Bheemanna Khandre, who passed away on January 16, 2026, played an important role in the Karnataka Ekikarana (state unification) movement, especially in campaigns to ensure that Kannada-speaking districts of the erstwhile Hyderabad State, including Bidar, became part of Karnataka. He participated in agitations, delegations and submitting memoranda to national commissions and political leaders during the linguistic reorganisation of States, an issue that shaped regional politics in the 1950s and 1960s.
His formal political career began with his election as president of the Bhalki Town Panchayat in 1952. He went on to serve multiple terms in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council, and served as Transport Minister in the Congress government led by M. Veerappa Moily in the early 1990s.
Beyond electoral politics, Khandre was closely associated with institution-building, especially in the field of education. As chairperson of the Shantivardhak Education Society, he oversaw the expansion of educational institutions, including schools, colleges and technical institutes, in Bidar district and neighbouring areas with a notable emphasis on access for rural students and women.
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Born on January 8, 1923, at Gorta (B) village in Basavakalyana taluk of Bidar district in Karnataka, Bheemanna Khandre belonged to a generation that witnessed – and actively shaped – the transition from princely rule to democratic governance in Kalyana Karnataka.
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Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi with Bheemanna Khandre
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Bheemanna Khandre with former PM Indira Gandhi
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Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi with former Karnataka Chief Minister Gundu Rao and Bheemanna Khandre
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Bheemanna Khandre with former PM Rajiv Gandhi
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Former PM Rajiv Gandhi having a word with Bheemanna Khandre
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Former PM Rajiv Gandhi addressing a gathering with Bheemanna Khandre (right)
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Former Karnataka Chief Minister M. Veerappa Moily with Bheemanna Khandre
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Bheemanna Khandre served as Transport Minister in the Congress government led by M. Veerappa Moily in the early 1990s.
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Former Karnataka Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh with Bheemanna Khandre
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Bheemanna Khandre being honoured for his contribution to public life in Karnataka
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Congress president Mallikarjuna Kharge greeting Bheemanna Khandre
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Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah greeting Bheemanna Khandre
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Family of Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre with his father Bheemanna Khandre
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Bheemanna Khandre greeting grandson Sagar Eshwar Khandre who is the Lok Sabha member from Bidar
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Bheemanna Khandre (1923-2026) was one of the most prominent public figures of Kalyana Karnataka
Published – January 17, 2026 12:57 pm IST
