Tulu Voices Surge for Renaming Dakshina Kannada

In a vibrant cultural resurgence, over 600 Tulu speakers recently convened in Dakshina Kannada to back a movement advocating for the district’s renaming to ‘ Mangalore/Kudla’, a historically and linguistically significant term for the region. Organized by the Tulu Samachara community, this gathering underscored growing concern over cultural preservation, as locals argued that the current name fails to reflect the area’s rich Tulu heritage

Participants highlighted how “Dakshina Kannada”, a remnant of colonial nomenclature, inadequately represents the Tulu-speaking majority—estimated at over 1.8 million—and emphasized that reinstating ‘Kudla’ would be a symbolic yet powerful acknowledgement of their identity.

The renaming movement has also gained traction online, with activists launching a petition aimed at prompting the Karnataka government to honor Tulu culture by formally adopting the name Kudla

Advocates stress that this change would go beyond semantics—it could contribute significantly to reviving the endangered Tulu language (currently listed as vulnerable by UNESCO), fostering community pride and raising national awareness. With nearly 250 signatures in just a few days, proponents believe the momentum is building. As conversations intensify statewide, the proposal may soon prompt policymakers to reevaluate the link between place names and regional self-identity.

The meeting was also participated by prominent personalities of Mangalore region like Vajradehi Sri Rajashekarananda Swami, MP Captain Brijesh Chowta, MLA Dr. Bharath Shetty & Vedavyas Kamath and others like Padmaraj Ramaiya, Rakshith Shivaram, and several public representatives and Tulu activists and speakers.