He was the President of Kittur Rani Channamma Memorial Committee for more than 25 years. Born in Savalagi of Bijapur District 1912, he took his degrees in Humanities and Law as well as his doctorate in the Bombay Presidency and served as the Minister in Princely States of Jamkhandi and Sangli.

He took active part in the freedom Movement of 1942, was appointed Parliamentary Secretary of the Bombay Legislative Assembly in 1949 and Deputy Minister in the Bombay Government in 1952.

Between 1962 and 1972, he was Chief Minister and Minister for Finance and for food. He then went on to serve as the Llieutenant Governor of Orissa. On 31 August 1977, he was elected as the Vice President of India.

He took over as the President of the Kittur Rani Channamma Memorial Committee in 1975 and was overseeing the running of the school and the progress that it has made since then till his last breath on 07-06-2002.