# Former Karnataka minister Shivanand Koujalagi dies at 87 2026-10-30T06:36:54+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets Shivanand Koujalagi, a former Karnataka minister and ex-Lok Sabha MP, died in Bailhongal on Friday, 30 October 2026, at age 87. He served as Public Works Department minister in H. D. Deve Gowda's 1994 cabinet and was elected to the Lok Sabha as a Janata Dal candidate in 1996. He also held the presidency of the KLE Society. Koujalagi came from one of northern Karnataka's longest-serving political families, his father Hemanand V. Koujalagi was a Congress Lok Sabha member in 1963. His son Mahantesh Koujalagi is the Congress MLA from Bailhongal. Leaders recalled him as a gentleman politician who followed value-based politics. His last rites are scheduled for Saturday, 31 October 2026, at 11 am in Bailhongal. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The two outlets agree on the core facts: former Karnataka minister Shivanand Koujalagi died on 30 October in Bailhongal, aged 87, after serving as PWD minister in the Janata Dal government and as KLE Society president. Deccan Herald leads with the immediate news and mentions only his government career, while The Hindu adds the Lok Sabha term and his father’s political history. The Hindu also includes an extended tribute from an associate praising his value-based politics, which Deccan Herald omits. The balanced reading is straightforward: both cover the same event neutrally, with The Hindu providing more biographical depth and Deccan Herald offering a tighter wire-style report. The last rites are set for 31 October in Bailhongal. ## Coverage Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral - deccanherald.com (neutral report) Straight wire report, minimal biographical detail - thehindu.com (neutral report) Neutral but adds political and family background This brief was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Tags: Janata Dal, Karnataka, KLE Society, Shivanand Koujalagi Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/former-karnataka-minister-shivanand-koujalagi-dies-at-87/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/former-karnataka-minister-shivanand-koujalagi-dies-at-87/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/