HD Deve Gowda (third from left among those seated on the ground) attending a training session for taluk councilors in 1961.
There are plans to set up a museum depicting the life and work of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda. The museum, planned by a team of people associated with him, will come up near his native village Haradanahalli in Hassan district.
“The intention is to portray the life and contribution of Mr. Gowda, who came from a small village and became the Prime Minister,” says HN Krishna, who heads the team working on the concept.
Locals sum up Mr. Gowda’s political journey with the saying, “Hale Kote (hobli center for Haradanahalli) to Camp Kote (Red Fort),” he points out.
The museum is still in the concept phase and work is being done on its architecture.
HD Deve Gowda was sworn in as Prime Minister by President Shankar Dayal Sharma in 1996.
Pointing out that the 92-year-old leader’s political career spans more than six decades, during which he held various posts such as legislator, MP, minister, chief minister and prime minister, he said the idea was to showcase his contributions in this long journey.
To begin with, the team is collecting old and rare black and white photographs of Mr. Gowda from before 1990, he said. There are plans to publish a book containing the old pictures and also display them in a proposed museum.
HD Deve Gowda was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Karnataka in 1994. | Photo credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES
The vicinity of Haradanahalli was chosen as the site for the museum because he was not only born there but also had his primary education from 1940 to 1944, Dr. pointed out. Krishna.
He continued his education at a high school in the nearby Halekote hobli center and a high school in Holenarasipura. Mr. Gowda completed his Diploma in Civil Engineering from Hassan from 1950 to 1952.
HD Deve Gowda attends the training of taluk councilors in 1961.
Mr. Gowda got a job with the Gujarat Railway soon after completing his degree. However, after the opposition of his father, who was reluctant to let his son go to a distant place, he gave up the job and became a civilian contractor. Before becoming a contractor, Mr. Gowda also worked as a primary school teacher in Jodigubbi village of Holenarasipura taluk for four months.
The beginning of the journey
Although Mr. Gowda was nominated to the Taluk Industrial Co-operative Society in 1954 and elected the President of the Primary Agricultural Co-operative Society in 1955, his public life took on a wider canvas in 1960 when he won the Taluk Board elections and in 1962 when he first won the Assembly elections from Holenarasipur as an independent candidate.
Dr. Krishna urged those with old photographs to send them to dr.krishnahn@gmail.com. “They would be scanned and safely returned to them,” he said.
Details in this regard can be obtained by calling: 9844088832.
Published – 30 March 2026 23:10 IST
