Temples across DK decorated for 'Navaratri' festival

September 27, 2011

Mangalore, September 27: Temples in Dakshina Kannada have been illuminated with coloured lights to celebrate the “Navaratri” festival that starts from Wednesday.

Sri Gokarnanatha temple at Kudroli, Mangaladevi temple at Bolar, Durgaparameshwari temple at Kateel, Bappanadu Durgaparameshwari temple at Mulky, and Annapoorneshwari temple at Kodyadkka near Moodbidri are some of the temples which attract a large number of devotes during the nine-day Dasara spectacle that will end on October 6.

Mangalore Dasara

The Gokarnanatha temple at Kudroli, which is the showpiece event of Mangalore Dasara, has been splendidly decked up on the eve of the festival.

Harikrishna Bantwal, a member of the Temple Development Committee, told presspersons on Monday that the historical Mangalore Dasara celebrations would begin on September 28, with the installation of Nava Durga and Sharada idols.

He said Union Minister for Civil Aviation Vayalar Ravi will participate in the celebration on October 2.

Senior Congress leader B Janardhana Poojary would be launching the new website with detail of Kudroli Sri Gokarnanatha Kshetra on September 29.

Mr Bantwal said widows from different caste will be in the forefront when Chandika Yaga will be performed on October 4.

On October 6, the Nava Durga and Ganesha idols would be taken out on 7 km Shobha Yatra. This procession will pass through Kambla Road, Mannagudda, Lady Hill Circle, Lalbagh, Ballalbagh, PVS Circle, Navbharat Circle, KS Rao Raod, Hampankatta, Government College, Ganapathi High School, Venkataramana Temple, New Chitra Talkies, and Alake.

“The entire procession route has been decked up with lights” Mr Bantwal said.

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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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