Bengaluru founder Kempegowda a visionary, progressive thinker: CM B S Yediyurappa

Bengaluru: Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Sunday released a postal envelope bearing the portrait of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda, the founder of Bengaluru city, on his birth anniversary and restarted the construction work of the Kempegowda Study Centre.

Speaking on the occasion, Yediyurappa said Kempegowda was a great visionary and a progressive thinker.

The Chief Minister said Kempegowda laid the foundation for building the city of Bengaluru about 500 years back and it stands testimony to the insights he had on urban development and administration.

Regarding the Kempegowda Study Centre which would be built on the Jnanabharati campus of Bengaluru University, authorities said the centre would be established at a cost of Rs 45 crore.

The centre would engage in studies on the life of Kempegowda and involve in researches pertaining to urban development and administrative structures. Deputy Chief Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan said the birth anniversary of the city's founder would be celebrated as 'Bengaluru Habba,' a three-day cultural fest starting from next year.

Narayan, also the vice-chairperson of the Kempegowda Heritage Area Development Authority, said the birth anniversary is celebrated on June 27 every year. From next year, the 'Bengaluru Habba' would be held from June 26 to 28, he said.

On the 108-foot statue of Kempegowda for which the Chief Minister had laid the foundation last year, Narayan said the statue was supposed to have been erected by now at the Bengaluru international airport but has been delayed due to COVID.

According to him, the work on the bronze statue is in progress in Noida and would be ready by February.

A Central Theme Park spread over 23 acres depicting the Bengaluru founder's lifetime would also come up there, he said. As many as 46 spots have been identified as Kempegowda heritage sites and they would be developed. The related land acquisition and other processes have been initiated, Narayan said.