Propelled by the Karnataka Ekikarana movement and decades of protests, all Kannada-speaking regions outside the Mysore Princely State were unified into one State on November 1, 1956. This newly-banded State was named Mysore.
It was only 17 years later — after impassioned campaigning from legislators, writers and activists — that a resolution was enacted by the Parliament on August 21, 1973, to rename the State through the Mysore State (Alteration of Name) Act, 1973.
Thus, on November 1, 1973, the Mysore State became Karnataka. Today marks 50 years since that historic decision.
In this series, The Hindu delves into archival material, historical records, anecdotes as well as first-person accounts from senior State leaders to bring you stories about the formation, renaming and development of the State from 1956 to 2023.
