PM unveiled a 108-feet tall bronze statue of ‘Nadaprabhu’ Kempegowda in Bengaluru, credited to be the city’s founder.
Who was Nadaprabhu Kempegowda?
- Nadaprabhu Kempegowda, a 16th century chieftain of the Vijayanagara empire, is credited as the founder of Bengaluru.
- It is said that he conceived the idea of a new city while hunting with his minister, and later marked its territory by erecting towers in four corners of the proposed city.
- Kempegowda is also known to have developed around 1,000 lakes in the city to cater to drinking and agricultural needs.
- He was from the dominant agricultural Vokkaliga community in south Karnataka.
Political motives behind
- Kempegowda is an iconic figure among Karnataka’s second most dominant Vokkaliga community after Lingayats.
- Political parties plan to woo the Vokkaliga community by honoring Kempegowda.
- The statue would be known as the ‘Statue of Prosperity’.
