Founder

Born in Kowdoor village on June 11, 1909, Kowdoor Sadananda Hegde had his early education at Karkala and Mangaluru. Thereafter, he obtained a degree in Economics from the Presidency College in Madras and a degree in Law from the Government Law College, Madras.

He began his legal practice at Karkala in 1936 and later moved to Mangaluru, where he was appointed as the Public Prosecutor of South Canara district in 1948. He was an elected Member of the First Council of States (now known as the Rajya Sabha).

In 1954, he represented India at the General Assembly of the United Nations. He then, became a Judge of the Mysore High Court. In 1966, he was appointed the first Chief Justice of the Delhi and Himachal Pradesh High Court. He held this office till he was elevated to the post of Judge of Supreme Court of India in 1967.

A man of integrity and strong values, Justice K S Hegde resigned from the post of Chief Justice in 1973, in protest against the supercession of senior judges in the appointment of the Chief Justice of India. In 1977, he won the election to the Lok Sabha and was elected as the Speaker of Lok Sabha, an office he held till 1980.

After a distinguished career, he retired from public life and settled at Nitte, only to relentlessly work for the upliftment and empowerment of the rural people. Justice K S Hegde passed away on May 25, 1990.

Nitte Vinaya Hegde was a transformative leader in Indian higher education, most notably serving as the Chancellor of Nitte University from 2008 to 2026. Under his guidance, the institution achieved an A+ Grade from NAAC, a top-80 NIRF 2025 ranking, and inclusion in the 1201–1500 band of the THE World University Rankings 2026. He was instrumental in diversifying the academic portfolio to over 160 programs, spanning medicine, engineering, and specialized research areas like regenerative medicine and neuroscience.

His academic influence extended to national governance, serving as Chairman of the Board of Governors at NITK Surathkal and as a member of the Mangalore University Syndicate. His philosophy emphasized "research that serves society," leading to the establishment of advanced centers for environmental health and cancer genetics.

He also championed social equity through the NAMASTE Centre, providing fully sponsored education to students from India’s North Eastern states. By integrating rigorous scholarship with social responsibility and athletic support, Nitte Vinaya Hegde transformed Nitte Education Trust into a premier educational entity. His dedication to academic excellence and institutional building earned him an Honorary Doctorate from Mangalore University, cementing his legacy as a visionary educator.