Karunaṭaka  is a state in the southern part of India.  The state was formed on November 1, 1956 under the States Reorganization Act.  This state, which was known as Mysore State, was renamed as Karunadaka in 1973. Karunadaka State is bounded by the Arabian Sea in the west, Goa in the north-west, Maratha state in the north, Telangana in the north-east, Andhra Pradesh in the east, Tamil Nadu in the south-east and Kerala in the south-west.  The state covers an area of ​​74,122 square miles, i.e. 191,976 sq km.  It is 5.83% of the total area of ​​India.  Consisting of 30 districts, the state is the eighth largest state in India by area and the ninth most populous state in India.  Kannada is the official and widely spoken language.

Although various etymologies have been suggested for the name Karunadakam, it is generally believed that it is derived from the Kannada words `karu' and 'nadu'.  These words mean upland.  The British referred to this state as Carnatic and sometimes as Karnataka.

Karunadaka, with its ancient heritage, was also home to some of the most powerful empires of ancient and medieval India.  Religious, economic and literary movements were initiated by intellectuals and musicians supported by these empires.  It is worth noting that they have survived to this day.  In India, Kannada language writers have received the highest number of Jnan Peetha awards.  Bengaluru, the state capital, is at the vanguard of the economic and technological progress that India is experiencing.The history of Karunadaka can be traced through the hand axes and other finds found in the area and its connection with the Palaeolithic hand ax culture.  Evidence of Neolithic culture has also been found in the state.[8][9]  The gold found in Harappa, a remnant of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization, is known to be related to the Karunadaka gold deposits, indicating that the Karunadaka region has been thriving in trade and culture since ancient times.  About 3 centuries before the Common Era, a large part of Karunadaka was under the Nanda Empire before it fell under the Mauryan rule of Emperor Ashoka.  Four centuries of Satavahana rule largely helped to bring Karunadama under their control.  The fall of the Satavahanas paved the way for the rise of the first kingdoms, the Kadambas and the Upper Ganga, who were based on Karunadaka.  That paved the way for the region to enter and identify as a non-partisan political entity.  The Kadamba dynasty, started by Maurya Sharma, had Banavasi as its capital.[10][11]  Similarly, the Upper Kangar dynasty was established with Tallaght as its capital.[12][13]Kannada was used as an administrative language by the first governments of the Gadambara dynasty as evidenced by the Kalamithi inscription and copper coins dating to the 5th century [14][15].  Following this dynasty, the Chalukyas gained strength and seized power.  The Chalukyas, who brought the entire Deccan under their rule, are credited with incorporating the entire Karunataka.[16][17][18][19][20][21]  The Chalukyas greatly developed architecture, Kannada literature, and music.[22][23]In 1565, not only Karunadaka but the whole of South India underwent a major political change.  The Visayanagara Empire, which had been strong for centuries, was defeated by the Islamic Sultanate.  Later the Bijapur Sultanate ruled for a short time and then the Mughals in the 17th century.  Urdu and Persian literature also flourished during the reigns of the Sultanate.

After this, northern Karunadaka was ruled by the Nizam of Hyderabad and southern Karnataka by the Wodiyars of Mysore.