Initiating a dialogue or a thought, or to discuss in any way the city of Bengaluru, one cannot do so without first paying homage to the first Urbanite of Bengaluru, Nadaprabhu Hiriya Kempegowda, born in 1510.
This chieftain of the Vijayanagara Empire is credited with founding the city that would eventually become the dynamic metropolis we know today. As the original architect of the city and the first Bengalurian whose imprints can still be seen in its streets, lakes, and neighbourhoods, Kempegowda is more than just a historical figure: he is the musical hum that emanates from the beating heart of the city, and that can be observed in its every bustling corner filled to the brim with life.
He brought this idea to life in 1537 when he established what is today known as Bengaluru. He divided the city into sectors with highways, marketplaces, and lakes, and he carefully planned the city’s defended layout. His strategic thinking was evident in the famous mud fort that served as the foundation of contemporary Bengaluru and was built to secure the city while promoting trade and development. Centuries before Bengaluru’s current tech boom and cosmopolitan surge, Kempegowda’s careful urban planning set the groundwork for the city’s development into a commercial and cultural center
Today’s Bengalureans can find inspiration and identity in Kempegowda, particularly those navigating the city’s tech-driven, global lifestyle. The vitality of Bengaluru is not a coincidence; it is the result of decades of planning, ingenuity, and vision, as his vision serves as a reminder to its citizens. The city has a continuity that is uncommon in quickly modernising metropolitan areas because of the lakes, avenues, and cultural centers that all bear the imprint of his touch and his influence across the city that extends itself across generations even to this very day
Kempegowda sought to see his vision for a prosperous cosmopolitan Bengaluru fulfilled. The Urbanite intends to carry on the vision of the great Vijayanagara chieftain. To celebrate Kempegowda is to more than just history; it is to embrace the idea of a city that keeps evolving while retaining the spirit of its founding. It is a spirit that lives on in every Bengalurian today. A spirit of the highest acceptance of humanity, and the greatest celebration of this city and the lives of whom it is composed. Thus, in every bustling street, leafy avenue, and innovative startup, the first Urbanite lives on, championed in the beating hearts of every citizen, a silent architect of the city’s soul, a man whose lasting imprint is attracting people from all over the country and all over the world. The Urbanite pays homage to the founding father, Sri Nadaprabhu Kempegowda…the first Urbanite of Bengaluru.
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