Diwan Bahadur Rodda Srinivasaray is a born kannadiga and was brought up in Dharwad. He worked sincerely for the all round development of Karnataka. In order to fulfil intellectual aspirations of the people of north Karnataka region, he founded Karnataka college in 1917 by raising funds with lot of efforts.

He retired as Principal of the Training College for men, Dharwad. He was honoured by conferring titles ‘Rao Bahaddur’ in 1908, ‘Diwan Bahadur’ in 1992 and C. I. E. In 1924. He was the first non – official President of the Dharwad municipality and the Dharwad District Local Board. He served as a member of the Bombay Legislative Council on behalf of the Southern Division for three terms. He undertook vigorous campaign for raising fund of Rs. Two lakhs for the foundation of the Karnatak College. He was the recipient of a Certificate of Merit from the Viceroy on three occasions, in recognition of his social service for the people of Karnataka. He has translated all the historical works of E. Marsden into Kannada

Rao Bahadur R. C. Aratal Rudragoudar was a man of great commitment who dedicated himself for the betterment of Karnataka. He was known as an efficient, sincere and service minded government employee. He took efforts for the social, educational and cultural progress of North Karnataka. He raised One Lakh of Rupees towards the establishment of the Karnataka college in 1917

Rao Bahaddur RC Artal Rudragoudaru, retired as District Deputy Collector from the Government Service. After retirement, he sincerely worked for the promotion of education and upliftment of the masses. He was one of the founders of the Lingayat Education Association, Dharwad. He also took an active part in social life. He raised funds for educational and other charitable institutions. He was one of the funder members of the Karnatak Central Cooperative Credit Bank, Dharwad. He was conferred the title of Rao Bahadur in the year 1909 and an I. S. O. in 1912.

Mumbai government had the intention of closing the Karnataka College by giving the excuse of a financial crisis. How could Siddappa Kambali who was the then education minister in Mumbai government along with seven other portfolios tolerate this? He did not. He examined the annual expenditure of other colleges and defended that Karnataka college should not be closed since its expenditure was less than that of all other colleges. He pleaded that the educational policy of a country should be formed not by the government but by the people of the land. Thus he gave rebirth to the college. He is a great man who sacrificed all his portfolios for the survival of the college.

Sir Siddappa T Kambli was a Minister of Education in the Government of Bombay. He was deeply interested in the expansion of the educational facilities in North Karnataka region. He was responsible for the transfer of materials, apparatus equipment and library books to Karnatak College with the closure of Deccan College, Poona. The Science courses at graduate level in Karnatak College, Dharwad were inaugurated in June 1924. He was the most popular and highly respected minister from North Karnataka. The government of India conferred on him the knighthood in recognition of his public service.