H. V. Nanjundaiah

H. V. Nanjundaiah CIE
Diwan of Mysore (acting)
Personal details
Born	1860
Died	1920
Alma mater	University of Madras

Hebbalalu Velpanur Nanjundaiah CIE (1860 – 1920) was the acting Diwan of Mysore,^{[citation needed]} founder and first Vice Chancellor of the University of Mysore, senior judge of the Mysore State High Court and founding president of the Kannada Sahitya Sammelana.^[1] He presided over Kannada Sahitya Sammelana from 1915 to 1917 held in Bangalore and Mysore. He was one of the first documented ethnographers in the world,^[2] having authored a seminal book Mysore tribes and Castes in 1906,^[3] among other books on legal matters.

He earned an M.A. and a M.L. (law degree) from the Madras University. He died in 1920 at Mysore while still in office as vice-chancellor. He was a senior judge in the then Mysore State High Court before being the principal administrator and then acting Diwan of Mysore. He was one of the first residents of Malleshwaram, a locality in Bangalore, and his mansion was donated to the government to set up a girls' high school that still stands on 13th Cross, 4th Main Malleshwaram, Bangalore. His family still lives near the same Mansion turned School

Due to his exemplary service to the state, 6th main road, Malleshwaram is named after him.^{[citation needed]}

He was also involved in the Indian Science Congress Association and served as the Vice president for Ethnography in 1915.^[4]

Under his administrative recommendation Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, who eventually became the second president of India, was brought to Mysore University from Madras Presidency College and they became close associates.^[5]

Personal Life: He rose to high position despite challenges in his personal life. He came from a poor family and obtained qualifications in Madras. He lost two wives at a young age and lost a son. In the memory of the deceased son, he translated a collection of poems of Victor Hugo entitled "Tears in the dark".