Karnataka

Karnataka(/kərˈnɑːtəkə/kər-NAH-tə-kə;ISO:Karnāṭaka,Kannada:[kɐɾˈnaːʈɐkɐ]) is astatein the southwestern region ofIndia. It wasformedasMysore Stateon 1 November 1956, with the passage of theStates Reorganisation Act, and renamedKarnatakain 1973. The state is bordered by theLakshadweep Seato the west,Goato the northwest,Maharashtrato the north,Telanganato the northeast,Andhra Pradeshto the east,Tamil Naduto the southeast, andKeralato the southwest. With 61,130,704 inhabitants at the 2011 census, Karnataka is theeighth-largest state by population, comprising 31districts. With 15,257,000 residents, the state capitalBengaluruis the largest city of Karnataka.
The economy of Karnataka is amongst the most productive in the country with agross state domestic product(GSDP) of₹25.01 trillion(US$290 billion) and a per capita GSDP of₹332,926(US$3,800) for the financial year 2023–24.The state experience a GSDP growth of 10.2% for the same fiscal year.AfterBangalore Urban,Dakshina Kannada,Hubli–Dharwad, andBelagavidistricts contribute the highest revenue to the state respectively. The capital of the state, Bengaluru, is known as theSilicon 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.
Karnataka is the only southern state to have land borders with all of the other four southern Indian sister states. The state covers an area of 191,791 km(74,051 sq mi), or 5.83 per cent of the total geographical area of India.It is thesixth-largest Indian state by area.Kannada, one of theclassical languages of India, is the most widely spoken and official language of the state. Other minority languages spoken includeUrdu,Konkani,Marathi,Tulu,Tamil,Telugu,Malayalam,KodavaandBeary. Karnataka also contains some of the onlyvillages in India where Sanskrit is primarily spoken.
Thoughseveral etymologieshave been suggested for the name Karnataka, the generally accepted one is thatKarnatakais derived from the Kannada wordskaruandnādu, meaning "elevated land".Karu Nadumay also be read askaru, meaning "black" andnadu, meaning "region", as a reference to theblack cotton soilfound in theBayalu Seemeregion of the state. TheBritishused the wordCarnatic, sometimesKarnatak, to describe both sides of peninsular India, south ofthe Krishna.With an antiquity that dates to thepaleolithic, Karnataka has been home to some of the most powerfulempires 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, theCarnaticandHindustanitraditions.
Karnataka's pre-history goes back to apaleolithichand-axe culture evidenced by discoveries of, among other things,hand axesandcleaversin the region.Evidence ofneolithicandmegalithiccultures have also been found in the state. Gold discovered inHarappawas found to be imported from mines in Karnataka, prompting scholars to hypothesise about contacts between ancient Karnataka and theIndus Valley civilisationc.3300 BCE.
Prior to the third century BCE, most of Karnataka formed part of theMauryan empireofEmperor Ashoka. Four centuries ofSatavahanarule followed, allowing them to control large areas of Karnataka. The decline of Satavahana power led to the rise of the earliest native kingdoms, theKadambasand theWestern Gangas, marking the region's emergence as an independent political entity. TheKadamba Dynasty, founded byMayurasharma, had its capital atBanavasi;theWestern Ganga Dynastywas formed withTalakadas its capital.
These were also the first kingdoms to useKannadain administration, as evidenced by theHalmidi inscriptionand a fifth-century copper coin discovered at Banavasi.These dynasties were followed by imperial Kannada empires such as theBadami Chalukyas,theRashtrakuta Empire of Manyakhetaand theWestern Chalukya Empire,which ruled over large parts of theDeccanand had their capitals in what is now Karnataka. The Western Chalukyas patronised a unique style ofarchitectureand Kannadaliteraturewhich became a precursor to theHoysalaart of the 12th century.Parts of modern-day Southern Karnataka (Gangavadi) were occupied by theChola Empireat the turn of the 11th century.The Cholas and the Hoysalas fought over the region in the early 12th century before it eventually came under Hoysala rule.
At the turn of the first millennium, theHoysalasgained power in the region.Literatureflourished during this time, which led to the emergence of distinctive Kannadaliterary metres, and the construction of temples and sculptures adhering to theVesarastyle of architecture.The expansion of the Hoysala Empire brought minor parts of modernAndhra PradeshandTamil Naduunder its rule. In the early 14th century,HariharaandBukka Rayaestablished theVijayanagara empirewith its capital,Hosapattana(later namedVijayanagara), on the banks of the Tungabhadra River in the modern Bellary district. Under the rule ofKrishnadevaraya, a distinct form ofliteratureandarchitectureevolved.The empire rose as a bulwark against Muslim advances into South India, which it completely controlled for over two centuries.In 1537,Kempe Gowda I, a chieftain of the Vijayanagara Empire, widely held as the founder of modern Bengaluru, built afortand established the area around it asBengaluru Pete.
In 1565, Karnataka and the rest of South India experienced a major geopolitical shift when the Vijayanagara empire fell to aconfederation of Islamic sultanatesin theBattle of Talikota.TheBijapur Sultanate, which had risen after the demise of theBahmani Sultanateof Bidar, soon took control of much of the Deccan; it was defeated by theMughalsin the late 17th century.The Bahmani and Bijapur rulers encouraged Urdu and Persian literature andIndo-Saracenicarchitecture, theGol Gumbazbeing one of the high points of this style.During the sixteenth century,KonkaniHindus migrated to Karnataka, mostly fromSalcette,Goa,while during the seventeenth and eighteenth century,Goan Catholicsmigrated toNorth CanaraandSouth Canara, especially fromBardes, Goa, as a result of food shortages, epidemics and heavy taxation imposed by thePortuguese.
In the period that followed, parts of northern Karnataka were ruled by theNizam of Hyderabad, theMaratha Empire, theBritish, and other powers.In the south, theMysore Kingdom, a formervassalof the Vijayanagara Empire, was briefly independent.With the death ofKrishnaraja Wodeyar II,Haidar Ali, the commander-in-chief of the Mysore army, gained control of the region. After his death, the kingdom was inherited by his sonTipu Sultan.To contain European expansion in South India, Haidar Ali and later Tipu Sultan fought four significantAnglo-Mysore Wars, the last of which resulted in Tippu Sultan's death and the incorporation of Mysore intoBritish Indiain 1799.Mysore was restored to the Wodeyars, and theKingdom of Mysorebecame aprincely stateoutside but in asubsidiary alliancewithBritish India.
As the "doctrine of lapse" gave way to dissent and resistance from princely states across the country,Kittur Chennamma, Queen ofKittur, her military leaderSangolli Rayanna, and others, spearheaded rebellions in part of what is now Karnataka in 1830, nearly three decades before theIndian Rebellion of 1857. However, Kitturu was taken over by the BritishEast India Companyeven before the doctrine was officially articulated by Lord Dalhousie in 1848.Other uprisings followed, such as the ones atSupa,Bagalkot,Shorapur,NargundandDandeli. These rebellions—which coincided with theIndian Rebellion of 1857—were led by Mundargi Bhimarao,Bhaskar Rao Bhave, the Halagali Bedas,Raja Venkatappa Nayakaand others. By the late 19th century, the independence movement had gained momentum; Karnad Sadashiva Rao,Aluru Venkata Raya,S. Nijalingappa,Kengal Hanumanthaiah,Nittoor Srinivasa Rauand others carried on the struggle into the early 20th century.
After theindependence of British India, the Maharaja,Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar, signed aninstrument of accessionto accede his state to the new India. In 1950, Mysore became an Indian state of the same name; the former Maharaja served as itsRajpramukh(head of state) until 1975. Following the long-standing demand of theEkikarana Movement, Kodagu- and Kannada-speaking regions from the adjoining states of Madras, Hyderabad and Bombay were incorporated into the Mysore state, under theStates Reorganisation Actof 1956. The thus expanded state was renamed Karnataka, seventeen years later, on 1 November 1973.In the early 1900s through the post-independence era, industrial visionaries such as SirMokshagundam Visvesvarayya, played an important role in the development of Karnataka's strong manufacturing and industrial base.
The state has three principal geographical zones:
The bulk of the state is in theBayaluseemeregion, the northern part of which is the second-largestaridregion in India.The highest point in Karnataka is theMullayanagirihills inChikmagalur districtwhich has an altitude of 1,925 m (6,316 ft). The two main river systems of the state are theKrishnaand its tributaries, theBhima,Ghataprabha,Vedavathi,MalaprabhaandTungabhadrain North Karnataka, and theKaveriand its tributaries, theHemavati,Shimsha,Arkavati,Lakshmana ThirthaandKabini, in South Karnataka. Most of these rivers flow out of Karnataka eastward, reaching the sea at theBay of Bengal. Other prominent rivers such as theSharavatiinShimogaandNetravatiinDakshina Kannadaflow westward to theLakshadweep Sea. A large number ofdams and reservoirsare constructed across these rivers which richly add to theirrigationandhydroelectricitypower generation capacities of the state.
Karnataka consists of four main types of geological formations– theArcheancomplexmade up ofDharwadschistsand graniticgneisses,theProterozoicnon-fossiliferous sedimentary formations of the Kaladgi and Bhima series,theDeccan trappean and intertrappean depositsand the tertiary and recentlateritesand alluvial deposits.Laterite cappings that are found in many districts over theDeccan Trapswere 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,AndisolsandHistosols.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.
About 38,284 km(14,782 sq mi) of Karnataka (i.e. 16% of the state's geographic area) is covered by forests.The forests are classified as reserved, protected, unclosed, village and private forests.The percentage of forested area is slightly less than the all-India average of about 23%,and significantly less than the 33% prescribed in the National Forest Policy.
Karnataka experiences four seasons. The winter in January and February is followed by summer between March and May, themonsoonseason 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 3,638.5 mm (143 in) per annum, far in excess of the state average of 1,139 mm (45 in).AmagaoninKhanapura talukaofBelgaum districtreceived 10,068 mm (396 in) of rainfall in 2010.In 2014 Kokalli inSirsi talukaofUttara Kannada districtreceived 8,746 mm (344 in) of rainfall.AgumbeinThirthahalli talukaandHulikalofHosanagara talukainShimoga districtwere the rainiest cities in Karnataka, situated in one of the wettest regions in the world.
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.The highest recorded temperature was 45.6°C(114°F) inRaichuru district. The lowest recorded temperature was 2.8 °C (37 °F) atBidar district.
Karnataka is home to a variety of wildlife. It has a recorded forest area of 38,720 km(14,950 sq mi) which constitutes 12.3% of the total geographical area of the state.These forests support 25% of theelephantand 10% of thetigerpopulation of India. Many regions of Karnataka are as yet unexplored, so new species of flora and fauna are found periodically. TheWestern Ghats, abiodiversity 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.The Indian roller and theIndian elephantare recognised as the state bird and animal whilesandalwoodand thelotusare recognised as the state tree and flower respectively. Karnataka has five national parks:Anshi,Bandipur,Bannerghatta,KudremukhandNagarhole.It also has 27 wildlife sanctuaries of which seven are bird sanctuaries.
Wild animals that are found in Karnataka include theelephant, thetiger, theleopard, thegaur, thesambar deer, thechital or spotted deer, themuntjac, thebonnet macaque, theslender loris, thecommon palm civet, thesmall Indian civet, thesloth bear, thedhole, thestriped hyena, theBengal foxand thegolden jackal. Some of the birds found here are thegreat hornbill, theMalabar pied hornbill, theCeylon frogmouth, herons, ducks, kites, eagles,falcons,quails,partridges,lapwings,sandpipers, pigeons, doves,parakeets, cuckoos, owls,nightjars,swifts,kingfishers, bee-eaters andmunias.Some species of trees found in Karnataka areCalophyllum tomentosum,Calophyllum apetalum,Garcinia cambogia,Garcinia morella,Alstonia scholaris,Flacourtia montana,Artocarpus hirsutus,Artocarpus lacucha,Cinnamomum zeylanicum,Grewia tiliifolia,Santalum album,Shorea talura,Emblica officinalis,Vitex altissimaandWrightia tinctoria. Wildlife in Karnataka is threatened bypoaching,habitat destruction,human-wildlife conflictandpollution.
There are 31 districts in Karnataka. Each district (zila) is governed by a district commissioner (ziladar). The districts are further divided into sub-districts (talukas), which are governed by sub-commissioners (talukdars); sub-divisions comprise blocks (tehsils/hobli), which are governed by block development officers (tehsildars), which contain village councils (panchayats), town municipal councils (purasabhe), city municipal councils (nagarasabhe), and city municipal corporations (mahanagara palike).
According to the 2011 census of India,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 kmand 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.
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%. Thetotal fertility ratewas 2.2.
Karnataka's private sector speciality health care competes with the best in the world.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.
Adi Shankara(788–820 CE) choseSringeriin Karnataka to establish the first of his fourmathas(monastery).Madhvacharya(1238–1317) was the chief proponent ofTattvavada(philosophy of reality), popularly known asDvaitaor Dualistic school of Hindu philosophy – one of the three most influentialVedantaphilosophies. Madhvacharya was one of the important philosophers during theBhakti 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 ofVayu(Mukhyaprana), afterHanumanandBhima. TheHaridasadevotional 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.
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 asDasa Sahitya.Purandara dasais widely recognised as the"Pithamaha"ofCarnatic Musicfor his immense contribution.Ramanuja, the leading expounder ofVishishtadvaita, spent many years inMelkote. He came to Karnataka in 1098 CE and lived here until 1122 CE. He first lived in Tondanur and then moved to Melkote where theCheluvanarayana Swamy Templeand a well-organisedmathawere built. He was patronised by the Hoysala king,Vishnuvardhana.
In the twelfth century,Lingayatismemerged in northern Karnataka as a protest against the rigidity of the prevailing social and caste system. Leading figures of this movement wereBasava,Akka MahadeviandAllama Prabhu, who established theAnubhava Mantapawhich 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 wearIshtalingai.e. Symbol of god around their neck.Basavashunned 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 theLingayatfaith which today counts millions among its followers.
TheJainphilosophy and literature have contributed immensely to the religious and cultural landscape of Karnataka.
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.Christianityreached Karnataka in the sixteenth century with the arrival of thePortugueseandSt. Francis Xavierin 1545.
Buddhismwas popular in Karnataka during the first millennium in places such asGulbargaandBanavasi. A chance discovery of edicts and severalMauryanrelics atSannatiinKalaburagi districtin 1986 has proven that theKrishna Riverbasin was once home to bothMahayanaandHinayanaBuddhism. There areTibetan refugeecamps in Karnataka.
Mysore Dasarais celebrated as theNada habba(state festival) and this is marked by major festivities at Mysore.Bangalore Karaga, celebrated in the heart of Bengaluru, is the second most important festival celebrated in Karnataka.Ugadi(Kannada New Year),Makara Sankranti(the harvest festival),Ganesh Chaturthi,Gowri Habba,Ram Navami,Nagapanchami,Basava Jayanthi,Deepavali, andBalipadyamiare the other major festivals of Karnataka.
Kannadais 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 theclassical languages of India.Urduis 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, whileTamil(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.Lambadiis spoken by theLambadisscattered throughout North Karnataka, whileHindiis spoken in Bengaluru.Tulu(2.61%),Konkani(1.29%), andMalayalam(1.27%) are all found in linguistically diverse Coastal Karnataka, where a number of mixed and distinct dialects such asAre Bhashe,Beary Bhashe, andNawayathiare found.Kodava Takkis the language of Kodagu.
Kannadaplayed a crucial role in the creation of Karnataka: linguistic demographics played a major role in defining the new state in 1956.Tulu,KonkaniandKodavaare other minor native languages that share a long history in the state.Urduis spoken widely by theMuslimpopulation. Less widely spoken languages includeBeary basheand certain languages such asSankethi. Some of the regional languages in Karnataka areTulu,Kodava,KonkaniandBeary.
Kannada features a rich and ancient body ofliteratureincluding religious and secular genre, covering topics as diverse asJainism(such asPuranas),Lingayatism(such asVachanas),Vaishnavism(such asHaridasa Sahitya) andmodern literature. Evidence from edicts during the time ofAshoka(reigned 274–232 BCE) suggest that Buddhist literature influenced theKannada scriptand its literature. TheHalmidi inscription, the earliest attested full-length inscription in the Kannada language and script, dates from 450 CE, while the earliest available literary work, theKavirajamarga, has been dated to 850 CE. References made in theKavirajamarga, however, prove that Kannada literature flourished in the native composition metres such asChattana,BeddandeandMelvaduduring earlier centuries. The classic refers to several earlier greats (purvacharyar) of Kannada poetry and prose.Kuvempu, the renowned Kannada poet and writer who wroteJaya Bharata Jananiya Tanujate, the state anthem of Karnatakawas the first recipient of theKarnataka Ratna, the highest civilian award bestowed by theGovernment of Karnataka. ContemporaryKannada literaturehas received considerable acknowledgement in the arena of Indian literature, with eight Kannada writers winning India's highest literary honour, theJnanpith award.
Tuluis the majority language in thecoastal districtofDakshina Kannadaand is the second most spoken in theUdupi district.This region is also known asTulu Nadu.Tulu Mahabharato, written by Arunabja in theTigalariscript, is the oldest surviving Tulu text.Tigalari script was used by Brahmins to writeSanskritlanguage. The use of theKannada scriptfor writing Tulu and non-availability of print in Tigalari script contributed to the marginalisation of Tigalari script.In KarnatakaKonkaniis mostly spoken in theUttara KannadaandDakshina Kannadadistricts and in parts ofUdupi, Konkani use the Devanagari Script (which is official)/Kannada script( Optional ) for writing as identified by government of Karnataka.
TheKodavaswho mainly reside in theKodagu district, speak Kodava Takk. Kodagu was aseparate Statewith its ownChief Ministerand Council of Ministers till 1956.  Two regional variations of the language exist, the northernMendale Takkaand the southernKiggaati Takka.Kodava Takkhas its own script,Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academyhas acceptedI. 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.All of the state's languages are patronised and promoted by governmental and quasi-governmental bodies. TheKannada Sahitya Parishatand theKannada Sahitya Akademiare responsible for the promotion of Kannada while theKarnataka Konkani Sahitya Akademi,theTulu Sahitya Akademiand theKodava Sahitya Akademipromote their respective languages.
Karnataka has aparliamentarysystem 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.The Legislative Council is a permanent body of 75 members with one-third (25 members) retiring every two years.
Thegovernment of Karnatakais headed by theChief Ministerwho is chosen by the ruling partymembersof theLegislative Assembly. The Chief Minister, along with the council of ministers, executes the legislative agenda and exercises most of the executive powers.However, the constitutional and formal head of the state is theGovernorwho is appointed for a five-year term by thePresident of Indiaon the advice of the Union government.The people of Karnataka also elect 28 members to theLok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament.The members of the state Legislative Assembly elect 12 members to theRajya Sabha, the upper house of theIndian Parliament.
For administrative purposes, Karnataka has been divided into four revenue divisions, 49 sub-divisions, 31 districts, 175taluksand 745hoblies/ revenue circles.The administration in each district is headed by aDeputy Commissionerwho belongs to theIndian Administrative Serviceand is assisted by a number of officers belonging to Karnataka state services. TheSuperintendent of Police, an officer belonging to theIndian Police Serviceand 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 theIndian 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 theKarnataka High Court(Attara Kacheri) in Bangalore, Hubballi-Dharwad, and Kalaburagi,district and session courtsin each district and lower courts and judges at thetaluklevel.
Politics in Karnataka has been dominated by three political parties, theIndian National Congress, theJanata Dal (Secular)and theBharatiya Janata Party.Politicians from Karnataka have played prominent roles infederal government of Indiawith some of them having held the high positions ofPrime Ministerand Vice-President. Border disputes involving Karnataka's claim on theKasaragodandSolapurdistricts andMaharashtra'sclaim on Belagaviare ongoing since the states reorganisation.The officialemblem of Karnatakahas aGanda Berundain the centre. Surmounting this are four lions facing the four directions, taken from theLion Capital of AshokaatSarnath. The emblem also carries twoSharabhaswith the head of anelephantand the body of alion.
Karnataka had an estimated GSDP (Gross State Domestic Product) of about US$115.86 billion in the 2014–15 fiscal year.The state registered a GSDP growth rate of 7% for the year 2014–2015.Karnataka's contribution to India's GDP in the year 2014–15 was 7.54%.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.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%.In 2011–2012, Karnataka had an estimated poverty ratio of 20.91% compared to the national ratio of 21.92%.
Nearly 56% of the workforce in Karnataka is engaged in agriculture and related activities.A total of 12.31 million hectares of land, or 64.6% of the state's total area, is cultivated.Much of the agricultural output is dependent on thesouthwest monsoonas only 26.5% of the sown area is irrigated.
Karnataka is the manufacturing hub for some of the largestpublic sectorindustries in India, includingHindustan Aeronautics Limited,National Aerospace Laboratories,Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited,Bharat Earth Movers LimitedandHMT(formerly Hindustan Machine Tools), which are based in Bengaluru. Many of India's premier science and technology research centres, such asIndian Space Research Organisation,Central Power Research Institute,Bharat Electronics Limitedand theCentral Food Technological Research Institute, are also headquartered in Karnataka.Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limitedis anoil refinery, located in Mangalore.
The state has also begun to invest heavily insolar powercentred on thePavagada 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.
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,InfosysandWipro, are also headquartered in the state.Exports from these firms exceeded₹500 billion(equivalent to₹1.6 trillion or US$19 billion in 2023) in 2006–07, accounting for nearly 38% of all IT exports from India.TheNandi Hillsarea in the outskirts ofDevanahalliis the site of the upcoming $22 billion, 50 kmBIAL IT Investment Region, one of the largest infrastructure projects in the history of Karnataka.All this has earned the state capital, Bengaluru, the sobriquetSilicon Valley of India.
Karnataka also leads the nation inbiotechnology. It is home to India's largest biocluster, with 60% of the country's biotechnology firms being based here.The state has 18,000 hectares of land underflower cultivation, an upcoming industry which supplies flowers and ornamental plants worldwide.
Seven of India's banks,Canara Bank,Syndicate Bank,Corporation Bank,Vijaya Bank,Karnataka Bank,ING Vysya Bankand theState Bank of Mysoreoriginated in this state.The coastal districts ofUdupiandDakshina Kannadahave a branch for every 500 persons—the best distribution of banks in India.In March 2002, Karnataka had 4767 branches of different banks with each branch serving 11,000 persons, which is lower than the national average of 16,000.
A majority of thesilk industry in Indiais headquartered in Karnataka, much of it inDoddaballapurain Bangalore Rural district and the state government intends to invest₹700 million(equivalent to₹1.4 billion or US$17 million in 2023) in a "Silk City" atMuddenahalliin Chikkaballapura district.
Karnataka also produces silver. The silver production of the state in 2018–19 was 214 kg whereas in 2019–20 it was 187 kg and in 2020–21 the silver production was 120 kg.
Karnataka has the only village in the country which produces authenticIndian national flagsaccording to manufacturing process and specifications for the flag are laid out by theBureau of Indian StandardsatHubli.
Air transport in Karnataka, as in the rest of the country, is still a fledgling but fast expanding sector. Karnataka has airports at Bengaluru,Mangalore,Belgaum,Hubli,Hampi,Bellary,Gulbarga, andMysorewith international operations from Bengaluru and Mangalore airports.ShimogaandBijapurairports are being built under theUDAN Scheme.
Karnataka has a railway network with a total length of approximately 3,089 km (1,919 mi). Until the creation of theSouth-Western Railway Zoneheadquartered atHubballiin 2003, the railway network in the state was in theSouthern Railway zone,South-Central Railway ZoneandWestern Railway zone. Several parts of the state now come under the South Western Railway zone with 3 Railway Divisions atBengaluru,Mysore, Hubli, with the remainder under the Southern Railway zone andKonkan Railway Zone, which is considered one of India's biggest railway projects of the century due to the difficult terrain.Bengaluru and other cities in the state are well-connected with intrastate and inter-state destinations.
Karnataka has 11ports, including theNew Mangalore Port, a major port and ten minor ports, of which three were operational in 2012.The New Mangalore port was incorporated as the ninth major port in India on 4 May 1974.This port handled 32.04 million tonnes of traffic in the fiscal year 2006–07 with 17.92 million tonnes of imports and 14.12 million 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 ofElectronic visa (e-visa).Cruise shipsfrom Europe, North America andUAEarrive at New Mangalore Port to visit the tourist places acrossCoastal Karnataka.The port of Mangalore is among the 4 major ports of India that receive over 25 international cruise ships every year.
The total lengths ofNational HighwaysandState Highwaysin Karnataka are 3,973 and 9,829 km (2,469 and 6,107 mi), respectively.
The state transport corporations, transports an average of 2.2 million passengers daily and employs about 25,000 people.TheKarnataka State Road Transport Corporation(KSRTC) and TheBangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation(BMTC) headquartered in Bengaluru, TheKalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation(KKRTC) headquartered in Gulbarga, and TheNorth Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation(NWKRTC) headquartered in Hubballi are the 4 state-owned transport corporations.
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 toTuluvas,KodavasandKonkanis. Minor populations ofTibetan Buddhistsand tribes like theSoligas, Yeravas,TodasandSiddhisalso live in Karnataka. Thetraditional folk artscover the entire gamut of music, dance, drama, storytelling by itinerant troupes, etc.YakshaganaofTulu 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 likeNinasam,Ranga Shankara,RangayanaandPrabhat Kalavidarucontinuing to build on the foundations laid byGubbi Veeranna,T. P. Kailasam,B. V. Karanth,K V Subbanna, Prasanna andothers.Veeragase,Kamsale,KolataandDollu Kunithaare popular dance forms. TheMysorestyle ofBharatanatya, 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 ofBharatanatya.
Karnataka also has a special place in the world ofIndian classical music, with both Karnataka(Carnatic) andHindustanistyles finding place in the state, and Karnataka has produced a number ofstalwarts in both styles. TheHaridasamovement of the sixteenth century contributed significantly to the development of Karnataka (Carnatic) music as a performing art form.Purandara Dasa, one of the most reveredHaridasas, is known as theKarnataka Sangeeta Pitamaha('Father of Karnataka a.k.a. Carnatic music').Celebrated Hindustani musicians likeGangubai Hangal,Mallikarjun Mansur,Bhimsen Joshi,Basavaraja Rajaguru,Sawai Gandharvaandseveral othershail from Karnataka, and some of them have been recipients of theKalidas Samman,Padma BhushanandPadma Vibhushanawards. Noted Carnatic musicians include Violin T. Chowdiah, Veena Sheshanna, Mysore Vasudevachar, Doreswamy Iyengar and Thitte Krishna Iyengar.
Gamakais anotherclassical musicgenrebased on Carnatic music that is practised in Karnataka.Kannada Bhavageeteis 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.Chitrakala Parishatis an organisation in Karnataka dedicated to promoting painting, mainly in theMysore paintingstyle.
Sareeis the traditional dress of women in Karnataka. Women in Kodagu have a distinct style of wearing thesaree, different from the rest of Karnataka.Dhoti, known asPanchein Karnataka, is the traditional attire of men.Shirt,TrousersandSalwar kameezare widely worn in Urban areas.Mysore Petais the traditional headgear of southern Karnataka, while thepagadiorpataga(similar to theRajasthani turban) is preferred in the northern areas of the state.
RiceandRagiform the staple food in South Karnataka, whereasJolada rotti,Sorghumis staple to North Karnataka.Bisi bele bath,Jolada rotti,Ragi mudde,Uppittu,Benne Dose,Masala DoseandMaddur Vadeare some of the popular food items in Karnataka. Among sweets,Mysore Pak,KaradantuofGokakandAmingad,Belgaavi KundaandDharwad pedhaare popular. Apart from this,coastal Karnatakaand Kodagu have distinctive cuisines of their own.Udupi cuisineof coastal Karnataka is popular all over India.
As per the 2011 census, Karnataka had aliteracy rateof 75.60%, with 82.85% of males and 68.13% of females in the state being literate.
TheIndian Institute of ScienceandManipal Academy of Higher Educationwere ranked within the top 10 universities of India by NIRF 2020.The state is home to some of the premier educational and research institutions of India such as theIndian Institute of Management – Bangalore, theIndian Institute of Technology – DharwadtheNational Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences – Bangalore, theNational Institute of Technology Karnataka – Surathkaland theNational Law School of India University – Bangalore.
In March 2006, Karnataka had 54,529 primary schools with 252,875 teachers and 8.495 million students,and 9498 secondary schools with 92,287 teachers and 1.384 million students.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 areKannadaandEnglish.
The syllabus taught in the schools is either ofKSEEB (SSLC)andPre-University Course (PUC)of the State Syllabus, theCBSEof the Central Syllabus,CISCE,IGCSE,IB,NIOS, etc., are all defined by the Department of Public Instruction of theGovernment of Karnataka. The state has two Sainik Schools –Kodagu Sainik School in KodaguandBijapur Sainik School in Bijapur.
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.
Statewide board examinationsare conducted at the end of secondary education. Students who qualify are allowed to pursue a two-yearpre-university course, after which they become eligible to pursueunder-graduatedegrees.
There are 481-degree colleges affiliated with one of theuniversitiesin the state, viz.Bangalore University,Rani Channamma University, Belagavi,Gulbarga University,Karnatak University,Kuvempu University,Mangalore UniversityandMysore University.In 1998, the engineering colleges in the state were brought under the newly formedVisvesvaraya Technological Universityheadquartered inBelgaum, whereas the medical colleges are run under the jurisdiction of theRajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciencesheadquartered inBengaluru. Some of these baccalaureate colleges are accredited with the status of adeemed university. There are 186 engineering, 39 medical and 41 dental colleges in the state.Udupi,Sringeri,GokarnaandMelkoteare well-known places ofSanskritandVediclearning. In 2015 the Central Government decided to establish the firstIndian Institute of Technologyin Karnataka atDharwad.Tulu and Konkanilanguages are taught as an optional subject in the twin districts ofDakshina KannadaandUdupi.
Christ University,Jain University,CMR University,Dayananda Sagar University,PES UniversityandREVA Universityare notable private universities in Karnataka.
On 9 February 2022, Karnataka shut its schools for three days after the regional administration-backed schools imposed ahijab 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.
The era of Kannada newspapers started in the year 1843 whenHermann Mögling, amissionaryfromBasel Mission, published the first Kannada newspaper calledMangaluru SamacharainMangalore. The first Kannada periodical,Mysuru Vrittanta Bodhiniwas started by Bhashyam Bhashyacharya in Mysore. Shortly after Indian independence in 1948,K. N. GuruswamyfoundedThe Printers (Mysuru) Private Limitedand began publishing two newspapers,Deccan HeraldandPrajavani. PresentlyThe Times of IndiaandVijaya Karnatakaare the largest-selling English and Kannada newspapers respectively.A vast number of weekly, biweekly and monthly magazines are under publication in both Kannada and English.Vijay Karnataka,Vijayvani,Prajavani,Udaywani,Kannada Prabhaare some popular dailies published from Karnataka.
Doordarshanis the broadcaster of theGovernment of Indiaand its channelDD Chandanais dedicated to Kannada. ProminentKannada channelsincludeColors Kannada,Zee Kannada,Star SuvarnaandUdaya TV.
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 inMysore.The popular radio station was taken over by the local municipality and later byAll India Radio(AIR) and moved to Bangalore in 1955. Later in 1957, AIR adopted the original name of the radio station,Aakashavanias its own. Some of the popular programs aired by AIR Bangalore includedNisarga SampadaandSasya Sanjeeviniwhich 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.Karnataka has witnessed a growth in FM radio channels, mainly in the cities of Bengaluru, Mangalore and Mysore, which has become hugely popular.
Karnataka's smallest district,Kodagu, is a major contributor toIndian field hockey, producing numerous players who have represented India at the international level.The annualKodava Hockey Festivalis the largest hockey tournament in the world.Bengaluruhas hosted aWTAtennisevent and, in 1997, it hosted the fourth National Games of India.The Sports Authority of India, the premier sports institute in the country, and theNikeTennis Academy are also situated in Bangalore. Karnataka has been referred to as the cradle of Indian swimming because of its high standards in comparison to other states.
One of the most popular sports in Karnataka iscricket.The state cricket teamhas won theRanji Trophyseven times, second only toMumbaiin terms of success.Chinnaswamy Stadiumin Bengaluru regularly hostsinternational Cricket matchesand is also the home of theNational Cricket Academy, which was opened in 2000 to nurture potential international players. Manycricketershave representedIndiaand in one international match held in the 1990s; players from Karnataka composed the majority of the national team.TheRoyal Challengers Bangalore, anIndian Premier Leaguefranchise, theBengaluru Football Club, anIndian Super Leaguefranchise, the Bengaluru Yodhas, aPro Wrestling Leaguefranchise, theBengaluru Blasters, aPremier Badminton Leaguefranchise and theBengaluru Bulls, aPro Kabaddi Leaguefranchise are based in Bengaluru. TheKarnataka Premier Leagueis an inter-regionalTwenty20cricket tournament played in the state for eight seasons till 2019.After 2019, it was replaced by Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 tournament.
Notable sportsmen from Karnataka includeB.S. Chandrasekhar,Roger Binny,E. A. S. Prasanna,Anil Kumble,Javagal Srinath,Rahul Dravid,Venkatesh Prasad,Robin Uthappa,Vinay Kumar,Gundappa Vishwanath,Syed Kirmani,Stuart Binny,K. L. Rahul,Mayank Agarwal,Manish Pandey,Karun Nair,Ashwini Ponnappa,Mahesh Bhupathi,Rohan Bopanna,Prakash Padukonewho won theAll England Badminton Championshipsin 1980 andPankaj Advaniwho has won three world titles incue sportsby the age of 20 including the amateurWorld Snooker Championshipin 2003 and the World Billiards Championship in 2005.
Bijapur districthas 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 inMalaysia. 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$46,000).
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.Karnataka has the second highest number of nationally protected monuments in India, second only toUttar Pradesh,in addition to 752 monuments protected by the State Directorate of Archaeology and Museums. Another 25,000 monuments are yet to receive protection.
The districts of theWestern Ghatsand the southern districts of the state have popular eco-tourism locations includingKudremukh,MadikeriandAgumbe. Karnataka has 25 wildlife sanctuaries and five national parks. Popular among them areBandipura National Park,Bannerghatta National ParkandNagarhole National Park. The ruins of the Vijayanagara Empire atHampiand the monuments ofPattadakalare on the list ofUNESCO'sWorld Heritage Sites. The cave temples atBadamiand the rock-cut temples atAiholerepresenting the Badami Chalukyan style of architecture are also popular tourist destinations. TheHoysalatemples atBeluruandHalebidu, which were built with Chloritic schist (soapstone) are proposed UNESCO World Heritage sites.TheGol GumbazandIbrahim Rauzaare famous examples of theDeccan Sultanatestyle of architecture. The monolith of GomateshwaraBahubaliatShravanabelagolais the tallest sculpted monolith in the world, attracting tens of thousands of pilgrims during theMahamastakabhishekafestival.
The waterfalls of Karnataka andKudremukhare considered by some to be among the "1001 Natural Wonders of the World".Jog FallsisIndia's tallest single-tiered waterfallwithGokak Falls,Unchalli Falls,Magod Falls,Abbey FallsandShivanasamudra Fallsamong other popular waterfalls.
Several popular beaches dot the coastline, includingMurudeshwara,Gokarna,MalpeandKarwar. In addition, Karnataka is home to several places of religious importance. Several Hindu temples including the famousUdupi Sri Krishna Matha, theMarikamba TempleatSirsi, theKollur Mookambika Temple, the Sri Manjunatha Temple atDharmasthala,Kukke Subramanya Temple, Janardhana and Mahakali Temple atAmbalpadi, Sharadamba Temple atShringeriattract pilgrims from all over India. Most of the holy sites ofLingayatism, likeKudalasangamaandBasavana Bagewadi, are found in northern parts of the state.Shravanabelagola,MudabidriandKarkalaare famous for Jain history and monuments. Jainism had a stronghold in Karnataka in the early medieval period with Shravanabelagola as its most important centre. TheShettihalli Rosary ChurchnearShettihalli, an example of French colonialGothic architecture, is a rare example of a Christian ruin, is a popular tourist site.
Karnataka has become a center ofhealth care tourismand has the highest number of approved health systems and alternative therapies in India. Along with someISO certifiedgovernment-owned hospitals, private institutions which provide international-quality services, Hospitals in Karnataka treat around 8,000 health tourists every year.