Karnataka Buys Land in Goa to Build Kannada Bhavan After Decades-Long Demand

BELAGAVI

Fulfilling a demand that has persisted for over four decades, the Karnataka government has acquired two acres of land in Goa to build a Kannada Bhavan for the benefit of the Kannada-speaking community in the neighbouring state. The initiative is funded by the Karnataka Border Area Development Authority (KBADA) and was announced in the 2022–23 State Budget following repeated appeals by Kannada organisations in Goa.

The land, measuring 11,571.2 sq ft, has been procured at Ambarame Matta in Cortalim village, Vasco-Mormugao taluk. KBADA Chairman Somanna Bevinamarad, during a recent meeting in Goa, confirmed the acquisition and said construction would commence soon. Nearly six lakh Kannadigas live in Goa, many of whom have long awaited a dedicated cultural and linguistic space.

The proposed Kannada Bhavan will be a multi-purpose centre. It will include a basement parking area, a commercial complex on the ground floor to generate maintenance revenue, a dining hall and library on the first floor, a cultural hall with 1,000-seat capacity on the second floor, and 10–15 VIP guest rooms on the third floor for visiting Kannadigas.

Several Kannada leaders and KBADA members including Prakash Mattihalli, Siddanna Meti of the Kannada Sahitya Parishad (Goa Border Unit), Hanumant Reddy, Rajesh Shetty, and Shivanand Bingi participated in the project planning meeting.

Though Karnataka initially requested land from the Goa government, repeated appeals yielded no result, prompting the decision to buy private land and proceed independently. The move has been hailed as a “dream come true” by the Kannada community in Goa.