Patrons of learning

HISTORY

The Wodeyars of Mysore have contributed a lot to the field of education in the State, right from the rule of Yaduraya (1400-1423) to Jayachamaraja Wodeyar’s reign (1940-1947). As many as 25 Wodeyars ruled Mysore from 1400-1947 AD. Nineteen dewans of Mysore have been known to have acted as catalytic agents in the all-round development of Mysore including the field of education, according to official records.

The rulers of Mysore were great patrons of learning. Most of them were highly educated and authored many books of high quality. It is interesting to know that earlier, education was meant exclusively for the upper castes. Private tutors were appointed to teach the boys and girls belonging to the royalty, know as Arasu families. The Jains, the Veerashaivas and the merchants used to send their children to schools. The lower classes were rather hesitant to send their children to distant schools since they were not aware of the value of education. Higher education was available only to a few.

During the rule of Krishna Raja Wodeyar III, English education was patronised. Dewan K Seshadri Iyer (1883-1901) was responsible for the setting up of the Oriental Research Institute and the Department of Archaeology. He made arrangements for the study of Sanskrit along with Kannada. General education and technical education were encouraged. The Maharaja’s College affiliated to the Madras University was upgraded into a first-grade college. It became the centre for study of Humanities. The Central College was a centre for science subjects. Several schools for girls were opened on the lines of Maharani’s school. The Aryabalika Pathasala at Bangalore and the Empress Girls’ High School at Tumkur were famous. The Mysore Maharani’s High School was upgraded into Maharani’s College in 1901.

English education

It was in 1833 that an English school was opened in Mysore for the first time. In 1854, Western system of education was adopted. Transport facilities improved which attracted many students towards learning. Literacy was encouraged. During the time of British Commissioners, the European Christian Missionaries started English and Kannada schools in important centres. Basel Mission, London Mission and Wesleyan Mission were notable ones, and they started schools in Mysore, Bangalore, Tumkur, Mangalore, Udupi, Dharwad, Bellary and Gulbarga. By 1860, many schools encouraged a number of children and those who received English education could easily get government jobs. Special Sanskrit schools at Melkote and Sadvidhya Patashala in Mysore were started in 1890.

Between 1881 and 1947, the princely Mysore state comprising nine districts had their own educational policy. However, education was not made compulsory. Chamaraja Wodeyar took several steps to start more and more schools in important places. He encouraged starting of private schools also. In this direction, the Maharani’s Primary School was the first to be started. Later it became Maharani’s College of today. The Wodeyar arranged for scholarships for young, promising students to go abroad for higher education. Dewan Seshadri Iyer and the Wodeyar were highly interested in boosting the field of education.

Women’s education was given a lot of importance. Several institutions for women were started. Dewan P N Krishna Murthy (1901-1906) took many steps to improve the education sector. Many job-oriented courses for women were started. Scholarships and hostel facilities were provided for both men and women.

Setting up of other institutes

During Dewan V P Madhava Rao’s time, (1906-1909), J N Tata, the well-know industrialist and donor with cooperation of the government volunteered to contribute an annual sum of Rs 50,000 to start  the Indian Institute of Science. Schools for technical education were also set up to offer training to craftsmen and architects. During his period, primary school fee was abolished in rural areas. The dewan was responsible for the establishment of Vokkaligara Sangha at Bangalore under the leadership of K H Ramaiah. Lingayat Education Fund Association at Bangalore came into existence in 1909. Similarly, Vokkaliga hostels, Maratha hostels, Vysya hostels, Brahmin hostels and Sarvajanika hostels came into existence during his dewanship. He was a patron of all communities.

Dewan Sir M Visvesvaraya (1912-18) gave great importance to education. He made several attempts to improve industrial training, social education, business organisation, short hand and typing. In 1918, a statute was passed to make primary education compulsory and it came into force in 68 centres. Sir MV introduced scholarships to backward classes and untouchables. Krishna Raja Wodeyar and Sir MV encouraged girl’s education. Separate schools and hostels were started for girls. It was during Sir MV’s period as dewan that an Agricultural Training Centre (near Hebbal) was started (in 1913) to impart scientific methods of agriculture to farmers. Scholarships were given to meritorious students to go abroad for higher education.

The Kannada Sahitya Parishat was founded to develop Kannada language and culture. In 1916, the Mysore University was started. All the colleges which were under Madras University were affiliated to Mysore University. Maharaja’s and Maharani’s Colleges were established for the study of arts.

Sir MV donated Rs two lakh (his award money from Maharaja of Mysore) to establish Jayachamarajendra Polytechnic at Bangalore. The Indian government deservingly conferred on him the title of Bharata Ratna in 1953. Even today, his name is a source of inspiration for many.

The tenure of Dewan Kantharaja Urs (1918-1922) may be described as the golden age as far as the backward classes are concerned.

He introduced reservations for SCs and STs as per Justice Lesley Miller report. Reservations for backward classes were also put into effect. Government schools were told through an order to admit backward classes, and SC/ST students. Free education was given to one and all up to high school. The scholarship amount was raised for backward class students by the dewan. Books and slates were freely distributed to these students.

During Dewan Sir Mirza Ismail’s time (1926-1941), the Medical College at Mysore was started. By 1944, there were 94 institutions where Sanskrit was taught as a major subject. The noteworthy among them were the Mysore Sanskrit College, Jayachamarajendra Veda School in Bangalore, and Siddaganga Sanskrit School at Tumkur.

In 1935 a branch of Dakshina Bharatha Hindi Prachar Sabha was started at Dharwad. The Hindu Prachara Samiti was started in Bangalore in 1939. In 1943, the Mysore Hindi Prachara Parishat was started.

The Wodeyars encouraged the study of commerce as a result of which a separate commerce institute was started in Mysore in 1897. The Hardwicke School of Commerce in Mysore was started in 1906. B. Com classes were started in Central College, Bangalore and in 1941, the B.Com degree course was introduced.

In 1937, physical training was made compulsory for high school students. High school teachers were sent to YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) for physical training.
Jayachamaraja Wodeyar had great love towards religion, literature, art and philosophy.

He gave up many of his private buildings for the use of educational institutions. The important among them are CFTRI and the Mysore University building. After the princely states joined the Indian Union, Jayachamaraja Wodeyar was appointed the ‘Rajapramukh’ (Governor) in 1950.