The economy of Karnataka is among the most productive in the country with agross state domestic product (GSDP) of₹25.01 trillion (US$290 billion) and a per capita GSDP of₹332,926 (US$3,800) for the financial year 2023–24.[10][11] The state experience a GSDP growth of 10.2% for the same fiscal year.[10] AfterBangalore Urban,Dakshina Kannada,Hubli–Dharwad, andBelagavi districts contribute the highest revenue to the state respectively. The capital of the state, Bengaluru, is known as theSilicon Valley of India, for its immense contributions to the country's information technology sector. A total of 1,973 companies in the state were found to have been involved in the IT sector as of 2007.[16]
Thoughseveral etymologies have been suggested for the name Karnataka, the generally accepted one is thatKarnataka is derived from the Kannada wordskaru andnādu, meaning "elevated land".Karu Nadu may also be read askaru, meaning "black" andnadu, meaning "region", as a reference to theblack cotton soil found in theBayalu Seeme region of the state. TheBritish used the wordCarnatic, sometimesKarnatak, to describe both sides of peninsular India, south ofthe Krishna.[21] With an antiquity that dates to thePaleolithic, Karnataka has been home to some of the most powerfulempires 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, theCarnatic andHindustani traditions.
Karnataka's pre-history goes back to aPaleolithic hand-axe culture evidenced by discoveries of, among other things,hand axes andcleavers in the region.[22] Evidence ofNeolithic andmegalithic cultures have also been found in the state. Gold discovered inHarappa was found to be imported from mines in Karnataka, prompting scholars to hypothesise about contacts between ancient Karnataka and theIndus Valley Civilisationc. 3300 BCE.[23][24]
These were also the first kingdoms to useKannada in administration, as evidenced by theHalmidi inscription and a fifth-century copper coin discovered at Banavasi.[29][30] These dynasties were followed by imperial Kannada empires such as theBadami Chalukyas,[31][32] theRashtrakuta Empire of Manyakheta[33][34] and theWestern Chalukya Empire,[35][36] which ruled over large parts of theDeccan and had their capitals in what is now Karnataka. The Western Chalukyas patronised a unique style ofarchitecture and Kannadaliterature which became a precursor to theHoysala art of the 12th century.[37][38] Parts of modern-day Southern Karnataka (Gangavadi) were occupied by theChola Empire at the turn of the 11th century.[39] The Cholas and the Hoysalas fought over the region in the early 12th century before it eventually came under Hoysala rule.[39]
At the turn of the first millennium, theHoysalas gained power in the region.Literature flourished during this time, which led to the emergence of distinctive Kannadaliterary metres, and the construction of temples and sculptures adhering to theVesara style of architecture.[40][41][42][43] The expansion of the Hoysala Empire brought minor parts of modernAndhra Pradesh andTamil Nadu under its rule. In the early 14th century,Harihara andBukka Raya established theVijayanagara empire with its capital,Hosapattana (later namedVijayanagara), on the banks of the Tungabhadra River in the modern Bellary district. Under the rule ofKrishnadevaraya, a distinct form ofliterature andarchitecture evolved.[44][45] The empire rose as a bulwark against Muslim advances into South India, which it completely controlled for over two centuries.[46][47] In 1537,Kempe Gowda I, a chieftain of the Vijayanagara Empire, widely held as the founder of modern Bengaluru, built afort and established the area around it asBengaluru Pete.[48]
In 1565, Karnataka and the rest of South India experienced a major geopolitical shift when the Vijayanagara empire fell to aconfederation of Islamic sultanates in theBattle of Talikota.[49] TheBijapur Sultanate, which had risen after the demise of theBahmani Sultanate of Bidar, soon took control of much of the Deccan; it was defeated by theMughals in the late 17th century.[50][51] The Bahmani and Bijapur rulers encouraged Urdu and Persian literature andIndo-Saracenic architecture, theGol Gumbaz being one of the high points of this style.[52] During the sixteenth century,Konkani Hindus migrated to Karnataka, mostly fromSalcette,Goa,[53] while during the seventeenth and eighteenth century,Goan Catholics migrated toNorth Canara andSouth Canara, especially fromBardes, Goa, as a result of food shortages, epidemics and heavy taxation imposed by thePortuguese.[54]
After theindependence of British India, the Maharaja,Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar, signed aninstrument of accession to accede his state to the new India. In 1950, Mysore became an Indian state of the same name; the former Maharaja served as itsRajpramukh (head of state) until 1975. Following the long-standing demand of theEkikarana Movement, Kodagu- and Kannada-speaking regions from the adjoining states of Madras, Hyderabad and Bombay were incorporated into the Mysore state, under theStates Reorganisation Act of 1956. The thus expanded state was renamed Karnataka, seventeen years later, on 1 November 1973.[61] In the early 1900s through the post-independence era, industrial visionaries such as SirMokshagundam Visvesvarayya, played an important role in the development of Karnataka's strong manufacturing and industrial base.[62][63]
Karnataka consists of four main types of geological formations[67] – theArchean complex made up ofDharwadschists and graniticgneisses,[68] theProterozoic non-fossiliferous sedimentary formations of the Kaladgi and Bhima series,[69] theDeccan trappean and intertrappean deposits and the tertiary and recentlaterites and alluvial deposits.[70] Laterite cappings that are found in many districts over theDeccan Traps were formed after the cessation of volcanic activity in the early tertiary period. Eleven groups of soil orders are found in Karnataka, viz.Entisols,Inceptisols,Mollisols,Spodosols,Alfisols,Ultisols,Oxisols,Aridisols,Vertisols,Andisols andHistosols.[67][71] Depending on the agricultural capability of the soil, the soil types are divided into six types,viz. red,lateritic,black, alluvio-colluvial, forest and coastal soils.[71]
About 38,284 km2 (14,782 sq mi) of Karnataka (i.e. 16% of the state's geographic area) is covered by forests.[72][73] The forests are classified as reserved, protected, unclosed, village and private forests.[72] The percentage of forested area is slightly less than the all-India average of about 23%,[72] and significantly less than the 33% prescribed in the National Forest Policy.[74]
Climate
Karnataka experiences four seasons. The winter in January and February is followed by summer between March and May, themonsoon season between June and September 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).Amagaon inKhanapura taluka ofBelgaum district received 10,068 mm (396 in) of rainfall in 2010.[75] In 2014 Kokalli inSirsi taluka ofUttara Kannada district received 8,746 mm (344 in) of rainfall.[76]Agumbe inThirthahalli taluka andHulikal ofHosanagara taluka inShimoga district were the rainiest cities in Karnataka, situated in one of the wettest regions in the world.[77]
The state is projected to warm about 2.0 °C (4 °F) by 2030. The monsoon is set to provide less rainfall. Agriculture in Karnataka is mostly rainfed as opposed to irrigated, making it highly vulnerable to expected changes in the monsoon.[78] The highest recorded temperature was 45.6 °C (114 °F) inRaichuru district. The lowest recorded temperature was 2.8 °C (37 °F) atBidar district.[79]
Karnataka is home to a variety of wildlife. It has a recorded forest area of 38,720 km2 (14,950 sq mi) which constitutes 12.3% of the total geographical area of the state.[80] These forests support 25% of theelephant and 10% of thetiger population of India. Many regions of Karnataka are as yet unexplored, so new species of flora and fauna are found periodically. TheWestern Ghats, abiodiversity hotspot, includes the western region of Karnataka. The Bandipur and Nagarahole National Parks were included in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in 1986, a UNESCO designation.[81] The Indian roller and theIndian elephant are recognised as the state bird and animal whilesandalwood and thelotus are recognised as the state tree and flower respectively. Karnataka has five national parks:Anshi,Bandipur,Bannerghatta,Kudremukh andNagarhole.[82] It also has 27 wildlife sanctuaries of which seven are bird sanctuaries.[83][80]
There are 31 districts in Karnataka. Each district (zila) is governed by a district commissioner (ziladar). The districts are further divided into sub-districts (talukas), which are governed by sub-commissioners (talukdars); sub-divisions comprise blocks (tehsils/hobli), which are governed by block development officers (tehsildars), which contain village councils (panchayats), town municipal councils (purasabhe), city municipal councils (nagarasabhe), and city municipal corporations (mahanagara palike).
According to the 2011 census of India,[86] the total population of Karnataka was 61,095,297 of which 30,966,657 (50.7%) were male and 30,128,640 (49.3%) were female, or 1000 males for every 973 females. This represents a 15.60% increase over the population in 2001. The population density was 319 per km2 and 38.67% of the people lived in urban areas. The literacy rate was 75.36% with 82.47% of males and 68.08% of females being literate.[86]
In 2007 the state had a birth rate of 2.2%, a death rate of 0.7%, an infant mortality rate of 5.5% and a maternal mortality rate of 0.2%. Thetotal fertility rate was 2.2.[87]
Karnataka's private sector speciality health care competes with the best in the world.[88][89] Karnataka has also established a modicum of public health services having a better record of health care and child care than most other states of India. In spite of these advances, some parts of the state still suffer from the lack of primary health care.[90]
Karnataka ranked tenth in the Fiscal Health Index (FHI) 2025, with a score of 40.8.[91]
Adi Shankara (788–820 CE) choseSringeri in Karnataka to establish the first of his fourmathas (monastery).Madhvacharya (1238–1317) was the chief proponent ofTattvavada (philosophy of reality), popularly known asDvaita or Dualistic school of Hindu philosophy – one of the three most influentialVedanta philosophies. Madhvacharya was one of the important philosophers during theBhakti movement. He was a pioneer in many ways, going against standard conventions and norms. According to tradition, Madhvacharya is believed to be the third incarnation ofVayu (Mukhyaprana), afterHanuman andBhima. TheHaridasa devotional movement is considered one of the turning points in the cultural history of India. Over a span of nearly six centuries, several saints and mystics helped shape the culture, philosophy, and art of South India and Karnataka in particular by exerting considerable spiritual influence over the masses and kingdoms that ruled South India.[citation needed]
This movement was ushered in by the Haridasas (literally "servants of Hari") and took shape in the 13th century – 14th century CE, period, prior to and during the early rule of the Vijayanagara empire. The main objective of this movement was to propagate the Dvaita philosophy of Madhvacharya (Madhva Siddhanta) to the masses through a literary medium known asDasa Sahitya.Purandara dasa is widely recognised as the"Pithamaha" ofCarnatic Music for his immense contribution.Ramanuja, the leading expounder ofVishishtadvaita, spent many years inMelkote. He came to Karnataka in 1098 CE and lived here until 1122 CE. He first lived in Tondanur and then moved to Melkote where theCheluvanarayana Swamy Temple and a well-organisedmatha were built. He was patronised by the Hoysala king,Vishnuvardhana.[93]
In the twelfth century,Lingayatism emerged in northern Karnataka as a protest against the rigidity of the prevailing social and caste system. Leading figures of this movement wereBasava,Akka Mahadevi andAllama Prabhu, who established theAnubhava Mantapa which was the centre of all religious and philosophical thoughts and discussions pertaining to Lingayats. These three social reformers did so by the literary means of"Vachana Sahitya" which is very famous for its simple, straight forward and easily understandable Kannada language. Lingayatism preached women equality by letting women wearIshtalinga i.e. Symbol of god around their neck.Basava shunned the sharp hierarchical divisions that existed and sought to remove all distinctions between the hierarchically superior master class and the subordinate, servile class. He also supported inter-caste marriages and Kaay Ta tTatva of Basavanna. This was the basis of theLingayat faith which today counts millions among its followers.[94]
TheJain philosophy and literature have contributed immensely to the religious and cultural landscape of Karnataka.[citation needed]
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.[95]Christianity reached Karnataka in the sixteenth century with the arrival of thePortuguese andSt. Francis Xavier in 1545.[96]
Kannada is the official language of the state of Karnataka, as the native language of 66.46% of its population as of 2011 and is one of theclassical languages of India.Urdu is the second largest language, spoken by 10.83% of the population, and is the language of Muslims outside the coastal region.Telugu (5.84%) is a major language in areas bordering Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka as well as Bengaluru, whileTamil (3.45%) is a major language of Bengaluru and in the Kolar district.Marathi (3.29%) is concentrated in areas of Uttara Kannada, Belgaum and Bidar districts bordering Maharashtra.Lambadi is spoken by theLambadis scattered throughout North Karnataka, whileHindi is spoken in Bengaluru.Tulu (2.61%),Konkani (1.29%), andMalayalam (1.27%) are all found in linguistically diverse Coastal Karnataka, where a number of mixed and distinct dialects such asAre Bhashe,Beary Bhashe, andNawayathi are found.Kodava Takk is the language of Kodagu.[98][99][100]
Kannada played a crucial role in the creation of Karnataka: linguistic demographics played a major role in defining the new state in 1956.Tulu,Konkani andKodava are other minor native languages that share a long history in the state.Urdu is spoken widely by theMuslim population. Less widely spoken languages includeBeary bashe and certain languages such asSankethi. Some of the regional languages in Karnataka areTulu,Kodava,Konkani andBeary.[101][102][103]
Kannada features a rich and ancient body ofliterature including religious and secular genre, covering topics as diverse asJainism (such asPuranas),Lingayatism (such asVachanas),Vaishnavism (such asHaridasa Sahitya) andmodern literature. Evidence from edicts during the time ofAshoka (reigned 274–232 BCE) suggest that Buddhist literature influenced theKannada script and its literature. TheHalmidi inscription, the earliest attested full-length inscription in the Kannada language and script, dates from 450 CE, while the earliest available literary work, theKavirajamarga, has been dated to 850 CE. References made in theKavirajamarga, however, prove that Kannada literature flourished in the native composition metres such asChattana,Beddande andMelvadu during earlier centuries. The classic refers to several earlier greats (purvacharyar) of Kannada poetry and prose.[104]Kuvempu, the renowned Kannada poet and writer who wroteJaya Bharata Jananiya Tanujate, the state anthem of Karnataka[1]was the first recipient of theKarnataka Ratna, the highest civilian award bestowed by theGovernment of Karnataka. ContemporaryKannada literature has received considerable acknowledgement in the arena of Indian literature, with eight Kannada writers winning India's highest literary honour, theJnanpith award.[105][106]
Tulu is the majority language in thecoastal district ofDakshina Kannada and is the second most spoken in theUdupi district.[107] This region is also known asTulu Nadu.[108]Tulu Mahabharato, written by Arunabja in theTigalari script, is the oldest surviving Tulu text.[109] Tigalari script was used by Brahmins to writeSanskrit language. The use of theKannada script for writing Tulu and non-availability of print in Tigalari script contributed to the marginalisation of Tigalari script.[citation needed]In KarnatakaKonkani is mostly spoken in theUttara Kannada andDakshina Kannada districts and in parts ofUdupi, Konkani use the Devanagari Script (which is official)/Kannada script( Optional ) for writing as identified by government of Karnataka.[110][111]
TheKodavas who mainly reside in theKodagu district, speak Kodava Takk. Kodagu was aseparate State with its ownChief Minister and Council of Ministers till 1956. Two regional variations of the language exist, the northernMendale Takka and the southernKiggaati Takka.[112]Kodava Takk has its own script,Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy has acceptedI. M. Muthanna's script which was developed in 1970 as the official script of Kodava Thakk. English is the medium of education in many schools and widely used for business communication in most private companies.[citation needed]All of the state's languages are patronised and promoted by governmental and quasi-governmental bodies. TheKannada Sahitya Parishat and theKannada Sahitya Akademi are responsible for the promotion of Kannada while theKarnataka Konkani Sahitya Akademi,[113] theTulu Sahitya Akademi and theKodava Sahitya Akademi promote their respective languages.[citation needed]
Karnataka has aparliamentary 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.[114] The Legislative Council is a permanent body of 75 members with one-third (25 members) retiring every two years.[114]
Thegovernment of Karnataka is headed by theChief Minister who is chosen by the ruling partymembers of theLegislative Assembly. The Chief Minister, along with the council of ministers, executes the legislative agenda and exercises most of the executive powers.[115] However, the constitutional and formal head of the state is theGovernor who is appointed for a five-year term by thePresident of India on the advice of the Union government.[116] The people of Karnataka also elect 28 members to theLok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament.[117] The members of the state Legislative Assembly elect 12 members to theRajya Sabha, the upper house of theIndian Parliament.[citation needed]
For administrative purposes, Karnataka has been divided into four revenue divisions, 49 sub-divisions, 31 districts, 175taluks and 745hoblies / revenue circles.[118] The administration in each district is headed by aDeputy Commissioner who belongs to theIndian Administrative Service and is assisted by a number of officers belonging to Karnataka state services. TheSuperintendent of Police, an officer belonging to theIndian Police Service and assisted by the officers of the Karnataka Police Service, is entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining law and order and related issues in each district. The Deputy Conservator of Forests, an officer belonging to theIndian Forest Service, is entrusted with the responsibility of managing forests, environment and wildlife of the district, he will be assisted by the officers belonging to Karnataka Forest Service and officers belonging to Karnataka Forest Subordinate Service. Sectoral development in the districts is looked after by the district head of each development department such as Public Works Department, Health, Education, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, etc. The judiciary in the state consists of theKarnataka High Court (Attara Kacheri) in Bangalore, Hubballi-Dharwad, and Kalaburagi,district and session courts in each district and lower courts and judges at thetaluk level.[citation needed]
Karnataka had an estimated GSDP (Gross State Domestic Product) of about US$115.86 billion in the 2014–15 fiscal year.[123] The state registered a GSDP growth rate of 7% for the year 2014–2015.[124] Karnataka's contribution to India's GDP in the year 2014–15 was 7.54%.[123] With GDP growth of 17.59% and per capita GDP growth of 16.04%, Karnataka is on the 6th position among all states and union territories.[125][126] In an employment survey conducted for the year 2013–2014, the unemployment rate in Karnataka was 1.8% compared to the national rate of 4.9%.[127] In 2011–2012, Karnataka had an estimated poverty ratio of 20.91% compared to the national ratio of 21.92%.[128] In 2024, Karnataka had a multi-dimensional poverty rate of 5.67%, compared to the all India average of 11.28%.[129]
Nearly 56% of the workforce in Karnataka is engaged in agriculture and related activities.[130] A total of 12.31 million hectares of land, or 64.6% of the state's total area, is cultivated.[131] Much of the agricultural output is dependent on thesouthwest monsoon as only 26.5% of the sown area is irrigated.[131]
According to most recent data, Karnataka is considered the third richest state in India.[132]
The state has also begun to invest heavily insolar power centred on thePavagada Solar Park. As of December 2017, the state has installed an estimated 2.2 gigawatts of block solar panelling and in January 2018 announced a tender to generate a further 1.2 gigawatts in the coming years: Karnataka Renewable Energy Development suggests that this will be based on 24 separate systems (or 'blocks') generating 50 megawatts each.[133][134][135]
Since the 1980s, Karnataka has emerged as the pan-Indian leader in the field of IT (information technology). In 2007, there were nearly 2,000 firms operating in Karnataka. Many of them, including two of India's biggest software firms,Infosys andWipro, are also headquartered in the state.[136] Exports from these firms exceeded₹500 billion (equivalent to₹1.6 trillion or US$18 billion in 2023) in 2006–07, accounting for nearly 38% of all IT exports from India.[136] TheNandi Hills area in the outskirts ofDevanahalli is the site of the upcoming $22 billion, 50 km2BIAL IT Investment Region, one of the largest infrastructure projects in the history of Karnataka.[137] All this has earned the state capital, Bengaluru, the sobriquetSilicon Valley of India.[138][139][140]
Karnataka also leads the nation inbiotechnology. It is home to India's largest biocluster, with 60% of the country's biotechnology firms being based here.[141][142][143] The state has 18,000 hectares of land underflower cultivation, an upcoming industry which supplies flowers and ornamental plants worldwide.[144][145]
A majority of thesilk industry in India is headquartered in Karnataka, much of it inDoddaballapura in Bangalore Rural district and the state government intends to invest₹700 million (equivalent to₹1.4 billion or US$17 million in 2023) in a "Silk City" atMuddenahalli in Chikkaballapura district.[149][150][151]
Karnataka also produces silver. The silver production of the state in 2018–19 was 214 kg whereas in 2019–20 it was 187 kg and in 2020–21 the silver production was 120 kg.[152]
Karnataka has a railway network with a total length of approximately 3,089 km (1,919 mi). Until the creation of theSouth-Western Railway Zone headquartered atHubballi in 2003, the railway network in the state was in theSouthern Railway zone,South-Central Railway Zone andWestern Railway zone. Several parts of the state now come under the South Western Railway zone with 3 Railway Divisions atBengaluru,Mysore, Hubli, with the remainder under the Southern Railway zone andKonkan Railway Zone, which is considered one of India's biggest railway projects of the century due to the difficult terrain.[159] Bengaluru and other cities in the state are well-connected with intrastate and inter-state destinations.[citation needed]
Bengaluru-Mumbai Highway
Karnataka has 11ports, including theNew Mangalore Port, a major port and ten minor ports, of which three were operational in 2012.[160] The New Mangalore port was incorporated as the ninth major port in India on 4 May 1974.[161] This port handled 32.04 million tonnes of traffic in the fiscal year 2006–07 with 17.92 million tonnes of imports and 14.12 million tonnes of exports. The port also handled 1015 vessels including 18 cruise vessels during the year 2006–07. Foreigners can enter Mangalore through the New Mangalore Port with the help ofElectronic visa (e-visa).[162]Cruise ships from Europe, North America andUAE arrive at New Mangalore Port to visit the tourist places acrossCoastal Karnataka.[163][164] The port of Mangalore is among the 4 major ports of India that receive over 25 international cruise ships every year.[165]
The diverse linguistic and religious ethnicities that are native to Karnataka, combined with their long histories, have contributed immensely to the varied cultural heritage of the state. Apart from Kannadigas, Karnataka is home toTuluvas,Kodavas andKonkanis. Minor populations ofTibetan Buddhists and tribes like theSoligas, Yeravas,Todas andSiddhis also live in Karnataka. Thetraditional folk arts cover the entire gamut of music, dance, drama, storytelling by itinerant troupes, etc.Yakshagana ofTulu Nadu,Uttara Kannada, and Malnad regions Karnataka, a classical dance drama, is one of the major theatrical forms of Karnataka. Contemporary theatre culture in Karnataka remains vibrant with organisations likeNinasam,Ranga Shankara,Rangayana andPrabhat Kalavidaru continuing to build on the foundations laid byGubbi Veeranna,T. P. Kailasam,B. V. Karanth,K V Subbanna, Prasanna andothers.[170]Veeragase,Kamsale,Kolata andDollu Kunitha are popular dance forms. TheMysore style ofBharatanatya, nurtured and popularised by the likes of the legendary Jatti Tayamma, continues to hold sway in Karnataka, and Bengaluru also enjoys an eminent place as one of the foremost centres ofBharatanatya.[171]
Gamaka is anotherclassical musicgenre based on Carnatic music that is practised in Karnataka.Kannada Bhavageete is a genre of popular music that draws inspiration from the expressionist poetry of modern poets. The Mysore school of painting has produced painters like Sundarayya, Tanjavur Kondayya, B. Venkatappa and Keshavayya.[174]Chitrakala Parishat is an organisation in Karnataka dedicated to promoting painting, mainly in theMysore painting style.[citation needed]
Saree is the traditional dress of women in Karnataka. Women in Kodagu have a distinct style of wearing thesaree, different from the rest of Karnataka.Dhoti, known asPanche in Karnataka, is the traditional attire of men.Shirt,Trousers andSalwar kameez are widely worn in Urban areas.Mysore Peta is the traditional headgear of southern Karnataka, while thepagadi orpataga (similar to theRajasthani turban) is preferred in the northern areas of the state.[citation needed]
In March 2006, Karnataka had 54,529 primary schools with 252,875 teachers and 8.495 million students,[178] and 9498 secondary schools with 92,287 teachers and 1.384 million students.[178] 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 areKannada andEnglish.[179]
To maximise attendance in schools, the Karnataka Government has launched a mid-day meal scheme in government and aided schools in which free lunch is provided to the students.[182]
On 9 February 2022, Karnataka shut its schools for three days after the regional administration-backed schools imposed ahijab ban, leading to widespread protests and violence. Other universities in the state began enforcing prohibitions after Hindu students, supported by right-wing Hindu groups, argued that if hijabs were allowed in classrooms, they should wear saffron shawls. On 5 February 2022, the Karnataka state government advised colleges to guarantee that "clothes which disturb equality, integrity, and public law and order should not be worn" in apparent support of schools' ability to enforce a ban.[188]
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 inMysore.[193] The popular radio station was taken over by the local municipality and later byAll 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 includedNisarga Sampada andSasya Sanjeevini which were programs that taught science through songs, plays, and stories. These two programs became so popular that they were translated and broadcast in 18 different languages and the entire series was recorded on cassettes by the Government of Karnataka and distributed to thousands of schools across the state.[193] Karnataka has witnessed a growth in FM radio channels, mainly in the cities of Bengaluru, Mangalore and Mysore, which has become hugely popular.[194][195]
Karnataka's smallest district,Kodagu, is a major contributor toIndian field hockey, producing numerous players who have represented India at the international level.[196] The annualKodava Hockey Festival is the largest hockey tournament in the world.[197]Bengaluru has hosted aWTAtennis event and, in 1997, it hosted the fourth National Games of India.[198] The Sports Authority of India, the premier sports institute in the country, and theNike Tennis Academy are also situated in Bangalore. Karnataka has been referred to as the cradle of Indian swimming because of its high standards in comparison to other states.[199]
Bijapur district has produced some of the best-known road cyclists in the national circuit. Premalata Sureban was part of the Indian contingent at the Perlis Open '99 inMalaysia. In recognition of the talent of cyclists in the district, the state government laid down a cycling track at the B.R. Ambedkar Stadium at a cost of₹4 million (US$46,000).[206]
By virtue of its varied geography and long history, Karnataka hosts numerous spots of interest for tourists. There is an array of ancient sculptured temples, modern cities, scenic hill ranges, forests and beaches. Karnataka has been ranked as the fourth most popular destination for tourism among the states of India.[209] Karnataka has the second highest number of nationally protected monuments in India, second only toUttar Pradesh,[210] in addition to 752 monuments protected by the State Directorate of Archaeology and Museums. Another 25,000 monuments are yet to receive protection.[211][212]
Karnataka has become a center ofhealth care tourism and has the highest number of approved health systems and alternative therapies in India. Along with someISO certified government-owned hospitals, private institutions which provide international-quality services, Hospitals in Karnataka treat around 8,000 health tourists every year.[218]
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^Kamath, Suryanath (20 May 2007)."The rising in the south". The Printers (Mysore) Private Limited. Archived fromthe original on 2 June 2008. Retrieved20 July 2007.
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^Menon, Parvathi."Karnataka's agony".The Frontline, Volume 18 – Issue 17, 18–31 August 2001. Frontline.Archived from the original on 1 January 2016. Retrieved4 May 2007.
^abRamachandra T.V. & Kamakshi G."Bioresource Potential of Karnataka"(PDF).Technical Report No. 109, November 2005. Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.Archived(PDF) from the original on 15 June 2007. Retrieved5 May 2007.
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^abStatistics related to forests in Karnataka is provided by"Statistics".Online Webpage of the Forest Department. Government of Karnataka. Archived fromthe original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved6 May 2007.
^abcA Walk on the Wild Side, An Information Guide to National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries of Karnataka, Compiled and Edited by Nima Manjrekar, Karnataka Forest Department, Wildlife Wing, October 2000
^"Wildlife Sanctuaries".ENVIS Centre on Wildlife & Protected Areas.Archived from the original on 23 February 2017. Retrieved17 February 2017.
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^Pylee, M. V. 2003. Constitutional government in India. New Delhi: S. Chand & Co, p. 365.
^"The Head of the State is called the Governor who is the constitutional head of the state as the President is for the whole of India", Pylee, M. V. 2003. Constitutional government in India. New Delhi: S. Chand & Co, p. 357.
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^Ravi Sharma (1 August 2003)."A pioneer's progress".The Frontline volume 20 issue 15. Frontline.Archived from the original on 1 January 2016. Retrieved21 June 2007.
^"5 airports to be functional soon".Online Webpage of The Deccan Herald, dated 2007-06-05. 2007, The Printers (Mysore) Private Ltd. Archived fromthe original on 12 October 2007. Retrieved29 June 2007.
^"Mid-day meal scheme extended".The Times of India, dated 2007-05-16. Times Internet Limited. 16 May 2007.Archived from the original on 26 May 2007. Retrieved6 June 2007.
^Karnataka CET 2011 Brochure(PDF). Sampige Road, Malleshwaram, Bangalore: Karnataka Examinations Authority. 2010.Archived(PDF) from the original on 21 October 2011.
^"A field day in coorg".The Hindu. Chennai, India. 13 June 2004. Archived fromthe original on 22 June 2007. Retrieved10 June 2007.Since Coorg (Kodagu) was the cradle of Indian hockey, with over 50 players from the region going on to represent the nation so far, seven of whom were Olympians...
^Krishnakumar (13 June 2004)."A field day in coorg".The Hindu. Chennai, India. Archived fromthe original on 22 June 2007. Retrieved10 June 2007.... the festival assumed such monstrous proportions (one year, 350 families took part in the festival) that it found place in the Limca Book of Records. It was recognised as the largest hockey tournament in the world. This has been referred to the Guinness Book of World Records too.
^"Faculty".Online Webpage of the Tata Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy. 2007 TATA Padukone Badminton Academy. Archived fromthe original on 21 May 2007. Retrieved5 June 2007.
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R. Narasimhacharya,History of Kannada Literature, 1988, Asian Educational Services, New Delhi, Madras, 1988,ISBN81-206-0303-6.
Malini Adiga (2006),The Making of Southern Karnataka: Society, Polity and Culture in the Early Medieval Period, AD 400–1030, Orient Longman, Chennai,ISBN81-250-2912-5
Altekar, Anant Sadashiv (1934).The Rashtrakutas and Their Times; Being a Political, Administrative, Religious, Social, Economic and Literary History of the Deccan During C. 750 A.D. to C. 1000 A.D. Poona: Oriental Book Agency.OCLC3793499.
Masica, Colin P. (1991) [1991].The Indo-Aryan Languages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.ISBN978-0-521-29944-2.
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Foekema, Gerard [2003] (2003).Architecture Decorated with Architecture: Later Medieval Temples of Karnataka, 1000–1300 AD. New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd.ISBN81-215-1089-9.
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