Udupi to Host Seminar Honouring Historian Dr Padur Gururaj Bhat

Udupi : The birth centenary of eminent historian and researcher Dr Padur Gururaj Bhat will be commemorated with a special seminar at Town Hall, Udupi, on 27 February. Organised by the Dr Padur Gururaj Bhat Memorial Trust, the event will feature a keynote address by historian Dr Vikram Sampath on “Indian History Today: The Glorious Past Hidden and the Distortions Glorified.”

Dr Sampath will also be honoured with the Centenary Award – 2025, which includes a citation and a cash prize of ₹2.5 lakh.

Trust Secretary Vishwanath Padur, son of Dr Padur Gururaj Bhat, announced that the seminar will feature three distinguished speakers. Padma Shri awardee and archaeologist K K Muhammed will deliver a lecture on “Preservation and Reconstruction of Ancient Temples in India,” while Surendranath Bopparaju, author of ‘Templexity,’ will present insights on “Temple Architecture: Design, Aesthetics, and the Vision of Our Ancestors.”

The event will also include an interactive session with the audience. Additionally, Dr Bhat’s seminal works, ‘Studies in Tuluva History and Culture’ and ‘Tulunadu,’ will be displayed and available for purchase at the venue.

Though the centenary celebrations are drawing to a close, the Trust has expressed its willingness to support educational institutions interested in organising programmes inspired by Dr Bhat’s legacy, fostering research in history and culture.