Dr. P. Tandon, the then President of Indian National Congress, advised Hanumanthaiah to give up his active practice at the bar and to devote himself to the freedom struggle.

With the inspiration of Gandhiji and the persuasion of Tandon, Hanumanthaiah joined the freedom movement and became active in the then Mysore Congress.

[citation needed] He became the second Chief minister of Mysore state in 1952, following the victory of the Congress party in the 1st general elections.

His tenure as Chief Minister was marked by activities aimed at uplifting the rural population of the state and promoting economic growth.

[citation needed] He was part of the Committee for the Drafting of a Model Constitution for the Indian States and made interventions on the issue of federalism.

Stung by their comments, Hanumanthaiah vowed to create a monument so magnificent that it would showcase the best of Karnataka's indigenous architectural style.

The Kengal Hanumanthaiya Memorial Trust celebrated his 104th birthday in 2012 which had the Chief Guest, the 13th President (then Finance Minister), Pranab Mukherjee.