Bheemanna Khandre Age, Death, Caste, Wife, Children, Biography

Bio/Wiki
Nickname	Lok Nayak
Profession(s)	• Indian Independence Activist • Educationist • Politician
Physical Stats
Eye Colour	Light Brown
Hair Colour	Salt and Pepper
Politics
Political Party	Indian National Congress
Political Journey	• In 1953: Elected as the President of the Bhalki Taluk Municipal Council • In 1962: Elected to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from the Bhalki constituency for the first time • In 1967: Re-elected as a Member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from Bhalki • In 1968: Appointed as the President of the Bidar District Congress Committee • In 1978: Elected as an MLA from Bhalki for the third term • In 1980: Appointed as General Secretary of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee and Convenor of the State Kisan Cell • In February 1981: Participated in the All India Kisan Rally in New Delhi along with 16,000 farmers from Karnataka • In 1983: Elected as an MLA from Bhalki for the fourth term • In 1988: Elected as a Member of the Karnataka Legislative Council from Bidar district • From 1992 to 1994: Served as the Minister of Transport in the Government of Karnataka • During this period: Served as the Leader of the Upper House of the Karnataka Legislature • From 1994 to 2000: Re-elected as a Member of the Karnataka Legislative Council
Awards, Honours, Achievements	• Suvarna Karnataka Rajyotsava Award by the Government of Karnataka • Honorary degree of Doctor of Law (Honoris Causa) from Gulbarga University, Karnataka
Personal Life
Date of Birth	1 November 1925 (Sunday)
Birthplace	Bhalki, Karnataka, India
Date of Death	16 January 2026 (Friday)
Place of Death	Bhalki, Karnataka
Age (at the time of death)	100 Years
Death Cause	Age related illness (respiratory failure)
Zodiac sign	Scorpion
Nationality	Indian
Hometown	Bhalki, Karnataka
College/University	Osmania University, Hyderabad
Educational Qualification	A bachelor's degree in law
Religion	Hinduism
Caste/Community	Lingayat [1]The Hindu
Relationships & More
Marital Status (at the time of death)	Married
Family
Wife/Spouse	Lakshmi Bai
Children	Son(s)- 3 • Vijaykumar Khandre (deceased) (Politician) • Eshwara Khandre (Politician) Daughter(s)- 5
Other Relative	Grandson- Sagar Khandre (Politician)

Some Lesser Known Facts About Bheemanna Khandre

• Bheemanna Khandre was born and grew up in Gorta (B) village in Basavakalyana taluk of Bidar district in Karnataka.

• From a young age, Khandre has started participating in the Indian freedom movements.

• He played an important role in the Karnataka Ekikarana (state unification) movement and worked to ensure that Kannada-speaking areas like Bidar were included in Karnataka. During the 1950s and 1960s, he took part in protests, public agitations, and delegations to support the merger of these regions with Karnataka.

• He also helped to submit memoranda to national commissions and senior political leaders, and explained why the Kannada-speaking districts of the Hyderabad State should be part of Karnataka.

• Before entering politics, Bheemanna completed his law degree and practiced as an advocate, particularly in Bhalki and the surrounding areas.

• In 1953, he entered politics and became the first elected president of the Bhalki Taluk Municipal Council.

• In 1962, he was elected to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from the Bhalki constituency for the first time.

• He was re-elected as MLA in 1962, 1967, 1978, and 1983.

• In 1963, Khandre was appointed as the president of Shanti Vardhak Education Society, where he served till 1993. As the president, he oversaw the expansion of educational institutions, including schools, colleges, and technical institutes, in Bidar district and neighbouring areas, especially for rural students and women.

• In 1968, Bheemanna Khandre was appointed as the president of the Bidar District Congress Committee.

• In the 1980s, he served as the general secretary of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee and was the convener of the State Kisan (farmer) Cell.

• On 16 January 1981, he participated in the All India Kisan Rally held at New Delhi, along with 16,000 farmers from Karnataka.

• In 1988, Khandre was elected as a member of the Legislative Council of Karnataka representing the Bidar District. He held this position again from 1994 to 2000.

• From 1992 to 1994, he served as the Minister of Transport in the Government of Karnataka led by M. Veerappa Moily.
  

  Bheemanna Khandre (right) with former Chief Minister M. Veerappa Moily

• During that time, he was also the leader of the Upper House of Karnataka.

• Bheemanna Khandre was the founder of two sugar factories, Bidar Sahakara Sakkare Karkhane and National Federation of Co-operative Sugar Factory, under the co-operative sector in Karnataka. At Bidar Sahakara Sakkare Karkhane, he served as the chairman for 12 years, and at the National Federation of Co-operative Sugar Factory, he served as an executive member.

• Bheemanna Khandre was also an executive member of the Indian Sugar Export Corporation, New Delhi.

• Later in his life, he served as the President of Akhil Bharat Veerashaiva Mahasabha, an organisation for the development of the Lingayat community.

• On January 16, 2026, Bheemanna Khandre passed away at the age of 100 due to respiratory failure at his home in Bhalki. Before his death, he had been receiving treatment in a hospital in Bidar for a few weeks.
  

  A picture of Bheemanna Khandre with his son, Eshwara Khandre, while the former was admitted to the hospital

• In Karnataka, Bheemanna was known for his discipline, courage, character, and fighting spirit for the cause. He was called Lok Nayak.

• Bheemanna Khandre’s son Vijaykumar Khandre, Eshwara Khandre, and grandson, Sagar Khandre, are also politicians. In 2002, his son Vijay and Eshwara were accused of the murder of BJP worker Suresh Khed, but were subsequently granted bail.