| Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) | |
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| Coordinates | 12°57′18″N 78°16′11″E / 12.9550°N 78.2698°E |
| Country |  India |
| State | Karnataka |
| District(s) | Kolar |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) was one of the major gold mines in India and is located in the Kolar district in Karnataka, close to the city of Bangalore. It was closed in 2003 due to reducing deposits and increasing costs. The mine is considered the world's second deepest gold mine.
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History
Gold was first mined in the area prior to the 2nd and 3rd century AD (golden objects found in Harappa and Mohenjo-daro have been traced to KGF through impurities-analyis--the impurities include 11% silver concentration, found only in KGF ore) by the digging of small pits. During the Chola period in the 9th and 10th century AD the scale of the operation grew, but large-scale mining only came in the 1850s under the British with more manpower and sophisticated machinery. In 1873, M.F. Lavelle, a resident in Bangalore, applied to the Mysore Government for the exclusive privilege of mining in the Kolar district. His request was granted and he commenced operations by sinking a shaft near Urigam (Oorgaum) in 1875, but, finding that large capital would be required he, in the following year and with the approval of the government, transferred all his rights and concessions to the late Major General G. de la Poer Beresford. Major General Beresford formed a syndicate known as the Kolar Concessionaries (now merged into the Gold Fields of Mysore Co.) which took up the matter in earnest, and gradually acquired the area known as the Kolar Gold Fields.The following were the principal Mines in the Gold Fields in 1905:- These are a few minings in this city The Mysore Gold Mine, Champion Reef Mine, Oorgaum Mine, Nundydroog Mine, Tank Block Mine, Balaghat Mine, Gold Fields of Mysore, Coromandel Mine, Oriental Mine, Nine Reefs Mine, Road Block Mine, Mysore Reefs Gold Mines Coy.
Birth of the city
The local Kannada speaking villagers refused to work in the deep pits of the mines and so people from the North and South Arcot districts of Tamil Nadu were settled around the various Shafts and a city was born. This is partially true.
Even today places in the area have names reminiscent of the presence of British people there; the two main towns Robertsonpet and Andersonpet being named after two British officers in the mines.
Also Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) an Indian Public Sector Undertaking, has one of its branches located here. It manufactures a variety of heavy equipment, such as that used for earth moving, transportation and mining. BEML incorporated in May 1964, and commenced operations on January 1, 1965. It was wholly owned and operated by India's Ministry of Defense until 1992, when the government divested 25% of its holdings in the company.
Demographics
Kannada and Tamil are widely spoken by the people here apart from Telugu which is spoken by the native people. Three hundred thousand people lived in the Kolar Gold Fields at its peak production, but since the closing of mines in 2003 the population has reduced to less than a hundred thousand. Signboards are displayed predominantly in Kannada, Tamil and English all over KGF, and it is a bilingual town where people can speak three languages at ease[citation needed].
People and culture
People from many different places are settled in the Kolar Gold Fields. This includes Tamil speaking people from the north and south Arcot districts of Tamil Nadu. There are also Native Telugu speaking people as well as natural migrants from neighbouring telugu speaking areas such as Kuppam, Ramakuppam, V-kota and other places from Chittoor district of [[Andhra Pradesh]. The native people of Kolar district are basically kannadigas with Telugu Influence, and who adopted telugu from the fourteenth century. Tamil populations primarily came from the British efforts to get workers for the mines and migrated from tamil nadu crossing the Andhra border into KGF. So the culture has influence of all the three states Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Given the mixture of population, many festivals are celebrated; the most famous and popular one being the Lakshmi Venkateshwara Jaatre and Mother of Mines feast.
The mining hospital has the distinction of being the best hospital in the whole of the Kolar district. A goddess temple situated near by the hospital is famous because of the legend that it was built by British personnel. The Hospital is recognized for occupational disease treatment. The Gold Company which is known as Bharat Gold Mines Limited has come out of various combinations and permutations. The company has record of having Morarji Desai as chairman of this company and some of the erstwhile chief Ministers of Mystore state as chairmen.
Bharat Earth Movers Limited a premier earth mover manufacturing company has a factory located in Kolar Gold fields.
Education
KGF has an Engineering College, a Dental College, a few Mining schools and number of good schools. KGF has got a medical college hospital nearby in the district Headquarters Kolar which is around 45 minutes drive from the town centre. Famous doctors in and around KGF are Dr.P.Sampath Kumar. Radiologist and sonologist,Dr.B.R. Rajendrakumar,Cardiologist & a Dentist Dr. AMC Saldhana and Naveen Kumar.
There are lot of distinguished personalities who were born in KGF but made their niche on the international scenario. One such famous personality is Prof Dr T.M. Krishnaveni. Born in the Champion Reefs area in 1939, she went on to complete her MPh from Tulane University USA and PhD from Bangalore University. She is the only person from Karnataka to figure in the UN World Health Organisation's "who is who" in the Nursing field. Currently she is guiding prospective PhD candidates in Bangalore.
Politics
Y.Sampangi is the current M.L.A from Kolar Gold Field, the previous leislators very commonly know are, M.Bakthavatchalam and S.Rajendran, Mr. K Rajendran is know to contest all elections but has never one any of them, including loosing deposit lots of time,
Trivia
- Kolar Gold Fields was the first city in Asia to get electricity, from Shivanasamudra Hydo electric project in Mandya District, Karnataka.
- People from as far as Kolar could see the lights of this once prosperous city
- KGF was known as "Little England" by the British, due to its more temperate weather and a landscape more similar to Britain's. It also had a sizable Anglo-Indian Population who worked in the various mines in different capacities.
- The city is on the Deccan Plateau of central and south India, about 3000 feet above sea level
- The Champion Reefs mine was the second deepest underground mine in the world when it was operational reached a depth of 3200mts.
- Silicosis, a form of pneumoconiosis caused by inhalation of crystalline silica dust, was first identified in KGF
- Longest passenger train in the world is "Swarna Express" going from KGF to Bangalore.
- National Institute of Miners Health had its headquarters in KGF
- One can see the old British bungalows and buildings even today in good shape in KGF
- KGF has been in the news recently in connection with the murder of S. Manjunath, the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) manager who was killed for doing his duty. He was from Vivek Nagar.
- KGF played a major part in the prosperity of the British Empire
- The particle experiments at Kolar Gold Fields, performed by a collaboration of particle physicists from Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai, Osaka City University, Japan and Durham University, UK recorded the first cosmic ray neutrino interaction in an underground laboratory in KGF mines in 1965.
- KGF also has the distinction of having a Golf course started by the Britisher's dating back to 1885 and affiliated to Indian Golf Union
- KGF is the birthplace of Magsaysay Awardee Jockin Arputham, the founder and president of the National Slum Dwellers Federation (India)
- Australian cricketer Stuart Clark's Mother Mary Clark (née Boosey) is from the Kolar Gold Fields, her family the Booseys are a famous sporting family.
- KGF High School established in 1901 had several boys who became world class athletes.Lesley Boosey in the 1940's represented India in the Triple & Long Jump and his son Derek Boosey represented Great Britain in the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games Triple Jump. Kenneth Powell represented India in the 1964 Tokyo Olympic games in the 100 Metres.
- [Mr K.M.Divakaran] is from KGF. He is a "Vijaya Shree" awardee and is virtually the last man standing to Revive the Gold Mines.
Places of interest in and around KGF
- Mulbagal
- Guttahalli
- Kotilingeshwara
- Kurudumale
- Avani
- Budikote
- Bethamangala
- Bytarayappana Betta
- Bangarpet
- King George Hall
- Champion Reefs
- Robertsonpet
- Soorajmull Circle
- Peddapalli
- Bytarayanahalli betta
External links
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
