Karnataka Grants Tulu Additional Official Language Status in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi
· India · Hindustan Times, The Hindu
Karnataka has granted Tulu the status of an additional official language in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar announced. The decision was taken at the first Cabinet meeting held in Mangaluru at the Praja Soudha building on Friday, September 18, 2026. It fulfills a long-standing demand for formal recognition of Tulu, a Dravidian language spoken by nearly one crore people globally, with its principal base in the undivided Dakshina Kannada and Udupi regions and parts of Kasaragod. Shivakumar said the government chose to focus on the lives and needs of the people rather than question why previous governments did not act on the demand. The Cabinet also discussed a proposal to rename Dakshina Kannada district as Mangaluru, with a decision expected within a month after collecting public opinion and holding a formal debate.
Why it matters
Tulu speakers in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi will now have their language recognized for official use, potentially improving access to government services and cultural preservation. The move addresses a decades-old demand and may encourage similar language recognition efforts in other linguistically distinct regions of India.
Read the original report — Hindustan Times
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