Karnataka - Mysore   

Lakshmipuram school building identified for music varsity

MYSORE: There seems to be no end in sight for problems for Dr. Gangubai Hangal University of Music and Performing Arts which is eager to commence its academic activities.

The two-year-old university is facing problems with regard to setting up of campus.

After exploring various options, the district administration has now identified 90-year-old Lakshmipuram Higher Primary School building, a heritage structure, for handing over to the university.

Though the announcement with regard to setting up of the music university was made in 2007, it came into existence only in July 2008. Hanumannanayak Dorai took charge as its Vice-Chancellor in December 2009.

Long search

Since then Dr. Dorai has been making attempts to find a suitable place to commence the university's academic activities.

Though the district administration allotted 100 acres of land at Varakodu village in Varuna hobli on August 20, 2009 for the university, the Department of Forests objected to it by saying that it was forest land.

When the district administration was trying to get the land released from the Forest Department, Deputy Commissioner Harsh Gupta requested Dr. Dorai to commence the university's activities in ‘Aloka', the royal hunting lodge at Yelwala. ‘Aloka', located about 15 km from here, is surrounded by 60 acres of forest land.

However, authorities of the Department of Forests have reservations in parting with the building.

A top forest official who spoke to The Hindu on condition of anonymity said that as the building was located in notified reserve forest area, there were restrictions in allowing “non-forest” activity there. Also, the department was planning to conduct training programmes for guards and foresters in that building, the official said.

Following this development, Mr. Gupta zeroed in on the Lakshmipuram Higher Primary School building in the heart of the city for the university.

The school which has cartoonist R.K. Laxman, Dada Saheb Phalke Award-winning cinematographer V.K. Murthy, actor and the former Union Minister M.H. Ambareesh and A.H. Vishwanth, MP for Mysore, among its alumni, was closed down recently owing to lack of students.

Mr. Gupta said that the 22-room building would be refurbished and handed over to the university.

When contacted, Dr. Dorai said he was not aware of the development and was still under the impression that district administration would hand over ‘Aloka' for the university.

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