Overview
The University of Mysore is a state public university located in Mysuru (formerly Mysore), Karnataka, India. Established in 1916, it is among the oldest universities in India and the first to be set up outside the framework of the British colonial administration of the time. The university serves as an affiliating, teaching and research institution, with its principal campus, Manasagangotri, situated on the banks of the Kukkarahalli Lake in Mysuru.
Key facts
| Name | University of Mysore |
|---|---|
| Type | State public university |
| Established | 1916 |
| Location | Mysuru, Karnataka, India |
| Main campus | Manasagangotri |
| Founders | Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV; M. Visvesvaraya |
| Language of instruction | English and Kannada |
Background
The University of Mysore was founded during the reign of Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV of the princely state of Mysore, with the active involvement of the then Dewan, Sir M. Visvesvaraya. Its creation marked a significant moment in Indian higher education, as it was the sixth university established in India and the first to be founded by an Indian state rather than the British Government. Prior to its formation, students from the Mysore region were affiliated to the University of Madras.
The university was constituted under the Mysore University Regulation of 1916. Maharaja's College and Central College, Bangalore were among the earliest constituent colleges. Central College later became part of Bangalore University when that institution was carved out in 1964.
Campus
The principal post-graduate campus, Manasagangotri, was developed from the 1960s on a large area adjoining Kukkarahalli Lake in Mysuru. The campus houses departments across the humanities, sciences, social sciences, commerce, education, law and engineering, along with research institutes, libraries and student residences. The university also operates post-graduate centres at Hassan, Mandya and Chamarajanagar, and affiliates a large number of colleges across the southern Karnataka region.
Academics and research
The University of Mysore offers undergraduate, post-graduate, M.Phil. and Ph.D. programmes in a wide range of disciplines. It is recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and was accorded the status of an Institution of Excellence by the Government of India. The university has been accredited by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).
Notable academic units include the Institute of Kannada Studies, the Department of Studies in English, the Department of Linguistics, the Department of Physics, and the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysuru, which has had a long association with the university for doctoral studies. The Oriental Research Institute, an attached body, holds an extensive collection of palm-leaf manuscripts in Sanskrit and other languages.
Timeline
- 1916 – University of Mysore established under Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV; Mysore becomes the first Indian princely state to set up a university.
- 1916 – Maharaja's College and Central College become founding constituent colleges.
- 1964 – Bangalore University formed; Central College and other Bangalore-based colleges separated from Mysore.
- 1960s – Manasagangotri post-graduate campus developed in Mysuru.
- 2000s – Designated by UGC as a University with Potential for Excellence and later as an Institution of Excellence.
Notable people
The university has been associated with several prominent figures in Indian literature, science and public life. Vice-Chancellors and faculty have included scholars such as Sir Brajendranath Seal and Kuvempu (K. V. Puttappa), the Kannada poet who later received the Jnanpith Award. Other distinguished alumni and faculty include the writers Masti Venkatesha Iyengar, U. R. Ananthamurthy and S. L. Bhyrappa, the philosopher and statesman S. Radhakrishnan (who taught at Maharaja's College early in his career), and the educationist H. Narasimhaiah.
Significance
As one of the earliest indigenously founded universities in India, the University of Mysore played an important role in shaping modern higher education in southern India. It contributed to the institutionalisation of Kannada-language scholarship, the development of regional research traditions, and the training of generations of administrators, scientists and writers. Several universities in Karnataka, including Bangalore University, Mangalore University and Kuvempu University, trace their administrative or academic origins to the University of Mysore.
Related topics
- Mysuru
- Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV
- M. Visvesvaraya
- Kuvempu
- Bangalore University
- Higher education in India
- Karnataka
References
- Wikidata entry: Q1370721
- University Grants Commission, list of state universities.
- Government of Karnataka, Department of Higher Education records.