Karnataka

Karnataka Profile

Karnataka, the eighth largest State in India is one of the most beautiful states in the country. Both in area and population Karnataka is an enormous state. The states like Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala surround Karnataka from all sides. The eastern and Western Ghats that fence Karnataka are the source of many east and west flowing rivers. The most important rivers that originate from these mountains are the Krishna, Kaveri and their tributaries. Karnataka is also considered as one of the most fast growing states in the Indian subcontinent. Karnataka is one of the most prosperous states of India owing to its amenities in varied fields. The state has recorded tremendous success in the fields like education, literature, agriculture, industry and tourism. Asias Silicon Valley i.e. Bangalore is its capital. The thriving software industry of this city demands a separate position on the IT map of the globe. Karnataka is therefore sometimes called The land of science and technology. Extending from the Arabian Sea and the fertile forest ridges of the Western Ghats to the drier, boulder-strewn region of the Deccan Plateau, Karnatakas picturesque location is remarkable. It evokes the image of oldest rocks jutting out in odd shapes, forests of Malnad soaked in rain, barren stretches of Maidan, towering temples, thousands of tanks, swift flowing rivers and streams skirting their way across the region; the sweet and everlasting fragrance of sandal wood and many more Karnataka preserves its past glory by observing various fairs and festivals, retaining its art and crafts and by performing various dances and music forms. It is the birth place of the Indian classical music. The most unique feature of Karnataka is that it is the only province where both the main styles of Indian Music (Karnataka and Hindustani) are performed side by side. Above all, it is the people of Karnataka

Basic facts

Area :1,92,000 Sq.kms Population:52.73 Million State GSDP:US $ 34.41 Billion GSDP growth rate : 8.7% Capital : Bangalure -knowledge Capital -Technology Hub -A Brand District : 30

History

Karnataka (Kannada: [knk] the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as the State of Mysore, it was renamed Karnataka in 1973. Karnataka is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, Goa to the northwest, Maharashtra to the north, Andhra Pradesh to the east, Tamil Nadu to the southeast, and Kerala to the southwest. The state covers an area of 191,976 square kilometres (74,122 sq mi), or 5.83% of the total geographical area of India. It is the eighth largest Indian state by area, the ninth largest by population and comprises 30 districts. Kannada is the official and most widely spoken language. The two main river systems of the state are Krishna and its tributaries (Bhima, Ghataprabha, Vedavati, Malaprabha, and Tungabhadra) in the north, and the Cauvery and its tributaries (Hemavati, Shimsha, Arkavathi, Lakshmana Thirtha and Kabini) in the south. Both these rivers flow eastward and fall into the Bay of Bengal.

Though several etymologies have been suggested for the name Karnataka, the generally accepted one is that Karnataka is derived from the Kannada words karu and ndu, meaning elevated land. Karu nadu may also be read as Karu (black) and nadu (region), as a reference to the black cotton soil found in the Bayaluseeme region of Karnataka. The British used the

With an antiquity that dates to the paleolithic, Karnataka has also been home to some of the most powerful empires of ancient and medieval India. The philosophers and musical bards patronised by these empires launched socio-religious and literary movements which have endured to the present day. Karnataka has contributed significantly to both forms of Indian classical music, the Carnatic (Karnataka Music) and Hindustani traditions. Writers in the Kannada language have received the most number of Jnanpith awards in India. Bangalore is the capital city of the state and is at the forefront of the rapid economic and technological development that India is experiencing. Karnataka experiences four seasons. The winter in January and February is followed by summer between March and May,the monsoon season between June andSeptember and the post-monsoon season from October till December. Meteorologically, Karnataka is divided into three zones coastal, north interior and south interior. Of these, the coastal zone receives the heaviest rainfall with an average rainfall of about 3,638.5 mm (143 in) per annum, far in excess of the state average of 1,139 mm (45 in). Agumbe in the Shivamogga district receives the second highest annual rainfall in India.The highest recorded temperature was 45.6 C (114 F) at Raichur and the lowest recorded temperature was 2.8 C (37 F) at Bidar. About 38,724 km2 (14,951 sq mi) of Karnataka (i.e. 20% of the state's geographic area) is covered by forests. The forests are classified as reserved, protected, unclosed, village and private forests. The percentage of forested area is slightly less than the all-India average of about 23%, and significantly less than the 33% prescribed in the National Forest Policy.

In the modern history, the great Tipu Sultan of Mysore evokes the feelings of patriotism in every human soul. The state of Karnataka, constituted as Mysore under the Sates Reorganization Act, 1956, brought together the Kannada-speaking community distributed in five states and consisted of the territories of the old states of Mysore and Coorg, the Bijapur Kanara district and Kollegal taluk of the Coimbatore district in Madras. Earlier known as Mysore; the state was renamed as Karnataka on November 1, 1973.

Religion

The Gomateswara (982983) monolith at Shravanabelagola, one of the foremost centers of Jain pilgrimage today. Islam, which had an early presence on the west coast of India as early as the tenth century, gained a foothold in Karnataka with the rise of the Bahamani and Bijapur sultanates that ruled parts of Karnataka.Christianity reached Karnataka in the sixteenth century with the arrival of the Portuguese and St. Francis Xavier in 1545.Buddhism was popular in Karnataka during the first millennium in places such as Gulbarga and Banavasi. A chance discovery of edicts and several Mauryan relics at Sannati in Gulbarga district in 1986 has proven that the Krishna River basin was once home to both Mahayana and Hinayana Buddhism. The four primary religious faiths of Karnataka have been Shaivism (followers of Shiva), Vaishnavism (followers of Vishnu and his avatars), Buddhism, and Jainism. Prominent saints Shankaracharya, and Ramanujacahrya lived in Karnataka for a long time and established deep roots. Saints Madhwacharya and Basaveshwara were indeed born in Karnataka and have left a lasting impact. The subsequent practitioners of the Bhakti movement in Karnataka enriched the Kannada language and south Indian music. For a detailed study of Vachana literature and Dasa literature, please see Dr. Jyotsna Kamat's series on History of Kannada Language.

Location Karnataka is located in the western half of the Deccan plateau surrounded by Andhra Pradesh in the east, Maharashtra in the north and Tamil Nadu and Kerala to the south. Physiograpically, the state forms a part of two well defined macro regions of Indian Union; the Deccan Plateau and the Coastal plains and Islands. The State has four physiographic regions viz. Northern Karnataka Plateau, Central Karnataka Plateau, Southern Karnataka Plateau and Karnataka Coastal Region. Climate Karnataka enjoys a salubrious climate throughout the year. The state like all other states of the country experiences typical tropical climate comprising of three distinct seasons. The chief attraction is the city Bangalore itself. Bangalore is sometime called as The Air-Conditioned City of the Country. The state receives its annual quota of rainfall during the winter and summer monsoons. The tropical monsoon climate continues from June to September which covers the entire coastal belt and its adjoining areas. The climate gets little humid during the months of April and May. The monsoon starts at the beginning of May and continues for 3-4 months. Due to its tropical climate the state experiences heat waves during April/May and extensive rainfall during June to August. The winters are not too cold but pleasant enough.

Demographics: According to the 2001 census of India, the total population of Karnataka is 52,850,562, of which 26,898,918 (50.9%) are male and 25,951,644 (49.1%) are female, or 1000 males for every 964 females. This represents a 17.3% increase over the population in 1991. The population density is 275.6 per km and 34.0% of the people live in urban areas. The literacy rate is 66.6% with 76.1% of males and 56.9% of females being literate.83% of the population are Hindu, 11% are Muslim, 4% are Christian, 0.8% are Jains, 0.7% are Buddhist, and with the remainder belonging to other religions. Natural Resources: Forests: Karnatakas forests reserves account only 20 % of the total geographical area of the state. These forests are classified as reserved (28.611 sq. km) protected (3,932 sq. km), unclosed (5,748 sq. km), village (124 sq. km) and private (309 sq. km) forests. Karnataka is known for its valuable timbers from the evergreen forests in the Western Ghat region, notably Teak and Rosewood which are used in decorating interiors of the homes. Rivers: Karnataka accounts for a significant percentage of the country's surface water resources i.e. nearly 6% (17 Lakh million cubic meters). About 40 percent of this is available in the east flowing rivers and the remaining from the west flowing rivers. There are seven river basins in Karnataka, formed by the Krishna, Cauvery,

Minerals: Karnataka is blessed with rich mineral resources distributed more or less evenly in the whole territory. The state is the major producer of gold in the country with the two major mines located in the districts of Kolar and Raichur. The gold mines at Kolar and Hutti are producing about 3,000 kg of gold, about 84% of countries production per annum. Karnataka also has very rich deposits of Iron and Manganese ores. The total reserve of high grade iron ore available in the State are of the order of 1,000 Million tones. The State is endowed with rich deposits of asbestos, bauxite, chromite, dolomite, gold, iron ore, kaolin, limestone, magnesite, Manganese, ochre, quartz and silica sand. It is also the sole producer of felsite, moulding sand (63%) and fuchsite quartzite (57%). Karnataka has also the fame of having standard Ornamental Granites with different hues. It has granite rock's spread over 4200 Sq. kms

Infrastructure
Airport

Airports in Karnataka act as gateways for tourists descending on the state. At present, Karnataka has five functional airports at Hubli, Mysore, Belgaum, Mangalore and Bangalore. The Bangalore airport is extremely well connected with the rest of the country. International flights also operate out of the Bangalore airport The airport is about 34 Kms from Bangalore [Vidhan Soudha].

 Bangaluru

Metro:

Bangalore Mass Rapid Transit Ltd. (BMRTL), is the implementing agency. Project envisage a 33km elevated and underground rail network with 32 stations for phase 1. Budgeted at more than 54.5 billion rupees (about US$1.2 billion). Soil tasted started. Project to be completed by 2011.

Railway

South Western Railway was created by amalgamating the reorganized Hubli division from South Central Railway with Bangalore & Mysore divisions of Southern Railway. This Railway has become operational from 1st of April, 2003 with its head quarter at Hubli in the state of Karnataka. Setting up of a separate project development company (KRIDE) for rail projects in karnataka. Hassan Mangalore Gauge Conversion project through a special Purpose Vehicle with equity participation by strategic investors, NMPT and MEL. Hassan Mangalore rail line is operational and handling freight traffic. To be opened for passenger shortly.

Tourism
The state of Karnataka has many places of interest for the tourists.Most of the land in Karnataka lies on an elevation, at an average height of 1500 ft. above the sea level. Karnataka has a long coastline adjoining the Arabian Sea and because of this, you will find alot of beautiful beaches with shimmering silvery sands and azure blue seawaters rushing to kiss your feet. Some of the famous beaches of Karnataka are Bhatkal beach, Murudeshwar beach, Kurumgad beach and Malpe beach. The beach tourism of Karnataka is a wonderful option to spend your holidays.

When you move from the coast towards inland, you will find the Western Ghats running through Karnataka. Here you will find a lot of thick forests and plenty of wildlife. All total, Karnataka is home to 25 wildlife sanctuaries and five national parks. Kudremukh National Park,Bandipur National Park, Nagarhole National Park, Bannarghetta National Park, etc. are havens for the intrepid travellers.These are wild gestures of Karnataka tourism which you would find hard to resist.

There are many famous temples in Karnataka like the Mookambigai Temple, Kukke Subramaniam Temple, Marudeswar Temple, Marikamba Temple, Udupi Krishna Temple. Sringeri, which was one of the seats of Adi Shankaracharya, is an important destination for religious tourism. Here Sharadamba Temple attracts hordes of pilgrims. Shravanabelagola is a must visit site. It is an important Jain pilgrimage centre.Here, besides soaking in the religious ambience, get astounded by the magnificent statue of Gommateshwara, which happens to be the tallest monolithic statue in the world. It is the statue of a great Jain king Gangaraya, who turned into a saint. The statue, which was built by his general as a tribute to him, stands at 17.38 metres height. same time, there are abundant places where tourists who are adventurous can go trekking, rock climbing, aero sporting and river rafting. For nature lovers, the state has a cascade of beauty to offer, quite literally. Jog Falls, which is India's tallest single-tiered waterfall, makes the tourists spellbound with its awesome beauty. Magod Falls, Unchalli Falls, Shivanasamudra Falls are the other important waterfalls of Karnataka.

Mysore is another must visit destination for any tourist coming to Karnataka. This city is the former capital of the Wodeyars, who were the erstwhile rulers of the state. History in the form of splendid architectures, dots the landscape of this city. Mysore is known as the city of palaces as there are many charming palaces, some of which have been converted to hotels. The most important festival in Mysore is the Dussehra, which is a must see for any tourist. This ten-day festival is celebrated with pomp and style, and is a very colourful and joyous occasion.

Another place in Mysore which should not be missed is the Brindavan Gardens, which has a lot of water parks and lovely green vegetation. Before the Switzerland craze took over, it was one of the favourite shooting spots for filmmakers.

Economy

GSDP Growth of the Karnatakan Economy over the previous years. Karnataka, which had an estimated GSDP (Gross State Domestic Product) of about US$ 58.23 billion in 2008-09 fiscal year. Karnataka recorded the highest growth rates in terms of GDP and per capita GDP in the last decade compared to other states. The state registered a GSDP growth rate of 7% for the year 2007-2008. Karnataka's contribution to India's GDP in the year 2004-05 was 5.2%.Karnataka was the fastest growing state over the past decade in terms of GDP and per capita GDP. With GDP growth of 56.2% and per capita GDP growth of 43.9%, Karnataka now has the sixth highest per-capita GDP of all states. Nearly 56% of the workforce in Karnataka is engaged in agriculture and related activities. A total of 12.31 million hectares of land, or 64.6% of the state's total area, is cultivated. Much of the agricultural output is dependent on the southwest monsoon as only 26.5% of the sown area is irrigated. Karnataka is the manufacturing hub for some of the largest public sector industries in India, including Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, National Aerospace Laboratories, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, Indian Telephone Industries, Bharat Earth Movers Limited and Hindustan Machine Tools, which are based in Bangalore. Many of India's premier science and technology research centers, such as Indian Space Research Organization, Central Power Research Institute, Bharat Electronics Limited and the Central Food Technological Research Institute, are also headquartered in Karnataka. Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals

Karnataka has a well developed infrastructure where the government has implemented many infrastructure projects like construction of expressways, flyovers and roads in the recent times. Due to the information technology boom in Bangalore and Mysore, and with big multinationals like the Microsoft, Accenture, Wipro, Infosys and Yahoo setting up shops in the state, there has been a spate of construction activities in Bangalore, which pertains to housing, malls and supermarkets. The government has also initiated the metro rail project to help ease road congestion and to aid growth in the transport sector. Other than the major industries of the state like processing of plantation products like coffee, rubber, cashew, etc. there are industries based on food processing, electrical engineering, chemical industries, etc. Mining of minerals like gold and iron ore is another major industry in Karnataka. The coastal regions of Karnataka, mainly Udipi and Dakshina Kannada, have been known for their banking and financial institutions. Many leading banks, like the Canara Bank, Syndicate Bank, Corporation Bank, State Bank of Mysore, Vijaya Bank have their origins in the state of Karnataka. Besides the large scale industries, many small scale industries like making of agarbhattis, sandal wood carving and handicrafts are also there in the state, which contribute to the economy of Karnataka.

About Government

Governor: Shri Hans Raj Bhardwaj Raj Bhavan Raj Bhavan Road Bangalore 560 001 INDIA Voice: +91-80-2225 4102 (General-epbax), +91-80-2225 3555 (Direct through ADC) Special officer Rajbhavan : +91-80-2225 4106 Fax: +91-80-2225 8150 Email: rbblr@vsnl.com Chief Minister: B S Yeddyurappa Kumarakrupa Road, Bangalore - 560 001, Voice: +91-80-2225 2572 / 73 / 74 Email: cm@kar.nic.in Note: Karnataka government is taking tremendous interest in setting up eparliament. Computer Society of India has judged Karnataka as the best egoverned State in India. CSI presented the award for the year 2000-01 to Chief Minister S M Krishna on May 16, 2002 at Vidhana Soudha. This is the first time the award has been instituted by the CSI

Politics of Karnataka

Karnataka became an independent state only in the year 1956. However, in 1956 it was known as the Mysore state; it was renamed as Karnataka only in 1973. During the British rule, most of the present day Karnataka were under many different administrations like the Bombay Presidency, Madras Presidency, the Nizam of Hyderabad, the rule of the Mysore kings, etc. A unification campaign on linguistic basis was carried out by many prominent political leaders of the state; Aluru Venkata Rao being one of the predominant leaders. This very long political movement, known as Ekikarana Movement, eventually found its success with the redrawing of the geography of the state of Mysore under the States Reorganization Act in 1956, when Kodagu and Kannada speaking regions from the erstwhile states of Madras, Hyderabad and Bombay were inducted into the Mysore state. The expanded Mysore state was renamed as Karnataka in 1973. There are many political parties, which dominate the politics of Karnataka today. The major political parties of the state are the Indian National Congress, Janata Dal(Secular), Janata Dal and Bharatiya Janata Party. Of course, like the other south Indian states, Karnataka politics also has many regional parties and they play a dominant role in state politics, helping to form and break governments, specially in the recent context with coalition politics ruling the roost. The state legislative assembly or Vidhan Sabha comprises of 224 members, who are elected for a five-year term. The legislative council or Vidhan Parishad is a permanent body like all other Vidhan Parishads of India. This house comprises of 75 members, with one third of its members retiring every year. The state government is headed by the Chief Minister. Karnataka comprises of 29 districts, and each district is governed by the District Commissioner or District Magistrate. ntil very recently, HD Kumaraswamy was the Chief Minister of Karnataka. He belongs to Janata Dal (Secular) party, and was the son of the former Prime Minister, Deve Gowda.

Vidhana Soudha in Bangalore (seat of the Legislative Assembly) Karnataka, like other Indian states, has a parliamentary system of government with two democratically elected houses, the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council. The Legislative Assembly consists of 224 members who are elected for five-year terms. The Legislative Council is a permanent body of 75 members with one-third (25 members) retiring every two years. For administrative purposes, Karnataka has been divided into four revenue divisions, 49 sub-divisions, 29 districts, 175 taluks and 745 hoblies/revenue circles. Politics in Karnataka has been dominated by three political parties, the Indian National Congress, the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Festivals
Vairamudi Brahmotsava On April 4th 2009, Vairamudi Brahmostava is celebrated at Melkote. This is an annual festival which gathers more than 2 lakh devotees of Lord Cheluva Narayana. Dasara Dasara is the festival of celebrating women power. Chamundeshwari is the personification of courage, strength and power. Praying to her is believed to help one to be blessed with all these qualities, especially during Dasara. When the male gods failed to destroy the demon, it was the Devi who stood up to the occasion. Dussehra festival is celebrated in a big way in Karnataka or more precisely in Mysore. In fact Dussehra in Mysore is renowned for the way it is celebrated. During the Dussehra festival, the entire Mysore basks in the flood of lights. The Mysore Palace and other important buildings are illumined with lights. The city is bedecked in such a way that the tourists from faraway places flock o Mysore just to be a witness to the majestic beauty of the city. Some traditional items of the royal family form part of the procession. The main attraction of the procession is the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari kept in the golden howdah on top of a decorated elephant. The procession begins at the Mysore Palace and ends At the Banni Mantapa grounds, traveling a distance of about 2.5 miles.The procession is followed by a torch light procession in the evening and a stunning display of fireworks.

PONGAL In Karnataka the Festival of Pongal is celebrated with a lot of revelry. It is also known by the name of Sankranti. Friends and relatives visit one another to exchange greetings. On the occasion of Pongal in Karnataka, prayers are offered not only at home but also in the temples. This traditional custom continues to this day. A special dish is prepared on the occasion of Pongal in Karnataka. The ingredients of this sweet dish Ellu are coconut, sesame seeds and sugar. It is customary for the people to exchange this sweet dish with friends, relatives and neighbors. It is a token to show that hence forth the relationship will be as sweet as Ellu with no bitterness involved. People clad themselves in new clothes. But they are not the only ones to dress up gorgeously; they decorate their cows and bullocks as well. Humans and animals are equally a part of this unrestrained merry making. Pongal, a sweet preparation made of rice is served to the animals. Pongal is celebrated on the day of winter solstice according to the Hindu calendar. It is nice to visit the state of Karnataka when Pongal is being celebrated so that you can be a part of the mirth as well.

FOLK DANCES OF KARNATAKA

KUNITHA: The ritualistic dances of Karnataka are known as Kunitha. Kunitha is a general term given to ritualistic dances of Karnataka. These are divided into specific dance forms depending on the region it is being performed in. E.g.. Dolla Kunitha etc. Among the classical dances of India, the Mysore style of Bharatanatyam, is the oldest and most popular dance form. It is widely performed here. Other mainstream classical dances here include Kuchipudi and Kathak. LADIES DOLLU KUNITHA

Food

The South Karnataka or old Mysore region also known as Bayaluseeme or the plains including the present-day Kolara, Bengalooru, Mysooru, Tumakooru, Mandya, Haasana,Chickkamaglur,Chamarajanagara. Ragi and Rice are the most important staple grains, Jowar and bajra are also cultivated and consumed in the drier parts of the region. These meals are served on Plantain leaves or Mutuka leaves, dry Tendu-like leaves staples together into big circular discs. First accompaniments are served which includes variety of Palya, Kosambari, sweetsavory gojju, hot spicy chutney Pickles, bajji, bonda, vade, Papads. The first course alternated between sweets and rice preparation. The second course is a set of curries to be consumed with rice. Kosambari Kosambari made of cucumber A salad prepared using simple ingredients such as lentils, green chillies and finely chopped coriander.The dish is generally finished with a tempering of mustard seeds and asafotida. Common variants include kosambari made with the above ingredients in addition to grated cucumber or carrot

Sports in Karnataka

Cricket is by far the most popular sport in Karnataka with International cricket matches attracting a sizeable amount of spectators who are willing to pay more than the ticket price to get a chance to watch the match.The sports related infrastructure is mainly concentrated in Bangalore which also played host to the 4th National Games of India in the year 1997. Bangalore is also the location of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) which is the premier sports institute in the country. Karnataka is sometimes referred to as the cradle of Indian swimming because of high standards in swimming compared to other states. The 'wall' of the Indian cricket team Rahul Dravid, the ace Indian leg spin bowler Anil Kumble; who is the highest wicket taker for India in the test cricket, are the recent stars of the Indian cricket, hailing from Karnataka. international one day matches are played at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, which is located in Bangalore. The state's famous non-cricket sportspersons include the likes of Nisha Millet (swimming), Mahesh Bhupathi (tennis) and Prakash Padukone (badminton). Karnataka has also produced a number of hockey players, who represented the country at a national level. In fact, in the district of Kodagu, hockey is a passion. Hockey actually finds such a special place in the Kodava culture that they even have a Kodava Hockey Festival every year and what's more, this hockey festival has been entered in the Limca Book of Records as the largest hockey tournament in the world.

Education

Indian Institute of Science, one of the premier institutes of India located in Bangalore. As per the 2001 census, Karnataka had a literacy rate of 67.04%, with 76.29% of males and 57.45% of females in the state being literate.The state is home to some of the premier educational and research institutions of India such as the Indian Institute of Science, the Indian Institute of Management, the National Institute of Technology Karnataka and the National Law School of India University. As of March 2006, Karnataka had 54,529 primary schools with 252,875 teachers and 8.495 million students,and 9498 secondary schools with 92,287 teachers and 1.384 million students.There are three kinds of schools in the state, viz., government-run, private aided (financial aid is provided by the government) and private unaided (no financial aid is provided). The primary languages of instruction in most schools are Kannada and English. The syllabus taught in the schools is either of the CBSE, the ICSE or the state syllabus (SSLC) defined by the Department of Public Instruction of the Government of Karnataka. However, some schools follows NIOS syllabus. The State has one Sainik School in Bijapur also.

There are 481 degree colleges affiliated with one of the universities in the state, viz. Bangalore university, Gulbarga university, Karnataka university, Kuvempu university, Mangalore university and Mysore university.In 1998, the engineering colleges in the state were brought under the newly formed Visvesvaraya Technological University headquartered at Belgaum, whereas the medical colleges are run under the jurisdiction of the Rajiv Gandhi university of Health Sciences. Some of these baccalaureate colleges are accredited with the status of a deemed university. There are 123 engineering, 35 medical and 40 dental colleges in the state. Udipi, Sringeri, Gokarna and Melkote are well-known places of Sanskrit and Vedic learning. An Indian Institute of Technology Muddenahalli has been approved by the central government as part of the 11th 5 year plan. This will be the first IIT in Karnataka State.In addition, a 600 crore Visvesvaraya Institute of Advanced Technology (VIAT) is being constructed in Muddenahalli-Kanivenarayanapura.

Media

The era of Kannada newspapers started in the year 1843 when Hermann Mgling, a missionary from Basel Mission, published the first Kannada newspaper called Mangalooru Samachara in Mangalore. The first Kannada periodical, Mysuru Vrittanta Bodhini was started by Bhashyam Bhashyacharya in Mysore. Shortly after Indian independence in 1948, K. N. Guruswamy founded The Printers (Mysore) Private Limited and began publishing two newspapers, the Deccan Herald and Prajavani. Presently the Times of India and Vijaya Karnataka are the largest-selling English and Kannada newspapers respectively. A vast number of weekly, biweekly and monthly magazines are under publication in both Kannada and English. Udayavani, Kannadaprabha, Samyukta Karnataka, Vaartha Bharathi, Sanjevani, Eesanje, Hosa digantha, Karavali Ale are also some popular dailies published from Karnataka. Doordarshan is the broadcaster of the Government of India and its channel DD Chandana is dedicated to Kannada. Prominent Kannada channels include ETV Kannada, Zee Kannada, Udaya TV, U2, TV 9, Asianet Suvarna and Kasturi TV. Karnataka occupies a special place in the history of Indian radio. In 1935, Aakashvani, the first private radio station in India, was started by Prof. M.V. Gopalaswamy at Mysore.The popular radio station was taken over by the local municipality and later by All India Radio(AIR) and moved to Bangalore in 1955. Later in 1957, AIR adopted the original name of the radio station, Aakashavani as its own. Some of the popular programs aired by AIR Bangalore included Nisarga Sampada and Sasya Sanjeevini which were programs that taught science through songs, plays and stories.