Club Road, one of the city’s prominent stretches, will soon be renamed after veteran Congress leader and former Union Minister, the late B. Shankaranand as Shankaranand Marg. The official naming ceremony is set to take place on Saturday, organised by the B. Shankaranand Birth Centenary Celebration Committee, led by his son, Pradeep Kanagali.
B. Shankaranand represented the Chikodi Lok Sabha constituency for 29 years, from 1967 to 1996, winning seven consecutive terms from the same place in his political career, thereby creating a record of sorts and served in key roles within the Union Cabinet for over two decades. He worked as a cabinet minister under the Prime Ministership of Smt. Indira Gandhi, Shri Rajiv Gandhi and Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao.
Positions Held in the Union Cabinet
| Position | Dates |
|---|---|
| Deputy Minister of Parliamentary Affairs | 16 March 1971 to 24 March 1977 |
| Minister of Health & Family Welfare | 16 January 1980 to 31 October 1984 |
| Minister of Education | 14 January 1980 to 17 October 1980 |
| Minister of Irrigation & Power | 31 December 1984 to 25 September 1985 |
| Minister of Water Resources | 25 September 1985 to 21 August 1987 |
| 25 June 1988 to 2 December 1989 | |
| Minister of Law & Justice | 25 June 1988 to 2 December 1989 |
| Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas | 21 June 1991 to 17 January 1993 |
| Minister of Health & Family Welfare | 18 January 1993 to 22 December 1994 |
In recognition of his enduring contributions to the region and the nation, the Belagavi City Corporation (BCC) unanimously passed a resolution in 2024 to rename Club Road in his memory.
Announcing the ceremony at a press conference on Thursday, Pradeep Kanagali also revealed that the foundation stone for a statue of B. Shankaranand will be laid at Club Road Circle, located near the late leader’s residence. The event will be graced by Karnataka Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara and Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi.