Karnataka
The Karnataka Cabinet, which met in Mangaluru on Friday, September 18, approved declaring Tulu the state’s second additional language for administrative purposes in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts.
Tulu has a history of more than 2,000 years and is considered the fifth major Dravidian language. The decision follows demands from Tulu organisations, dignitaries and the public, along with reports from experts and officials.
The district administrations of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi will implement the decision. The government will allocate Rs 82 lakh annually for translation, training and other activities related to the use of Tulu.
The Cabinet also approved a government medical college, teaching hospital, hostel and other infrastructure in Puttur taluk of Dakshina Kannada at a cost of Rs 549.79 crore. The facilities will come up at a site identified near Sediyapu in Bannur village.
The government said the medical college will help increase the number of doctors and benefit patients, particularly those from economically weaker sections, in the district.
The Cabinet also decided to issue a one-month notice inviting objections and suggestions on the proposal to change the name of Dakshina Kannada district to Mangaluru.
Long-standing demand for Tulu recognition
The Cabinet’s decision follows years of demands for greater official recognition for Tulu.
Ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections, the then BJP government had constituted a committee to examine a proposal to make Tulu the second official language of Karnataka. The committee, headed by academician Mohan Alva, was asked to submit its report within a week.
Tulu organisations such as Jai Tulunad and the Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy, along with political leaders including Puttur Congress MLA Ashok Kumar Rai and Dakshina Kannada BJP MP Brijesh Chowta, have backed demands for greater recognition of the language. They have also sought its inclusion in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, which currently recognises 22 languages.
Tulu is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in coastal Karnataka, particularly in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi. It is also spoken in parts of Kasaragod district in Kerala. The broader Tulu-speaking region is commonly referred to as Tulunadu.
According to the 2011 Census, around 1.85 million people reported Tulu as their mother tongue. The language has a long literary and cultural tradition, including oral traditions and written records.
The demand for constitutional recognition also dates back several years. In 2008, when BS Yediyurappa was Chief Minister, he had committed to advocating for Tulu’s inclusion in the Eighth Schedule. The community has since continued campaigns seeking greater recognition and official status for the language.
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