‘Tipu Sultan Won’t be Called ‘Tiger of Mysore’? Karnataka Textbooks to Get ‘Less Glorified’ Version of 18th-century Ruler

Tipu Sultan Row: Headed by Rohit Chakraatirtha, the school textbook review committee, in its report submitted to the state government a few days ago, recommended adding more content about Rani Gaidinliu, the Naga spiritual, Mysuru Wadiyars, Venkatappa Nayak of Surpur dynasty, and other rulers of the state. 

Bengaluru: In a bid to end the glorification of Tipu Sultan in books, a review committee set up by the Karnataka government has decided to do away with the content that adores the 18th-century Mysuru ruler. Headed by Rohit Chakraatirtha, a writer and member of the Kannada Development Authority (KDA),  the school textbook review committee, in its report submitted to the state government a few days ago, recommended adding more content about Rani Gaidinliu, the Naga spiritual, Mysuru Wadiyars, Venkatappa Nayak of Surpur dynasty, and other rulers of the state.

“We have recommended adopting a neutral tone while teaching history to our students by removing unnecessary glorification, factual errors and deviations. It is not only in the case of Tipu but in respect of other historical events and personalities also. For example, Tipu is called Mysuru Huli (Mysuru Tiger). But nobody knows who gave him this title and in what context”, Times of India quoted Chakraatirtha as saying.

BC Nagesh, Karnataka Minister for Education asserted that they have received the report shared by the School textbook review committee headed by Rohith Chakrathirtha. He asserted that the government will implement the recommendation in the report from the next academic year after discussion. “I will soon address a press conference to reveal details about the report”, he told The Indian Express.

The Karnataka government had constituted a textbook review committee last year.  However, Opposition leaders and several academicians were left upset with the government’s move to appoint Chakrathirtha as chairperson of the Committee as he was alleged to have strong right-wing beliefs. They had called his appointment an attempt to ‘saffronise’ textbooks.