Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Jul 8: The Mangaluru Jilla Tulupara Horata Samiti has urged the state government to rename Dakshina Kannada district as Mangaluru district. This was announced by committee leader Dayanand Kattalsar at a press conference held here on Monday.
He said the committee has been formed to campaign for this name change and is inclusive, non-partisan, and does not have designated office-bearers. The demand is rooted in history and identity, he added.
Historically, the undivided region of present-day Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Kasargod has been referred to as Tulu Nadu—a term with both political and cultural significance. According to Kattalsar, one of the earliest literary references to Tulu Nadu is found in the Tamil Sangam literature Akananuru, dated nearly 2,000 years ago.
He also highlighted that several dynasties—including the Alupas, Pallavas, Hoysalas, Vijayanagara rulers, and Keladi kings—referred to the region as Tulu Vishaya, Tulu Desha, or Tulu Rajya. During the Vijayanagara period, the region was divided into Mangaluru Rajya and Barkuru Rajya, reflecting the historical significance of Mangaluru as an administrative centre.
Foreign scholars have also referred to Mangaluru in historical documents. In 1931, S U Paniyadi proposed naming the district Tulu Nadu in a district council meeting, but several members had instead suggested the name Mangaluru even back then, he said.
Kattalsar explained that names such as South Canara and North Canara were colonial impositions by the Portuguese and British, later morphing into Dakshina Kannada. He called for the district to be given a name of indigenous origin.
Why Mangaluru?
He pointed out that Mangaluru Rajya was the historical name of the region since the Vijayanagara era, and the current campaign to rename the district as Mangaluru reflects a collective, non-partisan demand by political leaders, social thinkers, Tuluvas, and religious leaders.
There are several precedents for naming districts after their taluk centres, and since there is already a Mangaluru Taluk, there are no legal hurdles to renaming the district, he noted. Support from MPs, MLAs, and MLCs in favour of this name change is a positive development, he added.
Kattalsar cited recent examples such as Bagepalli being renamed Bhagyanagar and argued that Mangaluru is already a well-established brand known for ancient products, and also lends its name to the district’s airport, port, university, and railway zone.
He said the Mangaluru brand will support future growth in industries, IT, and other sectors, enabling the district to match Bengaluru in potential.
Committee member Rakshith Shivaram also emphasised that it was time to discard colonial-era names given by the Portuguese and British and adopt indigenous names reflecting local identity.
Committee members Kiran Kumar Kodikal, B A Moydhin Bava, Akshith Suvarna, Kasturi Panja, Pradeep Saripalla, Bharat Kumar, and Yogish Shetty Jeppu were present at the press conference.