Dadappa Chintappa Pavate

Dadappa Chintappa (D. C.) Pavate, M.A (Cantab) (2 August 1899–14 January 1978) was awarded Padma Bhushan from the Government of India in 1967. He was the vice-chancellor of the Karnatak university Dharwar, and the Governor of Punjab. Pavate was a Cambridge Mathematical Tripos wrangler.

Pavate was born in Mamdapur a small village next to Gokak town. His mother was Shantamma. His father was a farmer. Pavate completed primary schooling from Mamdapur and high school from Gokak. He stood first in B.A Mathematics to Rajaram College, Kolhapur of University of Bombay then. Pavate went to Cambridge to study M.A in mathematics and earned Mathematical Tripos Wrangler. Pavate was married to Girijabai from Salanhalli village near Gokak.

After returning from England, Pavate was appointed as Educational Commissioner of Bombay-Karnataka. In the year 1954, he served as the third vice-chancellor of the Karnataka University, Dharwar and continued until 1967. The rapid development of the institution is credited to him. In 1967 he was nominated as the Governor of Punjab, where he served till 1973. Dr Pavate returned to Bangalore, to serve Basava Samiti, Bangalore as advisor. He was instrumental in setting up Basava Bhavan, near Vidhana Soudha, Bangalore. He authored two books, “My days as Governor” and “My days as educational administrator”. Dr Pavate died in Banglore on 17 January 1978 and was cremated in Mamdapur, which was his birthplace.

DC Pavate visiting scholarship has been established starting 1999 at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. It is awarded to outstanding graduates from Karnataka.