DK Shivakumar is a prominent leader of the Congress party in Karnataka and has held several positions in the Congress party, including serving as the President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC). He has also been a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) and has held ministerial portfolios in the Karnataka state government. He is an eight-time MLA and is considered one of the richest politicians in India.
Wiki/Biography
Doddalahalli Kempegowda Shivakumar aka D .K. Shivakumar was born on Tuesday, 15 May 1962 (age 61 years; in 2023) in Kanakapura, a small village near Bengaluru in the state of Karnataka. His zodiac sign is Taurus. He studied at National Public School, Bengaluru till class 8 before being suspended for failing. While studying at RC College in Bengaluru, he decided to enter politics. He dropped out of college and joined the youth wing of the Congress party, known as the Youth Congress, and served as the General Secretary of the Karnataka State Youth Congress from 1983 to 1985. He completed his Masters in Political Science from the Karnataka State Open University, Mysore in 2006.
Physical appearance
Height (approx): 5′ 10″
Weight (approx): 70 kg
Hair Color: Salt and Pepper
Eye Color: Dark Brown
Family
He was born in a Vokkaliga family.
Parents & Siblings
His father’s name is Kempegowda, and his mother’s name is Gouramma. His father died on December 31, 2013 at the age of 82. He has a younger brother DK Suresh who is also an MLA and a sister named Manjula Shantachandra.
DK Shivakumar with his mother, Gouramma and younger brother, DK Suresh
Wife & Children
In 1993, he married Usha. They have two daughters named Aishwarya and Aabharana, and a son named Aakash. Aishwarya, the eldest daughter, is married to Amartya, who is the son of VG Siddhartha, the founder of Café Coffee Day.
DK Shivakumar (extreme left) and his wife, Usha, (extreme right) as their daughter Aishwarya marries Amartya, son of VG Siddhartha
DK Shivakumar with his son, Aakash Shivakumar
religion
He is a Hindu.
Signature
Career
Politics
DK Shivakumar started his political journey in the early 1980s as a student leader and gradually rose through the ranks of the Congress party. In 1989, at the age of 27, he won his first election representing the Sathanur constituency in Mysuru district, as a member of the Congress party. He won again in the following assembly elections held in 1994, 1999, and 2004, all from the same constituency. In the assembly elections held in 2008, 2013, 2018, and 2023, he emerged as the winner from the Kanakapura constituency.
DK Shivakumar spoke during an election rally
Saving Maharashtra Congress Government
Shivakumar’s leadership came to the fore in 2002 when Maharashtra Congress Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh faced a no-confidence motion. Shivakumar gathered all the Congress legislators in a Bengaluru resort for a week before safely returning them to Mumbai, where Deshmukh won the trust vote.
DK Shivakumar is a close confidante of the Gandhi family and supported Rahul Gandhi during the Bharat Jodo Yatra
Big win in 2023
DK Shivakumar became emotional as the results of counting of votes in the Karnataka Legislative Election 2023 showed a clear victory for his party in Karnataka. He stated that he had made a promise to Sonia Gandhi, the leader of the Congress party, that he would secure victory in Karnataka. He mentioned his assurances to Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Kharge, and also recalled Sonia Gandhi visiting him in jail. Speaking to reporters, he stated that the Congress office has great importance to them, referring to it as their temple. He further added that the next course of action will be decided at the Congress office. Of the 224 seats in the Karnataka Assembly, the Congress won 135 seats, the BJP won 66 seats, the JD(S) won 19 seats, and 4 seats were won by other independent candidates.
DK Shivakumar (second from left) with other prominent Congress leaders
On 20 May 2023, he was sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka.
Controversy
Allegations of Illegal Mining
Shivakumar and his family have faced allegations related to illegal mining, illegal transportation of granite, and improper distribution of land. In 2015, a notice was issued by the Karnataka High Court to Shivakumar and his family members regarding their alleged involvement in illegal mining activities in Karnataka’s Kanakapura and Ramanagaram districts. Besides, Shivakumar and his brother DK Suresh have been accused of encroaching on 66 acres of land earmarked for the welfare of Dalits and the underprivileged.
Income Tax Raid 2017
On 2 August 2017, the Income Tax Department raided Shivakumar’s home and office in Bengaluru on suspicion of tax issues. They also searched Eagleton Golf Resort in Bidadi, owned by Shivakumar’s brother DK Suresh. The raids took place in several cities, including New Delhi, Bengaluru, Mysuru, Chennai, and Kanakapura. About 300 officers conducted an 80-hour search at 67 locations. They seized ₹8 crores from Shivakumar’s residence in Delhi and ₹2 crores from another place. The raid came after 44 members of the Congress party from Gujarat were staying at the resort after several lawmakers defected to the Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections. The raid ended on August 5, and about ₹300 crore of undisclosed income was reportedly recovered. Shivakumar and his colleagues obtained the expected assurance. He was arrested on September 3, 2019 on charges of tax evasion. He alleged that his arrest was politically motivated and a revenge move by the then Karnataka BJP government.
DKShivakumar was arrested in 2019
Car Collection
He owns a Toyota Qualis.
Investing in Real Estate
DK Shivakumar has invested in cooperative banks, educational institutions, agricultural land and flats in various locations such as Mysuru, Mumbai, Kanakapura, Bangalore and Delhi. He has made investments in properties such as Shobha Developers, Davanam Properties, Kabini Granites, Dalmia Cement, and others.
income
Its income for the financial year 2022-23 is Rs 14 crores.
Assets & Real Estate
Movable Assets
- Bank Deposit: Rs. 14,67,73,028
- Motor Vehicle: Rs. 8,35,026
- Jewellery: Rs. 1,47,84,014
- Other Assets (Rolex & Hublot Watches): Rs. 32,90,246
Immovable Assets
- Agricultural Land: Rs. 25,50,00,000
- Non Agricultural Land: Rs. 57,50,00,000
- Commercial Building: Rs. 8,52,36,47,685
- Residential Building: Rs. 19,10,00,000
Note: The estimate of movable and immovable assets given is according to the year 2022. It does not include assets owned by the wife and her (small) dependents.
Net worth
Shivakumar’s net worth for the financial year 2022-2023 is estimated to be Rs. 1414 crores. It does not include the net worth of the wife and her dependents (minor children). As of July 2023, some reports suggest that he is the richest MLA in the country.
Tattoo
He has a tattoo inked on his right elbow.
Facts/Trivia
- He is a firm believer in numerology, and his favorite number is 6 which, according to him, is ruled by Venus and attracts power.
- He has many nicknames including DK Shi, DKS, Kanakapura Rock, Congress’ Man Friday, and The Tiger of Santhur.
- Reportedly, during his early years as a politician, he was a protégé of Bengaluru gangster Ramachandra Kotwal.
- DK Shivakumar vowed action against DGP Praveen Sood, who later became CBI Director, in March 2023 and alleged that Sood favored the BJP in Karnataka while in office.
- In 2023, during an appearance on the talk show ‘Weekend With Ramesh,’ Aishwarya, the eldest daughter of DK Shivkumar, shared her experience of visiting her father in prison. He revealed that he had to hide his identity by pretending to be a news reporter and cut his hair in a bob to look different. Initially, he was not allowed to meet his father, but he finally got his chance when the judge announced that family members could speak to DK Shivkumar for 15 minutes while he was brought to court. Aishwarya says,
Although I was there, I was not allowed to meet my father because the authorities failed to recognize me in disguise. However, they gave me a chance and said only if my father recognized me, I would be allowed to see him. Finally, my father recognized me and then I had fifteen minutes to talk to him. It was very necessary for me and since then, I have the courage to face everything that comes and take care of my family members.”
Categories: Biography
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
