As early as 1917, the people of
North Karnataka raised donations for establishing a university in the region and handed them to the government of Bombay Presidency, in the same year, the presidency government passed a resolution to establish universities in different linguistic regions of the presidency. Later a committee under the chairmanship of
Chimanlal Harilal Setalvad recommended the establishment of Karnatak University and the senate of
Bombay University gave its assent in 1926. During the 12th session of
Kannada Sahitya Sammelana at Ballari, the first Karnatak University conference was held with members resolved to form an organisation called ''Karnatak Vishwavidyala Samithi" with
Aluru Venkata Rao and S. S. Basavanal as its secretaries. After a period of dormancy, the second Karnatak University conference was held at
Belgaum with R. A. Jahagirdar as its president. In 1946,
Karnataka Vidyavardhaka Sangha observed "Karnatak University Day" all over the region. Subsequently, the Bombay government appointed the Karnatak University committee and in 1949 the "Karnatak University" bill was passed in the legislature paving the way for establishment of KUD with R. A. Jahagirdar as its first vice chancellor. ==Academics==