Bengaluru's Electronics City to be Renamed in Honor of Visionary CM D Devaraj Urs

Bengaluru's prominent technology hub, Electronics City, will soon be renamed in honor of former Chief Minister D Devaraj Urs, as announced by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. This decision was revealed during a ceremony held on August 20 at Vidhana Soudha, marking the 109th birth anniversary of Urs, according to a report by The News Minute.

Siddaramaiah lauded Urs's remarkable contributions to advancing social justice and uplifting marginalized communities, including Dalits, Backward Classes, minorities, and women. He also highlighted Urs's significant role in the renaming of the state to Karnataka in 1973, following its unification in 1956. The year-long celebrations in recognition of Urs's legacy will conclude in November with the unveiling of a statue of Kannada Bhuvaneshwari at Vidhana Soudha.

The idea for Electronics City was initially conceived by RK Baliga, the first chairman and managing director of the Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Ltd. (Keonics). Urs, recognizing Baliga's vision, appointed him to lead Keonics in 1976, which eventually led to the creation of Electronics City. Urs is credited with laying the foundation stone for the tech hub in 1978 on 332 acres of land in Konappana Agrahara and Doddathogur along Bengaluru-Hosur Road. Over time, Electronics City expanded to cover more than 800 acres, initially serving as a base for public sector enterprises before attracting private companies, particularly during the IT boom of the 1990s.

Today, Electronics City hosts over 200 IT and IT-enabled services (ITES) companies and has played a crucial role in establishing Bengaluru as India's "Silicon Valley," with major technology firms like Infosys and Wipro headquartered there.