Identity, Traumatic Memory, and the Naming of Kodagu University

Madikeri: As state governments across India leverage higher education infrastructure to project subregional identity, naming public universities has evolved from routine administrative policy into a high-stakes arena for identity politics. The ongoing debate over naming Kodagu University in Karnataka highlights how historical narratives continue to shape modern community assertions, particularly when regional heritage collides with indigenous memory.

Central to this opposition is the Codava National Council (CNC), whose convenor, N. U. Nachappa, has strongly condemned proposals prioritising Haleri ruler Doddaveeraraja for the institution's name. Nachappa argues that honoring the 18th-century king ignores deep-seated historical trauma, pointing to documented massacres and the systemic persecution of native Codava populations during turbulent geopolitical conflicts involving Tipu Sultan and the British. From the perspective of the CNC, elevating a monarch associated with historical betrayal and internal conflict inflicts a direct insult on the region's indigenous identity.

Instead, Nachappa and the CNC advocate for honouring modern national icons who reflect the district’s celebrated military legacy—specifically India’s first Commander-in-Chief, Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa, followed by General K.S. Thimayya, or historical native leaders like Ajjikuttira Achunayaka. This demand reflects a broader tension in regional governance: the friction between feudal dynastic legacies favored by administrative historians and the lived, inherited memories of indigenous communities.

The debate underscores a delicate dilemma for policy-makers. While state authorities often view pre-modern rulers as neutral regional figures, local groups evaluate them through the lens of community rights and historical justice. Selecting a university's namesake requires more than bureaucratic consensus; it demands an understanding of public memory. As the Karnataka government weighs its options, the decision will signal whether civic institutions choose to perpetuate contentious feudal divisions or embrace unifying symbols of modern national service. (eom)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

M Raghuram

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