Shah Rukh Khan still misses Mangaluru, Bengaluru; plans to stay in Karnataka

December 12, 2015

Bengaluru, Dec 12: Bollywood’s Badshah Shah Rukh Khan has once again recalled his days in Mangaluru and Bengaluru, where he had spent first five to six years of his life.

The King Khan, who was in Karnataka on Friday to inauguration of IIM-Bangalore’s alumni conclave and first leadership summit surprised many when he revealed his plans to rebuild his grandfather’s Nandi Durga Road home and “stay here for some time” with his children.

“I have grown up in the city. I was adopted by my grandparents when my parents were working hard to make ends meet. So I spent the first five to six years of my life in Mangaluru and Bengaluru. My aunt’s house is in Jayamahal and my grandfather’s house is on Nandi Durga road,” he said.

Admitting though that he missed the “trafficlessness” of the city, he said he missed Cubbon Park and the cycle rides through the city.

“When we were making either ‘Chennai Express’ or ‘Happy New Year,’ we went on a long drive though,” he recalled.

When asked about how much Kannada he knows, he chose to retort with “Nakko” and rattled off some Tamil-sounding words, leading to a roar of laughter from the audience.

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Major facelift for Mangaluru's sporting heart: Mangala Stadium set for 2-month closure to upgrade synthetic track

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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