K Shivaram, a former IAS officer who also pursued careers in acting and politics, passed away on Thursday at a Bengaluru hospital at the age of 70.
Shivaram was born on 6th April, 1953 in Urugahalli village, Ramanagar district, to drama maestro Kempaiah and his wife Chikkaboramma. He achieved success in acting and bureaucracy, but his political career never fully took off.
One of his most notable achievements was being the first person to clear the UPSC exam in Kannada.
In 1972, Shivaram obtained a job in the state government following his graduation from Government High School in Malleswaram and completion of a typing and shorthand course. The following year, he joined the police department’s intelligence wing as a police reporter.
While working, he pursued BA and MA degrees through evening and distance learning. He was appointed Deputy Superintendent of Police in 1985 after passing the Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS) test.
In 1986, Shivaram achieved a childhood aspiration when he became the first Kannada individual to pass the UPSC exam and made history.
‘Baa Nalle Madhuchandrake,’ a 1993 musical thriller directed by Nagathihalli Chandrashekar, was a successful movie that launched his film career. He decided to put more of his attention into his bureaucratic job when most of his later cinematic endeavors failed to materialize. As the regional commissioner for Bengaluru, he retired in 2013.
After retiring, K Shivaram joined the Congress party. Later, he changed to the JD(S) and ran from Bijapur in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, losing to Ramesh Jigajinagi of the BJP. He eventually became a member of the BJP and was given a position on the state executive committee.
He is survived by his wife Vani Shivaram and a daughter, who is married to Kannada actor Pradeep.