Kuvempu University - History

History

Vice Chancellors
  • Shanthinatha K. Desai, 1988–1990
  • M. R. Gajendragad, 1991–1996
  • P. Venkataramaiah, 1996–1999
  • S. P. Hiremath, 1999–2002
  • K. Chidananda Gowda, 2001–2006
  • Bailure Sheena Sherigara, 2006–2010
  • Syed A. Bari, 2010–present

Established on 29th June, 1987, Kuvempu University is the youngest of the affiliating Universities in Karnataka State. It has been named after the great Kannada writer, Kuvempu, Jnanpith laureate, doyen of Kannada literature. He was native of Shimoga district and also vice-chancellor of University of Mysore. Kuvempu also hailed from the Malenadu region of this area.

Kuvempu University, comprising the Shivamogga and Chikkamagalur districts, has been the epicenter of a majority of religious, cultural and social movements of Karnataka. The farmers, the dalit and the socialist movements of Karnataka in the twentieth century were also born here.

The education jurisdiction of Kuvempu University spreads over four districts of Shimoga, Chitradurga, Chikmagalur and Davangere. It also has outlying regional Post-Graduate centres at Davangere and Kadur. The university offers conventional and non-conventional courses.

Main campus of the university Jnana Sahayadri is at Shankaraghatta, 28 km from Shimoga town. The campus, spread over an area of 230 acres (0.93 km2), is built on a hillock, seamlessly blending with the surrounding area. Shivagangotri campus, sprawling over 73 acres (300,000 m2), is located at Tholahunase, 8 km from Davangere.

The logo of the university has a mythical animal with the trunk of an elephant and the body of a bird (supposed that of a swan). This mythical animal, called Gajahamsa (Gaja+Hamsa), is commonly found in the Vijayanagara and the Keladi sculpture and temple art. Symbolically it is supposed to be combination of knowledge and wealth. Lakshmi, the devi (goddess) of wealth, has an elephant as her vehicle. Saraswati, the devi of knowledge or education, uses a swan as her vehicle. Gajahamsa is a combination of these two animals.

Kuvempu's son-in-law K. Chidananda Gowda was the vice-chancellor from 2001 to 2006. The current vice-chancellor is Syed A. Bari.

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