First in Karnataka

M Vishveshwaraiah- First Bharat Ratna Awardee from Karnataka

People remember being the first at something very well. It lets people dream and do well in things that were thought to be impossible or unimaginable. Karnataka has had many firsts in politics, sports, the arts, films, the media, and many other fields. I've put together a list of these firsts in Karnataka.

Polity and Administration

• First Chief Minister of Karnataka:   Kyasamballi Chengaluraya Reddy (1947-52)
• First and only RajPramukh of Mysore: Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar
• First Governor of Karnataka:   Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar
• First Speaker of Karnataka Legislative Assembly:  V. Venkatappa
• First Chief Justice of High Court of Mysore/Karnataka: Charles George Plumer (1884-1890)
• First Village Declared Independent in Karnataka: Esuru

Arts and Culture

• First Kannada Drama: Mitravinda Govinda by Singaraya
• First Kannada Movie: Sati Sulochana
• First Kannada Color Film: Amarashilpi Jakanachari
• First Kannada newspaper: Mangaluru Samachara
• First Kannada Sahitya Sammelan: 1915
• First President of Kannada Sahitya Parishad: HV Nanjundaiah
• First Jnanipath Award Winner: Kuvempu
• First Kannada English Dictionary: Ferdinand Kittel
• First Bharat Ratna Awardee: M Vishveshwaraiah (1955)

Education

• First College in Karnataka: CMS College, Kottayam (1840)
• First University in Karnataka: Mysore University (1916)
• First Medical College in Karnataka: Mysore Medical College (1924)
• First Engineering College in Karnataka: University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering, UVCE
• First Library in Karnataka: Oriental Library, Mysore (1891)

Sports

• First National Games in Karnataka : Bangalore (1966)
• First Olympian from Karnataka: P D Chaugule (1919)

Science and Technology

• First Hydroelectric project in Karnataka: Shivasamudram (1902)

Transport and Communication

• First railway service in Karnataka: Bangalore to Madras (1864)
• First airlines service in Karnataka: Bengaluru and Hyderabad by 'Deccan Airways' (1946)
• First radio station in Karnataka: AIR Mysore (1955)
• First private radio station in Karnataka: Radio City FM (2001)

Religion

• First Mosque in Karnataka: Zeenath Baksh Juma Masjid (644 AD)

Flora and Fauna

• First Forest Reserve in Karnataka : Bandipur National Park (1974)
• First Zoo in Karnataka : Shri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens (Mysore Zoo)