Tulu forum demands renaming of Dakshina Kannada as Mangaluru district

The Tulupara Horata Samiti, a regional organisation based in coastal Karnataka, on Tuesday urged the state government to rename Dakshina Kannada district as Mangaluru district, arguing that the new name would better reflect the identity and administrative significance of the region’s central city.

Addressing reporters here, Samiti leader Dayananda Kathalsar said the name “Dakshina Kannada” was a colonial legacy and does not represent the linguistic and cultural aspirations of the local population. He claimed the change

would promote regional pride and administrative clarity.
Kathalsar also highlighted that several districts in Karnataka, such as Bengaluru Urban and Mysuru, bear the names of their principal cities and said Mangaluru deserves similar recognition.

The Samiti plans to submit a memorandum to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and relevant officials, seeking prompt action. The demand has sparked fresh debate in the coastal region, where identity and linguistic pride are politically significant.

The government has not yet responded to the request.

However, the issue is expected to draw attention in upcoming assembly sessions, especially amid calls for decentralisation and cultural representation in district governance.

Recently, the Karnataka cabinet had approved the renaming of Bengaluru Rural district as ‘Bengaluru North’.
The proposal was cleared at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah atop Nandi Hills on July 2.
In May, the cabinet had also approved the renaming of the neighbouring Ramanagara district as ‘Bengaluru South’.