Mangalore University to confer Honoris Causa on Prof. B A Viveka Rai

March 2, 2017

Mangaluru, Mar 2: Mangalore University will be awarding Honorary Doctorate Degree (Honoris Causa) to eminent educationist, Folklorist and Kannada Professor B A Viveka Rai in the 35th Annual Mangalore University Convocation on March, 3, 2017 at 10.00 am in the Mangala Auditorium, Mangalagangothri.

Dr Rai, a native of Mangaluru, Karnataka was a guest professor with the Department of Indology, University of Wurzburg, Germany till recently. Earlier he was a Professor of Kannada Language, Literature and Folkloristics in Mangalore University, Karnataka. Prof. Viveka Rai has also been the Vice-Chancellor of Kannada University, Hampi and the Karnataka State Open University (2007-09). He has done extensive studies on Tulu, the regional language of Mangaluru and Dakshina Kannada and published volumes of literature on the same. Tulu song “Yekka Saka” from popular movie “Koti Chennayya” was written by Prof. Viveka Rai.

Dr. Rai hails from the Punacha village of Puttur in Dakshina Kannada District and has completed his Masters degree in Kannada from Mangalore University and Ph.D from Mysore University. He has served Mangalore University as Lecturer, Reader, Professor and Head of the Department for about 34 years in teaching and research of Kannada. Currently he is serving as a Guest Professor, Dept.of Indology, University of Wurzburg, Germany.

He has served as the Vice Chancellor of Hampi Kannada University and Karnataka State University, Mysore. He is also the founder president of Tulu Sahitya Academy. He has honorary membership at Folklore Fellows, Finland, Central Sahitya Academy, Karnataka Sahitya Academy, Karnataka Folk and Yakshagana Academy, Governing Committee of Central Kannada Sahithya Parishath, Udupi regional folk arts research centre at Udupi, and Pilikula Nisarga dhama trust, Mangaluru.

He has been conferred upon with Karnataka Rajyotsava Award, Muliya Thimmapayya Award, Presidentship of the Karnataka folk literature conference, Karnataka Culture Conference, Karnataka Desi Conference, World Tulu Sammelan held at Dubai.

Tulu Proverbs, Tulu riddles, Tulu culture, Tulu folk literature, Indian traditions, riddles in literature, Gilisoove, Irula Kannu, Hindana hejje, Rangadolagana Bahiranga, Bagilanu teredu, Inside Germany, Kannada linguistic writings, Nettara Maduve, Siri Epic as performed by Gopala Naika, along with 15 more works have been compiled by Dr. Rai. He has also been the Chief Editor of History of Tulu literature and the Kannada Jain Samputa.

He has undertaken research in countries like Germany, Finland, Switzerland, Japan, America, England, Austria, France, Dubai, Abudhabi, Sharjah and has guided 16 Ph.D researchers and 10 M.Phil researchers.

Currently he is creating and maintaining the “Samskrithi Grama” or Culture village at Pilikula Nisargadhama and is also undertaking the translation of Kannada literature into German language.

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Mangaluru’s KPT becomes India’s first autonomous govt polytechnic

News Network

January 23,2026

Mangaluru: The Karnataka Government Polytechnic (KPT), Mangaluru, has achieved autonomous status from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), becoming the first government polytechnic in the country to receive such recognition in its 78-year history. The status was granted by AICTE, New Delhi, and subsequently approved by the Karnataka Board of Technical Education in October last year.

Officials said the autonomy was conferred a few months ago. Until recently, AICTE extended autonomous status only to engineering colleges, excluding diploma institutions. However, with a renewed national focus on skill development, several government polytechnics across India have now been granted autonomy.

KPT, the second-largest polytechnic in Karnataka, was established in 1946 with four branches and has since expanded to offer eight diploma programmes, including computer science and polymer technology. The institution is spread across a 19-acre campus.

Ravindra M Keni, the first dean of the institution, told The Times of India that AICTE had proposed autonomous status for polytechnic institutions that are over 25 years old. “Many colleges applied. In the first round, 100 institutions were shortlisted, which was further narrowed down to 15 in the second round. We have already completed one semester after becoming an autonomous institution,” he said. He added that nearly 500 students are admitted annually across eight three-year diploma courses.

Explaining the factors that helped KPT secure autonomy, Keni said the institution has consistently recorded 100 per cent admissions and placements for its graduates. He also noted its strong performance in sports, with the college emerging champions for 12 consecutive years, along with active student participation in NCC and NSS activities.

Autonomous status allows KPT to design industry-oriented curricula, conduct examinations, prepare question papers, and manage academic documentation independently. The institution can also directly collaborate with industries and receive priority funding from AICTE or the Ministry of Education. While academic autonomy has been granted, financial control will continue to rest with the state government.

“There will be separate committees for examinations, question paper setting, boards of studies, and boards of examiners. The institution will now have the freedom to conduct admissions without government notifications and issue its own marks cards,” Keni said, adding that new academic initiatives would be planned after a year of functioning under the autonomous framework.

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