

| party = Indian National Congress

| spouse =

| children =

}}

{{family name hatnote|Kyasamballi|Chengaluraya Reddy|Indian name|lang=Toponymic}}Kyasamballi Chengaluraya Reddy (4 May 1902 – 27 February 1976) was the first Chief Minister of Mysore State (Now Karnataka). Reddy later served as the governor of Madhya Pradesh.

Early life

K.C. Reddy was born on 4 May 1902 into a Vokkaliga{{cite book|url=https://newsable.asianetnews.com/news/kc-reddy-117th-birth-anniversary-karnataka-celebrates-first-chief-minister-pr0qnv|title=KC Reddy's 117th birth anniversary: Karnataka celebrates first chief minister}}{{cite book|title=Community Dominance and Political Modernisation: The Lingayats|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R84n-Wv1S-8C&pg=PA353|author1=Shankaragouda|author2=Hanamantagouda Patil|publisher=Mittal Publications|year=2002|page=353|isbn = 9788170998679|quote=There are three chief ministers from Vokkaliga community (Sarvashri K.C. Reddy, K. Hanumathaiah and Kadidal Maniappa) between 1947 and 1956 in the Mysore state. The Vokkaligas dominated the politics of Mysore state during this period.}}{{cite book|title=Rural Elite and Community Work: A Socio Political Perspective|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gDYdAAAAIAAJ|page=80|author=G. Narayana Reddy|publisher=Chugh Publications|year=1986|isbn = 9788185076034|quote=Till 1956, most of the rural Mysore was dominated by Vokkaligas and the three Chief Ministers (K.C. Reddy, Hanumathaiah and Kodidal Manjappa) were also Vokkaligas.}} family in Kyasamballi village, Kolar district. He was a revolutionary from childhood and participated in many protests against British rule in India.{{Cite news|url=https://www.karnataka.com/personalities/k-chengalaraya-reddy/|title=K.C. Reddy {{!}} Chief Minister of Karnataka {{!}} Personalities|date=2013-05-07|work=Karnataka.com|access-date=2018-08-04|language=en-US}}{{cite web |title=K. Chengalaraya Reddy – The Pioneer Politician |url=http://www.reddysociety.com/?q=node/35 |website=reddysociety.com |access-date=4 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170606153918/http://www.reddysociety.com/?q=node%2F35 |archive-date=6 June 2017 |url-status=live }}

Career

After graduating in law, Reddy along with other political activists, founded the Praja Paksha (Peoples' Party) in 1930.{{cite web|title=History of Freedom Movement −7: The Mysore Congress|url=http://ithihas.wordpress.com/2009/06/18/history-of-freedom-movement-7/|publisher=Ithihas}} The aim of this party was to achieve responsible government in the Princely state of Mysore. The party gained support in rural areas as it largely highlighted the issues of farmers. The Praja Paksha and Praja Mitra Mandali joined to form the Praja Samyukta Paksha (Mysore People's Federation) in 1934. Reddy served as its president from 1935 to 1937.[https://books.google.com/books?id=R84n-Wv1S-8C&pg=RA2-PA237 Community dominance and political modernisation: the Lingayats – Shankaragouda Hanamantagouda Patil – Google Books] Later, the federation merged with the Indian National Congress and participated in the Indian independence movement.{{cite web|title=Chapter I1 Trajectories of Development: History and Spatiality|url=http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/795/11/11_chapter%202.pdf}} Reddy served as the president of Mysore Congress twice, in 1937–38 and 1946–47. He was also a member of the Constituent Assembly of India.

After independence of India in 1947, he was at the forefront of the Mysore Chalo movement seeking responsible state government in Mysore State and went on to become the first Chief Minister of the state.{{cite news|title=Freedom fighters get together for 'Mysore chalo' anniversary|url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/10/25/stories/2006102502140500.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130614012315/http://www.hindu.com/2006/10/25/stories/2006102502140500.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 June 2013|newspaper=The Hindu|date=25 October 2006}}{{cite web|title=When Independence breezed into Mysore|url=http://www.inmysore.com/when-independence-breezed-into-mysore|publisher=Mysore news}} He served in this position from 1947 to 1952.

Reddy was elected as a member of the Mysore Legislative Assembly in 1952 representing Bangarapet.Subsequently, he served as a member of the Rajya Sabha from 1952 to 1957 and as a member of the Lok Sabha, representing Kolar from 1957 to 1962. During this period, he also served as Union Minister for Housing and Supplies (1957–61) and as Union Minister for Commerce and Industries (1961–62). Later, he also served as Governor of Madhya Pradesh from 1965 to 1971.{{cite web|title=Former Governors of Madhya Pradesh – Shri Kyasamballi Chengalrao Reddy|url=http://www.rajbhavanmp.ind.in/reddy.asp|publisher=Raj Bhavan Bhopal Official Website|access-date=5 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719035607/http://www.rajbhavanmp.ind.in/reddy.asp|archive-date=19 July 2011|url-status=dead}}

Reddy's birth centenary was commemorated in 2002 when his contribution towards the development of Karnataka was hailed.{{cite news|title=CM hails K.C.Reddy's contribution to State|url=http://www.hindu.com/2002/05/06/stories/2002050601200400.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216074116/http://www.hindu.com/2002/05/06/stories/2002050601200400.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 December 2013|newspaper=The Hindu|date=6 May 2002}} The 30 kilometre section of Outer Ring Road in Bengaluru, from Hebbal to Central Silk Board, is named after KC Reddy.{{cite news |title=30-km ORR stretch named after first Mys CM KC Reddy |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/kc-reddy-vartula-raste-30km-orr-stretch-named-after-first-mysore-cm/articleshow/107002205.cms |access-date=26 March 2025 |agency=Times of India |publisher=Times of India |date=20 January 2024}}