02/11/2022
Kannada Rajyotsava
With the formation of the Karnataka Ekikarana movement in 1905, Aluru Ven Kata Rao was the first to dream of uniting the State. The state of Mysore, which includes several locations in south India that were formerly under the control of monarchs, was created after India became a republic in 1950 and distinct provinces were created based on the languages spoken in the respective regions. A single Kannada-speaking sub-national entity was created on November 1st, 1956, when Mysore state, which made up the majority of the former princely state of Mysore, amalgamated with the Kannada-speaking regions of the Bombay and Madras presidencies, as well as the principality of Hyderabad. The three areas of the state were hence North Karnataka, Malnad (Canara), and old Mysore.
The newly unified state initially retained the name "Mysore", which was that of the erstwhile princely state which formed the core of the new entity. But the inhabitants of North Karnataka did not appreciate the retention of the name Mysore, as it was firmly identified with the erstwhile principality and the southern portions of the new state. In deference to this logic, the name of the state was changed to "Karnataka" on 1 November 1973. Devaraj Arasu was the Chief Minister of the state when this landmark decision was taken. Others who are credited with bringing Karnataka together include writers like K. Shivaram Karanth, Kuvempu, Masti Venkatesha Iyengar, A. N. Krishna Rao and B. M. Srikantaiah.
