Govt plans grand Kempegowda jayanti on June 27

The state government will organise the second Nadaprabhu Kempegowda jayanti on June 27, senior minister and vice chairman of the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Development Authority, D K Shivakumar, said on Wednesday.

Shivakumar, who chaired a preliminary meeting on the preparations, later told reporters the event would be celebrated in a grand manner at the Palace Grounds.

Processions will be taken out from the four Kempegowda towers and the Kempegowda memorial in Magadi, which will culminate at the Palace Grounds. All legislators and corporators from Bengaluru are required to attend the event.

Shivakumar said the government had set aside Rs 69 lakh for the celebrations across the state while the Vokkaligara Sangha was donating Rs 50 lakh.

During the meeting, the minister received several suggestions. Writer Doddarange Gowda proposed that the government instal Kempegowda's statue at the bus stand named after him in the city. Besides, the jayanti should be a weeklong affair.

Urging the government to named one of the three Bangalore universities after the founder of Bengaluru, he also batted for a Kempegowda museum.

Historian Talakadu Chikkarange Gowda demanded that the government name Namma Metro after Kempegowda. Shivakumar, however, said it would not be possible as the chief minister had no authority to rename the metro system.