Bheemanna Khandre

Bheemanna Khandre (1 November 1925 – 16 January 2026) was an Indian independence activist, educationist and politician. A member of the Indian National Congress party, he was the Minister of Transport in the Government of Karnataka from 1992 to 1994. Khandre was elected to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, including the erstwhile Mysore Legislative Assembly, for four terms.

Background Khandre was born on 1 November 1925 in Bhalki, Hyderabad State (present-day Karnataka, India). He held a BA LLB degree. Khandre married Lakshmi Bai, with whom he had three sons, including politicians Vijaykumar Khandre and Eshwara Khandre; and five daughters. Sagar Khandre, the Member of Parliament from Bidar Lok Sabha constituency, is his grandson.

Khandre died from respiratory failure on 16 January 2026 in Bhalki, at the age of 100. He was undergoing treatment in a hospital in Bidar for a few weeks prior to his death.

Political career Khandre was elected as a President of Bhalki Taluk Municipal Council in 1953. He was elected to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from the Bhalki constituency for four terms, 1962, 1967, 1978 and 1983. In 1968, Khandre was made the president of the Bidar District Congress Committee.

Awards and recognition Khandre was awarded the "Suvarna Karnataka Rajyotsava Award" by the Government of Karnataka. Gulbarga University also conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Law (Honoris Causa) on him.