Karnataka BJP govt to tone down Tipu’s heroism, include old Hindu dynasty of Kashmir in textbooks

News Network

March 25, 2022

Bengaluru, Mar 25: In a further push towards saffronisation of education in Karnataka, the school textbook review committee set up by the state BJP government has recommended toning down the heroic story of Tipu Sultan besides inclusion of chapters on the Ahom dynasty that ruled northeastern regions for 600 years and the Karkota Hindu dynasty of Kashmir valley.

The committee headed by Hindutva writer Rohith Chakrathirtha submitted the recommendations a few weeks ago and a formal order was also issued to incorporate the changes in the textbooks.

According to sources in the Primary and Secondary Education Department, the panel suggested that the chapter on Tipu Sultan be retained but without any glorification of the 18th-century Mysuru ruler.

"We have not removed the chapter on Tipu but it would definitely be not a glorified one," said a source who was privy to the recommendations.

The source further said that as a ruler, it is necessary to study Tipu. "We have cleared the imbalance. There was too much glorification in the books drafted by the Prof Baraguru Ramachandrappa-headed panel under the previous Congress government. That has been removed and we have maintained a neutral tone."

The government was under pressure from various sections, including BJP MLA Appachu Ranjan, to drop the chapter from textbooks. They argued that Tipu was a 'fanatic' who killed and converted Hindus in Kodagu to Islam, besides looting temples. Education Minister B C Nagesh, who assumed charge of the department, constituted a committee to revise textbooks and appointed Chakrathirtha as chairperson on Sept 8, 2021.

Following the recommendations, the department has ordered the Textbook Society to include the changes in the textbooks, which will be distributed in the forthcoming academic year.

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RuTAGe smart village centres in DK, Udupi to being technology closer to rural communities

News Network

January 20,2026

Mangaluru: In a major step towards strengthening rural innovation, the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India is supporting the establishment of RuTAGe Smart Village Centres (RSVCs) across the country through collaborations with academic institutions, civil society organisations and philanthropic partners.

As part of this national initiative, Nitte (Deemed to be University) will set up the first RSVCs in the region at Nitte GP in Udupi district and at the Nitte Health Centre, Sevanjali Trust, Farangipete, in Dakshina Kannada district. The centres will be inaugurated on January 21. In South India, the programme is being implemented by the Section Infin-8 Foundation (SI-8).

Speaking to reporters on Monday, SI-8 founder-director Vishwas US said experts from Nitte University and SI-8 would work closely with farmers, students, youth and local entrepreneurs to adapt and deploy technologies tailored to local needs.

Project head Prof Iddya Karunasagar, representing Nitte DU, said the RSVCs at Nitte and Farangipete would serve as demonstration hubs for a wide range of agriculture, energy, skill-development and assistive technologies. These include solar dryers for fruits, vegetables and crops; soil-testing solutions; power weeders and women-friendly farm tools; wind-powered devices for rural artisans; grain storage systems; grass-cutting and tree-climbing equipment; and liquid fertiliser production using cowshed waste.

SI-8 CEO Aravind C Kumar said the centres would also provide access to digital and knowledge-based platforms such as ISRO applications, government scheme portals, market linkage tools and gamified learning resources, along with assistive technologies for persons with visual impairments.

Highlighting the broader impact of the initiative, Principal Scientific Adviser Prof Ajay Kumar Sood said it demonstrated how applied research could bridge the rural–urban divide and help create self-reliant, technology-enabled villages.

The initiative has been made possible through philanthropic support from Dr NC Murthy of ACM Business Solutions, LLC, USA. Dr Sapna Poti, Director (Strategic Alliances) at the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, said the long-term objective is to build self-sufficient, technology-driven communities capable of generating sustainable livelihoods on their own.

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