The economy of Karnataka is among the most productive in the country with a gross state domestic product (GSDP) of ₹25.01 trillion (US$300billion) and a per capita GSDP of ₹332,926 (US$3,900) for the financial year 2023–24.[16][17] The state experienced a GSDP growth of 10.2% for the same fiscal year.[16] After Bengaluru Urban,Dakshina Kannada,Hubli–Dharwad,and Belagavi districts contribute the highest revenue to the state respectively. The capital of the state,Bengaluru,is known as the Silicon 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.[18]
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 nādu,meaning "elevated land". Karu Nadu may also be read as karu,meaning "black" and nadu,meaning "region",as a reference to the black cotton soil found in the Bayalu Seeme region of the state. The British used the word Carnatic,sometimes Karnatak,to describe both sides of peninsular India,south of the Krishna.[23] With an antiquity that dates to the Paleolithic,Karnataka has 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 and Hindustani traditions.
Karnataka's pre-history goes back to a Paleolithic hand-axe culture evidenced by discoveries of,among other things,hand axes and cleavers in the region.[24] Evidence of Neolithic and megalithic cultures have also been found in the state. Gold discovered in Harappa was found to be imported from mines in Karnataka,prompting scholars to hypothesise about contacts between ancient Karnataka and the Indus Valley Civilisation c.3300 BCE.[25][26]
These were also the first kingdoms to use Kannada in administration,as evidenced by the Halmidi inscription and a fifth-century copper coin discovered at Banavasi.[31][32] These dynasties were followed by imperial Kannada empires such as the Badami Chalukyas,[33][34] the Rashtrakuta Empire[35][36] and the Western Chalukya Empire,[37][38] which ruled over large parts of the Deccan and had their capitals in what is now Karnataka. The Western Chalukyas patronised a unique style of architecture and Kannada literature which became a precursor to the Hoysala art of the 12th century.[39][40] Parts of modern-day Southern Karnataka (Gangavadi) were occupied by the Chola Empire at the turn of the 11th century.[41] The Cholas and the Hoysalas fought over the region in the early 12th century before it eventually came under Hoysala rule.[41]
At the turn of the first millennium,the Hoysalas gained power in the region. Literature flourished during this time,which led to the emergence of distinctive Kannada literary metres,and the construction of temples and sculptures adhering to the Vesara style of architecture.[42][43][44][45] The expansion of the Hoysala Empire brought minor parts of modern Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu under its rule. In the early 14th century,Harihara and Bukka Raya established the Vijayanagara empire with its capital,Hosapattana (later named Vijayanagara),on the banks of the Tungabhadra River in the modern Bellary district. Under the rule of Krishnadevaraya,a distinct form of literature and architecture evolved.[46][47] The empire rose as a bulwark against Muslim advances into South India,which it completely controlled for over two centuries.[48][49] In 1537,Kempe Gowda I,a chieftain of the Vijayanagara Empire,widely held as the founder of modern Bengaluru,built a fort and established the area around it as Bengaluru Pete.[50]
In 1565,Karnataka and the rest of South India experienced a major geopolitical shift when the Vijayanagara empire fell to a confederation of Islamic sultanates in the Battle of Talikota.[51] The Bijapur Sultanate,which had risen after the demise of the Bahmani Sultanate of Bidar,soon took control of much of the Deccan;it was defeated by the Mughals in the late 17th century.[52][53] The Bahmani and Bijapur rulers encouraged Urdu and Persian literature and Indo-Saracenic architecture,the Gol Gumbaz being one of the high points of this style.[54] During the sixteenth century,Konkani Hindus migrated to Karnataka,mostly from Salcette,Goa,[55] while during the seventeenth and eighteenth century,Goan Catholics migrated to North Canara and South Canara,especially from Bardes,Goa,as a result of food shortages,epidemics and heavy taxation imposed by the Portuguese.[56]
After the independence of British India,the Maharaja,Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar,signed an instrument 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 its Rajpramukh (head of state) until 1975. Following the long-standing demand of the Ekikarana Movement,Kodagu- and Kannada-speaking regions from the adjoining states of Madras,Hyderabad and Bombay were incorporated into the Mysore state,under the States Reorganisation Act of 1956. The thus expanded state was renamed Karnataka,seventeen years later,on 1 November 1973.[63] In the early 1900s through the post-independence era,industrial visionaries such as Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvarayya,played an important role in the development of Karnataka's strong manufacturing and industrial base.[64][65]
Karnataka consists of four main types of geological formations[69] –the Archean complex made up of Dharwadschists and granitic gneisses,[70] the Proterozoic non-fossiliferous sedimentary formations of the Kaladgi and Bhima series,[71] the Deccan trappean and intertrappean deposits and the tertiary and recent laterites and alluvial deposits.[72] Laterite cappings that are found in many districts over the Deccan 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 and Histosols.[69][73] 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.[73]
About 38,284km2 (14,782sqmi) of Karnataka (i.e. 16% of the state's geographic area) is covered by forests.[74][75] The forests are classified as reserved,protected,unclosed,village and private forests.[74] The percentage of forested area is slightly less than the all-India average of about 23%,[74] and significantly less than the 33% prescribed in the National Forest Policy.[76]
Climate
Karnataka experiences four seasons. The winter in January and February is followed by summer between March and May,the monsoon 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 3,638.5mm (143in) per annum,far in excess of the state average of 1,139mm (45in). Amagaon in Khanapura taluka of Belgaum district received 10,068mm (396in) of rainfall in 2010.[77] In 2014 Kokalli in Sirsi taluka of Uttara Kannada district received 8,746mm (344in) of rainfall.[78]Agumbe in Thirthahalli taluka and Hulikal of Hosanagara taluka in Shimoga district were the rainiest cities in Karnataka,situated in one of the wettest regions in the world.[79]
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.[80] The highest recorded temperature was 45.6°C (114°F) in Raichuru district. The lowest recorded temperature was 2.8°C (37°F) at Bidar district.[81]
Karnataka is home to a variety of wildlife. It has a recorded forest area of 38,720km2 (14,950sqmi) which constitutes 12.3% of the total geographical area of the state.[82] These forests support 25% of the elephant and 10% of the tiger population of India. Many regions of Karnataka are as yet unexplored,so new species of flora and fauna are found periodically. The Western Ghats,a biodiversity 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.[83] The Indian roller and the Indian elephant are recognised as the state bird and animal while sandalwood and the lotus are recognised as the state tree and flower respectively. Karnataka has five national parks:Anshi,Bandipur,Bannerghatta,Kudremukh and Nagarhole.[84] It also has 27 wildlife sanctuaries of which seven are bird sanctuaries.[85][82]
There are 31 districts in Karnataka. Each district (zila) is administered by a Deputy Commissioner (also known as the District Collector),who is typically an officer of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). The districts are further divided into revenue sub-divisions,which are administered by assistant commissioners. These sub-divisions are further divided into taluks (or talukas),which are administered by Tahsildars. Taluks comprise hoblis (clusters of adjoining villages),which include revenue villages.
Karnataka has around 6,022 Gram Panchayats,226 Taluk Panchayats,and 31 Zilla Panchayats in rural areas. In urban areas,there are 318 urban local bodies,including 1 BBMP,13 Municipal Corporations,60 City Municipal Councils,126 Town Municipal Councils,114 Town Panchayats and 4 notified area committees.[88][89][90][91]
According to the 2011 census of India,[92] 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.[92]
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%. The total fertility rate was 2.2.[93]
Karnataka's private sector speciality health care competes with the best in the world.[94][95] 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.[96]
Karnataka ranked tenth in the Fiscal Health Index (FHI) 2025,with a score of 40.8.[97]
Adi Shankara (788–820 CE) chose Sringeri in Karnataka to establish the first of his four mathas (monastery). Madhvacharya (1238–1317) was the chief proponent of Tattvavada (philosophy of reality), popularly known as Dvaita or Dualistic school of Hindu philosophy– one of the three most influential Vedanta philosophies. Madhvacharya was one of the important philosophers during the Bhakti 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 of Vayu (Mukhyaprana), after Hanuman and Bhima. The Haridasa 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 as Dasa Sahitya. Purandara dasa is widely recognised as the "Pithamaha" of Carnatic Music for his immense contribution. Ramanuja, the leading expounder of Vishishtadvaita, spent many years in Melkote. He came to Karnataka in 1098 CE and lived here until 1122 CE. He first lived in Tondanur and then moved to Melkote where the Cheluvanarayana Swamy Temple and a well-organised matha were built. He was patronised by the Hoysala king, Vishnuvardhana.[99]
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 were Basava, Akka Mahadevi and Allama Prabhu, who established the Anubhava 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 wear Ishtalinga 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 the Lingayat faith which today counts millions among its followers.[100]
The Jain 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.[101]Christianity reached Karnataka in the sixteenth century with the arrival of the Portuguese and St. Francis Xavier in 1545.[102]
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 the classical 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, while Tamil (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 the Lambadis scattered throughout North Karnataka, while Hindi is spoken in Bengaluru. Tulu (2.61%), Konkani (1.29%), and Malayalam (1.27%) are all found in linguistically diverse Coastal Karnataka, where a number of mixed and distinct dialects such as Are Bhashe, Beary Bhashe, and Nawayathi are found. Kodava Takk is the language of Kodagu.[104][105][106]
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 and Kodava are other minor native languages that share a long history in the state. Urdu is spoken widely by the Muslim population. Less widely spoken languages include Beary bashe and certain languages such as Sankethi. Some of the regional languages in Karnataka are Tulu, Kodava, Konkani and Beary.[107][108][109]
Kannada features a rich and ancient body of literature including religious and secular genre, covering topics as diverse as Jainism (such as Puranas), Lingayatism (such as Vachanas), Vaishnavism (such as Haridasa Sahitya) and modern literature. Evidence from edicts during the time of Ashoka (reigned 274–232 BCE) suggest that Buddhist literature influenced the Kannada script and its literature. The Halmidi inscription, the earliest attested full-length inscription in the Kannada language and script, dates from 450 CE, while the earliest available literary work, the Kavirajamarga, has been dated to 850 CE. References made in the Kavirajamarga, however, prove that Kannada literature flourished in the native composition metres such as Chattana, Beddande and Melvadu during earlier centuries. The classic refers to several earlier greats (purvacharyar) of Kannada poetry and prose.[110]Kuvempu, the renowned Kannada poet and writer who wrote Jaya Bharata Jananiya Tanujate, the state anthem of Karnataka[1] was the first recipient of the Karnataka Ratna, the highest civilian award bestowed by the Government of Karnataka. Contemporary Kannada literature has received considerable acknowledgement in the arena of Indian literature, with eight Kannada writers winning India's highest literary honour, the Jnanpith award.[111][112]
Tulu is the majority language in the coastal district of Dakshina Kannada and is the second most spoken in the Udupi district.[113] This region is also known as Tulu Nadu.[114]Tulu Mahabharato, written by Arunabja in the Tigalari script, is the oldest surviving Tulu text.[115] Tigalari script was used by Brahmins to write Sanskrit language. The use of the Kannada script for writing Tulu and non-availability of print in Tigalari script contributed to the marginalisation of Tigalari script.[citation needed] In Karnataka Konkani is mostly spoken in the Uttara Kannada and Dakshina Kannada districts and in parts of Udupi, Konkani use the Devanagari Script (which is official)/Kannada script (Optional) for writing as identified by government of Karnataka.[116][117]
The Kodavas who mainly reside in the Kodagu district, speak Kodava Takk. Kodagu was a separate State with its own Chief Minister and Council of Ministers till 1956. Two regional variations of the language exist, the northern Mendale Takka and the southern Kiggaati Takka.[118]Kodava Takk has its own script, Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy has accepted I. 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. The Kannada Sahitya Parishat and the Kannada Sahitya Akademi are responsible for the promotion of Kannada while the Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Akademi,[119] the Tulu Sahitya Akademi and the Kodava Sahitya Akademi promote their respective languages.[citation needed]
Karnataka 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.[120] The Legislative Council is a permanent body of 75 members with one-third (25 members) retiring every two years.[120]
The government of Karnataka is headed by the Chief Minister who is chosen by the ruling party members of the Legislative Assembly. The Chief Minister, along with the council of ministers, executes the legislative agenda and exercises most of the executive powers.[121] However, the constitutional and formal head of the state is the Governor who is appointed for a five-year term by the President of India on the advice of the Union government.[122] The people of Karnataka also elect 28 members to the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament.[123] The members of the state Legislative Assembly elect 12 members to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament.[citation needed]
For administrative purposes, Karnataka has been divided into four revenue divisions, 49 sub-divisions, 31 districts, 175 taluks and 745 hoblies / revenue circles.[124] The administration in each district is headed by a Deputy Commissioner who belongs to the Indian Administrative Service and is assisted by a number of officers belonging to Karnataka state services. The Superintendent of Police, an officer belonging to the Indian 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 the Indian 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 the Karnataka High Court (Attara Kacheri) in Bengaluru, Hubli–Dharwad, and Kalaburagi, district and session courts in each district and lower courts and judges at the taluk level.[citation needed]
Karnataka had an estimated GSDP (Gross State Domestic Product) of about US$115.86billion in the 2014–15 fiscal year.[129] The state registered a GSDP growth rate of 7% for the year 2014–2015.[130] Karnataka's contribution to India's GDP in the year 2014–15 was 7.54%.[129] 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.[131][132] 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%.[133] In 2011–2012, Karnataka had an estimated poverty ratio of 20.91% compared to the national ratio of 21.92%.[134] In 2024, Karnataka had a multi-dimensional poverty rate of 5.67%, compared to the all India average of 11.28%.[135]
Nearly 56% of the workforce in Karnataka is engaged in agriculture and related activities.[136] A total of 12.31million hectares of land, or 64.6% of the state's total area, is cultivated.[137] Much of the agricultural output is dependent on the southwest monsoon as only 26.5% of the sown area is irrigated.[137]
According to most recent data, Karnataka is considered the third richest state in India.[138]
The state has also begun to invest heavily in solar power centered on the Pavagada 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.[139][140][141]
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 and Wipro, are also headquartered in the state.[142] Exports from these firms exceeded ₹500 billion (equivalent to ₹1.6trillionorUS$19billion in 2023) in 2006–07, accounting for nearly 38% of all IT exports from India.[142] The Nandi Hills area in the outskirts of Devanahalli is the site of the upcoming $22billion, 50km2BIAL IT Investment Region, one of the largest infrastructure projects in the history of Karnataka.[143] All this has earned the state capital, Bengaluru, the sobriquet Silicon Valley of India.[144][145][146]
Karnataka also leads the nation in biotechnology. It is home to India's largest biocluster, with 60% of the country's biotechnology firms being based here.[147][148][149] The state has 18,000 hectares of land under flower cultivation, an upcoming industry which supplies flowers and ornamental plants worldwide.[150][151]
A majority of the silk industry in India is headquartered in Karnataka, much of it in Doddaballapura in Bengaluru Rural district and the state government intends to invest ₹700 million (equivalent to ₹1.4billionorUS$17million in 2023) in a "Silk City" at Muddenahalli in Chikkaballapura district.[155][156][157]
Karnataka also produces silver. The silver production of the state in 2018–19 was 214kg whereas in 2019–20 it was 187kg and in 2020–21 the silver production was 120kg.[158]
Karnataka has a railway network with a total length of approximately 3,089km (1,919mi). Until the creation of the South-Western Railway Zone headquartered at Hubli in 2003, the railway network in the state was in the Southern Railway zone, South-Central Railway Zone and Western Railway zone. Several parts of the state now come under the South Western Railway zone with 3 Railway Divisions at Bengaluru, Mysore, Hubli, with the remainder under the Southern Railway zone and Konkan Railway Zone, which is considered one of India's biggest railway projects of the century due to the difficult terrain.[165] Bengaluru and other cities in the state are well-connected with intrastate and inter-state destinations.[citation needed]
Bengaluru-Mumbai Highway
Karnataka has 11 ports, including the New Mangalore Port, a major port and ten minor ports, of which three were operational in 2012.[166] The New Mangalore port was incorporated as the ninth major port in India on 4 May 1974.[167] This port handled 32.04million tonnes of traffic in the fiscal year 2006–07 with 17.92million tonnes of imports and 14.12million 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 of Electronic visa (e-visa).[168]Cruise ships from Europe, North America and UAE arrive at New Mangalore Port to visit the tourist places across Coastal Karnataka.[169][170] The port of Mangalore is among the 4 major ports of India that receive over 25 international cruise ships every year.[171]
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 to Tuluvas, Kodavas and Konkanis. Minor populations of Tibetan Buddhists and tribes like the Soligas, Yeravas, Todas and Siddhis also live in Karnataka. The traditional folk arts cover the entire gamut of music, dance, drama, storytelling by itinerant troupes, etc. Yakshagana of Tulu 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 like Ninasam, Ranga Shankara, Rangayana and Prabhat Kalavidaru continuing to build on the foundations laid by Gubbi Veeranna, T. P. Kailasam, B. V. Karanth, K V Subbanna, Prasanna and others.[175]Veeragase, Kamsale, Kolata and Dollu Kunitha are popular dance forms. The Mysore style of Bharatanatya, 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 of Bharatanatya.[176]
Gamaka is another classical 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.[179]Chitrakala Parishat is an organisation in Karnataka dedicated to promoting painting, mainly in the Mysore painting style.[citation needed]
Saree is the traditional dress of women in Karnataka. Women in Kodagu have a distinct style of wearing the saree, different from the rest of Karnataka. Dhoti, known as Panche in Karnataka, is the traditional attire of men. Shirt, Trousers and Salwar kameez are widely worn in Urban areas. Mysore Peta is the traditional headgear of southern Karnataka, while the pagadi or pataga (similar to the Rajasthani 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 8.495million students,[183] and 9498 secondary schools with 92,287 teachers and 1.384million students.[183] 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.[184]
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.[187]
On 9 February 2022, Karnataka shut its schools for three days after the regional administration-backed schools imposed a hijab 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.[193]
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 in Mysore.[198] The popular radio station was taken over by the local municipality and later by All India Radio (AIR) and moved to Bengaluru 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 Bengaluru included Nisarga Sampada and Sasya 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.[198] Karnataka has witnessed a growth in FM radio channels, mainly in the cities of Bengaluru, Mangalore and Mysore, which has become hugely popular.[199][200]
Karnataka's smallest district, Kodagu, is a major contributor to Indian field hockey, producing numerous players who have represented India at the international level.[201] The annual Kodava Hockey Festival is the largest hockey tournament in the world.[202]Bengaluru has hosted a WTAtennis event and, in 1997, it hosted the fourth National Games of India.[203] The Sports Authority of India, the premier sports institute in the country, and the Nike Tennis Academy are also situated in Bengaluru. Karnataka has been referred to as the cradle of Indian swimming because of its high standards in comparison to other states.[204]
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 in Malaysia. 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$47,000).[211]
Chennakesava Temple is a model example of the Hoysala architecture, later repaired in the 16th century with financial support and grants by the Vijayanagara Emperors.Gol Gumbaz at Bijapur has the second largest pre-modern dome in the world after the Byzantine Hagia Sophia.
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.[214] Karnataka has the second highest number of nationally protected monuments in India, second only to Uttar Pradesh,[215] in addition to 752 monuments protected by the State Directorate of Archaeology and Museums. Another 25,000 monuments are yet to receive protection.[216][217]
Karnataka has become a center of health care tourism and has the highest number of approved health systems and alternative therapies in India. Along with some ISO certified government-owned hospitals, private institutions which provide international-quality services, Hospitals in Karnataka treat around 8,000 health tourists every year.[223]
↑ "Figures at a glance"(PDF). 2011 Provisional census data. Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. Archived(PDF) from the original on 24 October 2011. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
↑ "Appendix-A: Detailed tables, Table (7): Literacy rate (in per cent) of persons of different age groups for each State/UT (persons, age-group (years): 7 & above, rural+urban (column 6))". Annual Report, Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) (July 2023 – June 2024)(PDF). National Sample Survey Office, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of India. 23 September 2024. pp.A-10.
↑ Huq, Iteshamul, ed. (2015). "Introduction"(PDF). A Handbook of Karnataka (Fifthed.). Karnataka Gazetteer Department. p.48. Archived(PDF) from the original on 23 May 2018. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
↑ See Lord Macaulay's life of Clive and James Talboys Wheeler: Early History of British India, London (1878) p.98. The principal meaning is the western half of this area, but the rulers there controlled the Coromandel Coast as well.
↑ Paddayya, K.; etal. (10 September 2002). "Recent findings on the Acheulian of the Hunsgi and Baichbal valleys, Karnataka, with special reference to the Isampur excavation and its dating". Current Science. 83 (5): 641–648.
↑ Kamath, Suryanath (20 May 2007). "The rising in the south". The Printers (Mysore) Private Limited. Archived from the original on 2 June 2008. Retrieved 20 July 2007.
↑ Gupta, Jyoti Bhusan Das, ed. (2007). Science, Technology, Imperialism and War. History of Science, Philosophy and Culture in Indian Civilization. XV(1). Pearson Longman. p. 247.
↑ Menon, Parvathi. "Karnataka's agony". The Frontline, Volume 18 – Issue 17, 18–31 August 2001. Frontline. Archived from the original on 1 January 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2007.
1 2 Ramachandra 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. Retrieved 5 May 2007.
↑ Radhakrishna, B. P. (1997). Geology of Karnataka. R. Vaidyanadhan (2nded.). Bangalore [India]: Geological Society of India. ISBN81-85867-08-9. OCLC39707803.
1 2 National Informatics Centre. "Traditional Soil Groups of Karnataka and their Geographic Distribution". Official Website of the Department of Agriculture, Govt. of Karnataka. Govt. of Karnataka. Retrieved 25 March 2007.
↑ India. Directorate of Economics and Statistics (2015). Agricultural statistics at a glance 2014 (1sted.). New Delhi, India: Oxford University Press. ISBN978-0-19-945965-0. OCLC905588033.
↑ Agumbe's receiving the second highest rainfall in India is mentioned by Ghose, Arabinda. "Link Godavari, Krishna & Cauvery". The Central Chronicle, dated 2007-03-28. 2007, Central Chronicle. Archived from the original on 13 October 2007. Retrieved 16 May 2007.
1 2 Statistics related to forests in Karnataka is provided by "Statistics". Online Webpage of the Forest Department. Government of Karnataka. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 6 May 2007.
1 2 3 A 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. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
↑ "Dasara fest panel meets Thursday". The Times of India, dated 2003-07-22. Times Internet Limited. 22 July 2003. Archived from the original on 12 October 2007. Retrieved 17 July 2007.
↑ India, Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner. "C-16 Population By Mother Tongue". censusindia.gov.in. Archived from the original on 22 November 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
↑ Anthropological Survey of India (Department of Anthropology) (1980). Bulletin of the Anthropological Survey of India, Volume 25. Director, Anthropological Survey of India, Indian Museum. p.41.
↑ "Konkan Prabha released". Online webpage of The Deccan Herald, dated 2005-09-16. 2005, The Printers (Mysore) Private Ltd. Archived from the original on 2 March 2016. Retrieved 6 May 2007.
↑ 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.
↑ "Lok Sabha-Introduction". The Indian Parliament. Govt. of India. Archived from the original on 1 December 2008. Retrieved 4 June 2007.
↑ Ravi Sharma (21 October 2005). "Building on a strong base". The Frontline. Frontline. Archived from the original on 1 January 2016. Retrieved 21 June 2007.
↑ Ravi Sharma (1 August 2003). "A pioneer's progress". The Frontline volume 20 issue 15. Frontline. Archived from the original on 1 January 2016. Retrieved 21 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 from the original on 12 October 2007. Retrieved 29 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. Retrieved 6 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 from the original on 22 June 2007. Retrieved 10 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 from the original on 22 June 2007. Retrieved 10 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 from the original on 21 May 2007. Retrieved 5 June 2007.
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