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Rate of literacy among Vokkaligas 1

Year Total number of literates Total number of English literates

1911 Census Report 3.1% 1.9%

1941 Census Report 8.4% 7.3%

According to the Census of 1911 the rate of literates among Vokkaligas in Mysore State
was 3.1 percent. Likewise for the same year the rate of English literates was 1.9 percent.
However because of the opportunities provided by the Government and also by the
establishment of schools in rural areas, the literacy rate increased to 8.4 percent of the
total Vokkaliga population in 1941. The rate of the English literacy also grew considerably
and stood at 7.3 percent in 1941 for the Vokkligas of Mysore State. This is also an
indication of the aspirational changes among the Vokkaligas, particularly after 1921.

Justice Party non-Brahmin movement of Madras Presidency prompted the major non-
Brahmin castes to come together and fight unitedly for their right to education and
Government jobs. The first step in the direction was the formation of Praja Mitra Mandali,
an association which was dominated by Vokkaliga leaders. It should also be noted that as
early as 1906 the Vokkaligas had formed the Vokkligara Sangha to further their interests,
particularly in the field of education. By the second decade of the 20 century this way
th
we find that the Vokkaliga community had adopted two major demands, first asking for
educational facilities and secondly, pressurising the Government through Praja Mitra
Mandali to concede their demands of more representation in the Government jobs.
Leaders like K. H Ramaiah, B. Puttaiah, Devangi Ramanna played a major role during this
important phase in the educational evolution of Vokkaligas.

In July 1918 a delegation of Vokkaligas headed by Rao Saheb Chanaiah, which also
included a few representatives of other castes met the contemporary ruler Krishna
Raja Wodeyar IV to impress upon him the necessity of fulfilling the demands of non-
Brahmins. The major demands included education for the rural masses and proportionate
representation in Government jobs. Though the ruler assured them of positive measures
there was a feeling among the Vokkaligas that what they got from the administration
was mere lip sympathy. Nothing concrete came out of the assurance given by the
administration. As this feeling became widespread the administration had to initiate
some measures to assuage the feelings of major communities like Vokkaligas and
Lingayats. The outcome was the appointment of Backward Classes Enquiry Committee.

The Backward Classes Committee thus constituted was headed by Leslie Miller, a High
Court Judge. It also consisted of six other members out of which two were Brahmins, one
was Vokkaliga, second was Lingayat, third was Muslim, fourth was the representative of
other minor castes. However the Dalits of the state who constituted a sizeable numbers
were not represented on the Leslie Miller Committee.

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