Devaragunda Venkappa Sadananda Gowda has assumed charge as the new Union Minister of Railways at Rail Bhawan today i.e. 27th May, 2014. The President administered the oath of office and secrecy to Shri D. V. Sadananda Gowda as Member of the Council of Ministers on 26.05.2014. During 2010-12 Shri Gowda was the 20th Chief Minister of Karnataka. He is a Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) from Bangalore North constituency in Karnataka.
Shri Gowda is a graduate in Science from the St. Philomena College, Puttur University and then went on to obtain his degree in law at Udupi Vaikunta Baliga College of Law. In 1976, he started practicing law at both Sulya and Puttur. He was a public prosecutor for a brief period in Sirsi in Uttara Kannada district but resigned his job to concentrate on his political career.
He has had a long political career during which he has held several important portfolios. During 1983-1988 State Secretary, BJP Yuva Morcha, Karnataka, 1994-2004 Member, Karnataka Legislative Assembly (two terms), 1995-1996 Member, Cell for preparing Draft Bill on Prohibiting atrocities on Women, Government of Karnataka, 1999-2004 Deputy Leader of Opposition, Karnataka Legislative Assembly, 1999-2001 Member, Committee on Commerce, in 2001-02 Member, Committee for Energy, Fuel & Power, Karnataka Legislative Assembly, 2002-03 Member, Public Undertaking Committee, Karnataka Legislative Assembly, 2003-2004 President, Public Accounts Committee, Karnataka Legislative Assembly, in 2004 Elected to 14th Lok Sabha, 2006–2010 State President, BJP, Karnataka, 2006-2009 Member, Committee on Commerce, 2006-onwards Member, Sub-committee of the Department Related Parliamentary standing Committee on Commerce for Special Economic Zones, 2009 Elected to 15th Lok Sabha, 2011-2012 Elected as Chief minister of Karnataka, 2013 Elected as the leader of opposition of Karnataka legislative council, in 2014 Elected to 16th Lok Sabha from Bangalore North.
His interests lie in labour movement being the General Secretary of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, Puttur pision and President of Sullia Taluk Auto Rickshaw Drivers and Owners Union. He has served in the Co-operative Movement in Karnataka in various capacities. He was the Vice-president of SCDCC Bank, Mangalore; Director, SKACM Society, Mangalore, President Sullia PLD Bank, Sullia and also he has served as the Director, CAMPCO, Mangalore from 1991-94. Immediately after assuming the office, Shri Gowda called the Chairman, Railway Board Shri Arunendra Kumar and discussed the relief and rescue operations which were under way at the Chureb station(near Gorakhpur) where train accident took place yesterday on 26th May, 2014. The Railway Minister directed the Railway Administration to provide the best treatment to the injured. Later in the evening, the Minister convened a special meeting of Railway Board to discuss safety related issues. The Railway Minister emphasized that safety and security is and will continue to be the top priority for the railway operations.