Tributes were paid to Nadaprabhu Kempe Gowda in Kalaburagi and Ballari districts on Saturday, with speakers at functions recalling his pioneering role in building Bengaluru and highlighting his enduring contribution to the State’s development, water conservation, and inclusive governance.

In Kalaburagi, Allamprabhu Patil, MLA, said Kempe Gowda’s contribution to the growth of Bengaluru and the erstwhile Mysuru region occupied a prominent place in Karnataka’s history. He noted that Kempe Gowda’s name was inseparable from Bengaluru and recalled that nearly five centuries ago, he had constructed several lakes and tanks to improve the availability of water while working for the welfare of the poor and the overall development of the villages surrounding Bengaluru.

The programme, organised jointly by the district administration, the Department of Kannada and Culture, the Kalaburagi City Corporation, and the Zilla Panchayat at Rangamandir, began with floral tributes to the portrait of Kempe Gowda.

Assistant in the Deputy Commissioner’s office Shivaprabhu Hiremath said great personalities such as Buddha, Basavanna, Valmiki, and Kempe Gowda had shown society the path of humanity and social reform, and their values should continue to inspire future generations.

Delivering a special lecture, community leader Annarao Dugond said a deeper study of inscriptions and historical records was essential to understand Kempe Gowda’s life and legacy more accurately, adding that greater collaboration between historians from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu would help resolve several historical questions relating to his lineage and achievements.

In Ballari, Mayor P. Gadeppa said the government was commemorating the birth anniversaries of eminent personalities to remind the younger generation of their invaluable contributions to society. He described Kempe Gowda as the visionary founder of Bengaluru, whose foresight in building forts, marketplaces, temples, lakes, and gardens had laid the foundation for the city’s transformation into a global technology hub.

K.E. Chidanandappa, Chairman of the District Guarantee Schemes Implementation Authority, said Kempe Gowda had drawn inspiration from the grandeur of the Vijayanagara Empire during his visit there as a young man and dreamt of building a prosperous city of his own. He urged young people to dream big and strive for excellence in their chosen fields, as that would be the true tribute to Kempe Gowda’s legacy.

In his special lecture, historian Shashikant, associate professor at the Government First Grade College, Kurugodu, traced Kempe Gowda’s life from his birth in 1510, his lineage as a descendant of the Yelahanka chieftains, and his training in administration, warfare, philosophy, and literature, besides recalling his first visit to the Vijayanagara Empire in 1515.

The functions were attended by elected representatives, officials of the Department of Kannada and Culture, community leaders, academicians, students, and members of the public.