Historical background of the College

The 20th of June 1917 marks an important day in the calendar of education in Northern Karnataka; it was on this day that, after strenuous efforts of several years, Karnatak College in Dharwad was established. The Karnatak College located at Dharwad, in the Northern region of Karnataka, is truly a symbol of a spirit and an embodiment of a sentiment. The college has been a fountain of inspiration to a multitude of people in this region, down to this day. The staff and students of this college remember with gratitude the efforts made by the esteemed founders of the college, Late Diwan Bahadur Rodda Shrinivas Rao, Late Rao Bahadur R.C. Artal and Late Shri. M. B. Choubal, who worked heart and soul to establish this prestigious college which came up in 1917. The proposal for science wing was put up in 1923. The survival of this college is due the efforts of Late Sir Siddappa Kambali, who also was instrumental for the science departments of the college getting equipped with high quality instruments. The Karnatak College, Dharwad (KCD) was bifurcated in 1937 into Karnatak Arts College, Dharwad (KACD) and Karnatak Science College, Dharwad (KSCD or KCD(Science)), and the buildings for various subjects of science started sprouting from 1939, whereas the commerce section was added to KACD in 1977.

Late Diwan Bahadur Rodda Shrinivas Rao

Late Rao Bahadur R.C. Artal

Late Sir Siddappa Kambali

KACD and KSCD share a common campus and many other campus amenities. In fact, the birth of several departments of the Karnatak University, Dharwad (KUD) took place in KCD, before being shifted to a new location, later called Pavatenagar. KUD is the second oldest University in Karnataka, and one of the reputed institutions for higher education in India. KUD started functioning in 1949, with Mr. R. A. Jahagirdar as the first Vice-Chancellor (VC). It was the visionary Late Dr. D. C. Pavate who visualized the role of this University, and during his term as the VC of KUD, he strove to make it one of the best in the country by giving it national and international importance.