Moodbidri Veerappa Moily, the former Chief Minister of Karnataka is the Minister for Law, Justice and Company Affairs in the Government of India.

Born on 12 January 1940 at Marpadi Village, Moodibidri, Dakshina Kannada District, Karnataka, Veerappa Moily completed his B.A, B.L., Partner in Law Firm. He was married to Malathi and they have four children, three grandsons and two granddaughters. Apart from being involved in politics, Veerappa Moily is known to be a well known literary figure in Karnataka. He has some contribution as a regular columnist for leading print and electronic media. Moily was the first one from the South Canara district, who became the Chief Minister of Karnataka. He won a seat in the Legislative assembly of Karnataka from the constituency of Karkala, Udupi district.

Moily has been appointed as the chairman of the Overseeing Committee for Implementation of Reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBC). Later, Moily was appointed as the Chairman of Second Administrative Reform Commission of India. Moily has also remained as the President of the Media Wing of the Congress. For several years, he served as Head Spokesperson of the party. He had to resign from the both posts in May 2009 due to some political circumstances.

Moodbidri Veerappa Moily, the present Minister of Law and Justice served as the Minister for Small Scale Industries, Govt. of Karnataka from 1974 – 1977. He was the Minister for Finance and Planning, Govt. of Karnataka from 1983 – 1985. Moily, from 1989 – 1992, remained the Minister for Law, Youth Service, Culture, Information, Parliamentary Affairs and Education, Govt. of Karnataka. From 1992 – 1994, he chaired as the Chief Minister of Karnataka and served as the Chairman of Tax Reforms Commission from 2000 – 2002. Later, from 2002 – 2004, Moily served as the Chairman of Revenue Reforms Commission and during the period of 2006 – 2009, he was the Chairman of the Oversight Committee. While serving in this position, he implemented 27% reservation for OBC in central educational institutions.

Former Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi appointed Veerappa Moily to several committees. One of these committees contributed to the foundation of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). He also headed the execution of economic reformations in Karnataka in 1992. In 1974, the execution of the Karnataka Land Reforms Act was made by him. He was the leader of a number of policies, projects and achievements related to the State of Karnataka in ministries and sectors including Irrigation and Power, Housing and Rural Development, Finance, Empowerment, Urban Development and Infrastructure, Education and Culture. Apart from these, Moily practiced law in the Supreme Court of India, High Court in Bangalore and also in the courts of Karkala, Mangalore. He served as a regular editorialist for famous print publications and electronic media.

Apart from being a renowned political figure, Moily is also a good writer. He wrote ‘Sri Ramayana Mahanveshanam’ in Kannada. Later this was translated in Hindi and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, New Delhi published the Hindi version of the epic poem. Part 1 and 2 of the book, ‘Musings on India’ is written by Moily and the book contains articles related to public finance and contemporary issues. He is also the author of. Anthropological novels like ‘Sagardeepa’, ‘Suligali’, ‘Thembare’ and ‘Kotta’ that are available in Kannada, Hindi, English and Tamil. He wrote dramas like‘Premavendare’, ‘Milana’ and ‘Parajitha’. Books like ‘Nadeyali Samara’, ‘Yakshaprashne’ and ‘Halu-Jenu Maththe’ are the collection of poems.

Moily, during his Charmanship of Tax Reforms Commission was responsible for creating an efficient reformation of the tax system that resulted in improved revenue productiveness and competitiveness of the State of Karnataka. At the time, when Moily was the Chairman of Revenue Reforms Commission, he recommended reforms in the sectors of Education, Irrigation, Forest Departments and Health. During the time when he was holding the position of finance minister, he set a record of revenue surplus and he also presented the Karnataka State Budgets for 1992-93, 1993-94, 1994-95, 1980-81, 1981-82 and 1982-83.

Moodbidri Veerappa Moily took leading role in introducing huge and new outlays in irrigation works and also helped to make best use of the irrigation potential of Karnataka. Under his leadership, the innovative financing schemes like Irrigation bonds were developed. He took initiative in conceiving and clearing works on the power generation and power distribution system in Karnataka. Due to this programme, the power shortage position in Karnataka was reduced to a great extent. He was the founder of the Krishna Jalabhagya Nigam scheme.

Moily, during his tenure of ministerial position brought many reformations in various sectors including Rural and Urban Development and Infrastructure where he took initiative in formulating and implementing drinking water schemes along with housing schemes and employment of guarantee schemes. He established Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance for formulating and evaluating infrastructure development projects, capacity building/training on urban development issues implementation of urban infrastructure projects and mobilization of funds from different sources. He introduced projects like Konkan Railway, International Convention Centre, International Airport in Bangalore and National Games in Bangalore. Apart from these projects, he also approved and implemented the Rs. 1200 crores ADB aid programme for the coastal region of Karnataka.

In the educational sectors, Moily founded the nation’s leading law institute, The National Law School University and executed the Total Literacy Programme in the State of Karnataka. He established six universities such as Karnataka Open University, Rajiv Gandhi Medical University, Kannada University, Gulbarga University, Visweshwariah Technical University and Mangalore University. He also actioned Universalisation of Primary Education in alliance with the World Bank. Moily initiated the Chief Architect of the new Common Entrance Test (CET) system.

Moily, by several incentives to Indian and multinational companies positioned the foundation for the growth of Information Technology industry in Bangalore. He was behind the establishment of International Information Technology Park (ITPL) at Whitefield in Bangalore, the Peenya Industrial estate, the Electronic City, an IT industrial estate at Anekal, Karnataka. He sanctioned and alleviated the institution of the major employment generating companies like the MRPL, Wipro Vijaynagar Steel Plant and BSAF in Karnataka.

Moodbidri Veerappa Moily is the winner of several prestigious awards namely Ameen Sadbhavana Award in 2000, Devaraj Urs Prashasthi in 2001, Aryabhatta Award in 2001 and in 2002 he won Dr. B.R Ambedkar Award.