T.A. Narayana Gowda

T.A. Narayana Gowda (born in Malekal Tirupati, Arsikere, Hasan) is an Indian and the founder president of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KaRaVe), a prominent organization that advocates for the Kannada language, culture, and the rights of Kannadigas. He is known for his aggressive and often confrontational style of activism, which has involved numerous protests and incidents.^[1]

Born to Anantaiah and Gauramma, Narayana Gowda was one of ten siblings (eight brothers: Nagaraju, Narasimhamurthy, Jagadeesh, Paramesh, Thulasidas, Krishnegowda, Dharmaraj; and two sisters: Pushpa and the late Anasuya). His father, Anantaiah, worked in the revenue department. T. A. Narayana Gowda received his primary education in Lambani Thandya Karehalli and later at a school established in his birthplace, Malekal Tirupathi. He completed his fifth grade in Arsikere and his high school education at the Junior College there.

Even during his school years, Narayana Gowda displayed leadership qualities, forming the Maruti Yuvaka Sangha (Maruti Youth Association) and engaging in local activities. He was also a keen Kabaddi player. A notable early incident involved him stealing his grandmother's silver anklet to fund a grand celebration for his idol, Kannada actor Dr. Rajkumar's birthday.

Initially a garment worker from Hassan, T.A Narayana Gowda later established and owned a garment factory. His activism has drawn scrutiny, with some social media users questioning his decisions, including the fact that his daughter is reportedly studying in the United States rather than in Karnataka.

Narayana Gowda's foray into pro-Kannada activism began in 1981 at the age of 15 during a Ganesha festival in Arsikere. He was arrested for vandalizing a sound system that was playing Tamil songs, an event he cites as a turning point in his life. This incident marked his first encounter with the police.

Known for his temper, similar to his father, Narayana Gowda left home at a young age and worked in an ice cream factory in Pune. He later moved to Mumbai, where he established a Kannada organization called "Chalukya Kannada Koota." In Mumbai, he faced harassment from the Shiv Sena and the local municipal corporation.

Upon returning to Bangalore, Narayana Gowda initially sold stationery before working as a supervisor at Asian Computer Limited and in the garment industry. Subsequently, he established his own garment shop, "Pushpa Garments," on Avenue Road, eventually expanding into small-scale finance and the wholesale gold business.

At this juncture, the Kannada movement became a significant focus for Narayana Gowda. He became the president of the Dr. Rajkumar Fan Association of the Chickpet constituency when the association was advocating for employment opportunities for Kannadigas in central government offices. During a meeting with Dr. Rajkumar, T.A Narayana Gowda proposed producing the epic Sri Ramayana Darshanam in cassette form. Despite Rajkumar's appreciation, no cassette company showed interest. This led Narayana Gowda to start his own audio cassette company, "Sri Matha Audio" Cassette Company, which was not commercially successful.

Narayana Gowda then took charge of a protest organized by the Fan Association demanding the implementation of the Sarojini Mahishi's Report, which recommended job reservations for locals. A large-scale rally from the National College grounds to Bannappa Park achieved significant success.

An incident where the then Chief Minister J.H. Patel allegedly refused to allow Dr. Rajkumar to sing at the Nadoja Award ceremony conferred by Hampi University(Now Kannada University) led to a protest procession from Malleshwaram to Vidhana Soudha (the state legislative building) in Bangalore. During this procession, 22 cars parked in front of Vidhana Soudha were vandalized, leading to a police lathi charge and the arrest of Fan Association members. Gowda was implicated in the case and became the primary accused, spending four years in court before the case was eventually dropped due to lack of evidence. Following this, Dr. Rajkumar's family reportedly distanced themselves from the Fan Association, leading to its inactivity.

The appointments of non-Kannadigas in the Accountant General's office in 1999 served as the catalyst for the formation of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike. After the Dr. Rajkumar Fan Association became inactive, Narayana Gowda established the KaRaVe (initially named "Kannadigara Rakshana Vedike") to champion the cause of Kannada, Karnataka, and Kannadigas. A significant early success of the KaRaVe was a large-scale protest demanding the cancellation of the appointments of 22 non-Kannadigas in the AG's office, which ultimately led to the central NDA government revoking these appointments.

As the founder president of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, Narayana Gowda has spearheaded numerous agitations for the interests of Karnataka and its people. His activism is characterized by a direct and assertive approach. Some notable incidents and areas of his activism include:

Belagavi mayor incident (2005): Gowda gained national attention for smearing black paint on the face of Belagavi Mayor Vijay More, who had attempted to pass a resolution aligning Belagavi with Maharashtra, a region with a significant Marathi-speaking population but located within Karnataka.

Language protests: Under Narayana Gowda's leadership, the KaRaVe has consistently protested for the prominent use of Kannada in businesses and government institutions. Recent protests involving the vandalism of signboards not predominantly featuring Kannada have led to his and his associates' arrests and prompted the Karnataka Chief Minister to propose an ordinance mandating 60% Kannada on signboards.

Cauvery River issue: Narayana Gowda demonstrated the intensity of his activism by writing a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his own blood, urging government intervention in the long-standing Cauvery River water dispute between Karnataka and neighboring states.^[2]

Advocacy against lottery system: He has actively campaigned against the lottery system, arguing its detrimental effects on society.

Chithravathi water reservoir support: Narayana Gowda has voiced his support for projects aimed at ensuring water security for Karnataka, including the Chithravathi water reservoir project.

Implementation of Sarojini Mahishi report: The KaRaVe continues to advocate for the full implementation of the Sarojini Mahishi Report, which recommends job reservations for Kannadigas in various sectors.

Support for Kannada Film Industry: Narayana Gowda and the KaRaVe have often rallied in support of the Kannada film industry and its artists.

Border Disputes: The organization has been involved in protests concerning the border disputes affecting Karnataka and the importance of the Kannada language in border regions.

Narayana Gowda's activism has frequently courted controversy. He has been arrested multiple times for his involvement in protests that have turned violent. Most recently, he and 29 KaRaVe associates were taken into judicial custody in Bengaluru following a protest where non-Kannada signboards were vandalized. This incident spurred the state government to consider legislation mandating the use of Kannada on signboards.

Accusations of extortion have also been leveled against him, which KaRaVe members vehemently deny, attributing such acts to individuals misusing the organization's name.

He was released on bail from the central prison at Parappana Agrahara on Tuesday, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike president Gowda was arrested in another case that dates back to 2017 by the city police.^[3]

Narayana Gowda is known to have a connection with Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. Shivakumar reportedly visited Gowda in jail during protests against the unveiling of the Thiruvalluvar statue in Bengaluru. Narayana Gowda had also participated in protests against Shivakumar's arrest in 2019, and they are said to maintain a cordial relationship. However, Shivakumar has publicly criticized Gowda's acts of vandalism.

Narayana Gowda remains a significant and influential figure in Karnataka's pro-Kannada movement. His consistent focus on issues concerning language, culture, and regional pride has kept these topics at the forefront of public discourse in the state. While his methods have often been criticized for their aggressiveness, his ability to mobilize support and draw attention to Kannada interests has made him a prominent voice in Karnataka's socio-political landscape. His leadership of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike continues to shape the linguistic and cultural discourse within the state.

• Karnataka Rakshana Vedike

• T.A. Narayan Gowda
• Who is Narayana Gowda? - Deccan Herald
• Karnataka Rakshana Vedike president Narayana Gowda, 28 others arrested day after vandalism in Bengaluru - The Indian Express
• Narayana Gowda '˜blasts' away neighbours' sleep - Bangalore Mirror
• ‘He earned crores here…’: Karnataka Rakshana Vedike slams Mohandas Pai on reservation for Kannadigas Bill - Hindustan Times
• Karnataka Rakshana Vedike leader Narayana Gowda released on bail, arrested again in Bengaluru- The Hindu
• https://publictv.in/if-kamal-haasan-film-release-we-set-fire-on-theatres-says-karave-narayana-gowda/ - Public TV

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