Mangaluru: The Save Dakshina Kannada Forum has appealed to the Karnataka government to retain the historic name ‘Dakshina Kannada’ for the district and drop any proposal to rename it as ‘Mangaluru district’.
The forum, comprising citizens, intellectuals, historians, writers and cultural activists, made the appeal at a press meet in Mangaluru on Tuesday, September 29. Members said their stand was not against Mangaluru, which they described as the historic, cultural and economic capital of the region, but was intended to preserve the wider historical and cultural identity represented by the name Dakshina Kannada.
Forum seeks retention of Dakshina Kannada name
The forum said the name Dakshina Kannada represents a geographical and cultural region that extends beyond Mangaluru city.
“In January 1977, the government of Karnataka changed the name to Dakshina Kannada, essentially providing a Kannada rendering of the earlier name. The present name has thus been in use for nearly five decades, while the administrative identity it represents dates back well over a century,” the forum said in a press note.
Members argued that the name of a district does not necessarily have to be identical to the name of its administrative headquarters.
While Mangaluru is the headquarters of Dakshina Kannada, the district encompasses a much wider area comprising several towns and villages.
The forum said places such as Puttur, Belthangady, Sullia, Bantwal, Moodbidri and Mulki form part of this broader geographical and administrative identity.
‘District need not have headquarters name’
The members stressed that Mangaluru’s role as the district headquarters does not require the district itself to carry the city’s name.
According to the forum, Dakshina Kannada represents a larger geographical and cultural entity, while Mangaluru has its own distinct identity as the region’s major urban centre.
The forum therefore urged the government to retain Dakshina Kannada as the official district name while allowing Mangaluru to continue developing its identity as the headquarters.
The members said the two identities can coexist without one replacing the other.
They also emphasised that their appeal should not be interpreted as opposition to Mangaluru. Instead, they said, the objective was to retain the historical continuity associated with Dakshina Kannada.
Name survived major administrative changes
The forum pointed to the administrative history of Dakshina Kannada as another reason for retaining the existing name.
Members noted that the name continued to be used through major changes in the administrative structure of the region, including the creation of Udupi district in 1997.
They argued that the continued use of the name through such changes demonstrates its association with a larger regional identity rather than merely the territory immediately surrounding Mangaluru.
The forum also cautioned that any change in the district’s name could have implications for a large body of records and documents.
These, they said, include historical, administrative, educational, legal and cultural records connected with the region.
Call for broad public consultation
The forum welcomed the state government’s decision to seek public opinion on the issue.
However, members called for the consultation process to be broad-based and transparent, with participation from across the district rather than being limited to Mangaluru.
They demanded that views from all taluks, towns and villages of Dakshina Kannada be considered during the consultation.
The forum also sought participation from historians, academics, writers, cultural organisations and other stakeholders with an interest in the region’s history and identity.
According to the members, such a consultation would provide a wider representation of views before any decision is taken on the proposed name change.
Forum stresses wider regional identity
The Save Dakshina Kannada Forum said the district’s name carries historical and cultural significance for communities across the region.
Its members argued that Mangaluru’s position as the administrative headquarters should not result in the identity of the larger district being identified exclusively with the city.
“We request the government to retain Dakshina Kannada as the official name while allowing Mangaluru to continue strengthening its distinct identity as the district headquarters. Mangaluru belongs at the heart of Dakshina Kannada, but Dakshina Kannada belongs to a much larger geographical, historical, and cultural landscape,” the members said.
The statement reflects the forum’s position that the existing district name should be preserved while Mangaluru continues to function as its administrative centre.
Members attend press meet
Forum members Bennet Ammanna, Prof Krishnamurthy, William Pais and Stephen Pais were present at the press meet.
The forum’s appeal comes as the proposed renaming of the district remains a subject of public discussion. The members have called for the government to consider historical records, regional identity and views from across the district as part of its consultation process.
The issue now rests with the state government, which will have to consider the representations and public opinion before taking any further decision on the district’s name.