Political beliefs
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He wanted "Perestroika and Glasnost for India". He tried to enter politics after his retirement from Bangalore University. He admired Congress as a party with a secular history. But the nationalistic fervour and RSS discipline of BJP impressed him a lot.
He felt that one owes his duties to his own community. So, he was always an active participant in the activities of Vokkaligara Sangha and was one of the two leaders in the Sangha politics. Towards his last days, he was made the President of this Sangha of the leading and contributing Vokkaliga community of Karnataka. He believed and often said that "Caste is one of the greatest ills of India".
A Scheduled Caste lady was his foster mother as she fed him throughout infancy and he honoured her by inviting her every year and giving her a sari, as long as she was alive.
Professor Madaiah, two times Vice-Chancellor of Mysore University often communicated with him and was seen on many of his celebrations. Professor Venugopal K R Vice-Chancellor Bangalore University (2018-2022) was instrumental in setting up Dr Venkatagiri Gowda Auditorium at Jnana Bharathi, BU who obtained his PhD in International Economics - Petrodollar and the World Economy under his guidance in 1989 and was his favourite student. Dr Rekha Jagannath Member at Karnataka State Planning Board Bengaluru, Karnataka, India was one of his very favourite students.
He wanted to establish a chair in his name, in Corruption Studies or Monetary Economics, which he taught at the London School of Economics.
Some of the budget speeches of Finance Ministers of Karnataka were framed by him. At least one of the Finance Ministers of India had his budget speeches with some parts influenced by Gowda.
