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The Karnataka Cabinet, at its meeting in Mangaluru on 18 September 2026, decided to accord additional official language status to Tulu. The status will apply to administrative matters in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, with the respective district administrations responsible for implementation. The government will allocate ₹82 lakh annually for translation, training and promotion of Tulu in administration.
About Tulu Language
Tulu is a Dravidian language predominantly spoken in the coastal districts of Karnataka, particularly Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, and adjoining areas. It is traditionally included among the Pancha Dravida languages along with Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Malayalam.
Tulu-speaking regions were incorporated into Karnataka during the States Reorganisation in 1956. Before this reorganisation, these areas were part of the Madras Presidency. Unlike the other major Dravidian language regions that developed linguistic States, the Tulu-speaking region became part of Karnataka.
The decision to provide additional official language status is aimed at facilitating the use of Tulu in district-level administration, including translation, official communication and language-related training. The Cabinet also decided to change the name of Dakshina Kannada district to Mangaluru, reflecting the region’s geographical and cultural identity.
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