Karnataka Cabinet Grants Tulu Second Official Language Status

The Karnataka Cabinet has decided to grant Tulu the status of a second official language in the state, meeting a demand that has been pending for years. The language is spoken widely in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, and also in the neighbouring districts of Chikkamagaluru and Shivamogga.

Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced the decision during a Cabinet meeting held in Mangaluru on September 18, 2026.

The Cabinet also approved the issue of a draft notification seeking objections and suggestions on renaming Dakshina Kannada district as Mangaluru district. The proposal will move forward after the public consultation process.

In a separate decision, the government cleared a dedicated tourism policy for the coastal and Malnad regions. Under this policy, investments in tourism will be treated as infrastructure projects.

The Cabinet further decided to upgrade the fisheries college in Mangaluru into a Fisheries, Marine and Blue Economy University. The upgraded institution will have an intake of 200 seats, up from the current 60.