The announcement of the nation’s highest civilian award Bharat Ratna for scientist C.N. R. Rao has made undivided Kolar district proud as Prof. Rao hails from a village in Chintamani taluk, now in Chickballapur district.
Sir M. Visvesvaraya was another Bharat Ratna recipient who too belonged to the undivided Kolar district.
The initial ‘C’ in the scientist’s name refers to Chintamani. There was two opinion among the people about the village where Mr. Rao’s parents hail from. While some say it is Munganahalli, others say it is Cheemangala, both in Chintamani taluk. However, Prof. Rao was born and brought up in Bangalore.
Notwithstanding this confusion, people in the region like to take pride in the fact that the scientist has an emotional bond with the undivided district.
Though Prof. Rao’s selection for the award is widely regarded as an honour for science, people in Kolar are happy that the region has produced two Bharat Ratna winners.
