Kannada actor and politician K Shivaram died at 70 in Bengaluru on February 29. He was best known for his roles in ‘Baa Nalle Madhuchandrake’ (1993) and ‘Tiger’ (2017). According to reports, the actor has been undergoing treatment in Bengaluru’s HCG Hospital for the past few days. His last rites will be held on March 1.

Shivaram was on a ventilator in the ICU and was reported to be in a critical stage on Wednesday. His demise came as a shock to his friends, colleagues and fans. Indian National Congress (INC) Party President, Mallikarjun Kharge paid tribute to Shivaram.

Sharing a throwback picture of the actor, Kharge wrote on X, “Deeply saddened to know about the demise of IAS officer turned actor, K Shivaram, who holds the distinction of becoming the first person to clear the UPSC exam in Kannada. A multi-faceted personality, he also joined active politics and contributed his service to the people of Karnataka. A distinguished IAS officer, he was a staunch follower of Dr Ambedkar and believed in upholding the Constitution and law. My deepest condolences to his family, friends and followers (sic).”

See his post here:

BJP politician R Raghu Kautilya shared his grief on X. He wrote, “Very Sad to know that an Icon of OBC Community, People’s Friendly former IAS Officer, BJP Leader, Shri K. Shivaram Ji is no more. It’s a big loss to Karnataka State. I pray God to give more strength to his family members & friends to bear this huge loss. Om Shanti #ShivaramIAS (folded hands emoji) (sic).”

See his post here:

Kannada actor and activist Chetan Kumar took to X and remembered Shivaram. “I spoke to Mr K Shivaram in Kanteerava Studio in 2017. He had then made statements about how Modi was benefiting Dalits, & I questioned him as to basis for his claims. In spite of my opposition, he listened calmly, smiled, patted me on the back & wished me luck. He will be missed”, he wrote.

See his post here:

K Shivaram had made his acting debut with Nagathihalli Chandrashekar’s adaptation of his own novel, ‘Baa Nalle Madhuchandrake’. Although being an unexpected hit, Shivaram couldn’t establish a successful acting career in the Kannada cinema industry. He was last seen in the 2017 action film ‘Tiger’, which also featured his brother-in-law Pradeep in the lead role. Apart from them, the film also starred late Bollywood actor Om Puri in a key role.