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Justice Kowdoor Sadananda Hegde was born in Kowdoor village and had his early education at Karkala and Mangalore. Thereafter, he pursued his collegiate education in Madras at the Presidency College and got his B.A (Honors) in Economics and later, a Degree in Law from the Government Law College, Madras. He began his legal practice at Karkala in 1936 and later moved to Mangalore, where he was appointed Public Prosecutor of South Kanara district in 1948. He was elected Member of the first Council of States (now known as the Rajya Sabha). In 1954, he represented India at the General Assembly of the United Nations. He then became a Judge of the Mysore High Court.

In 1966, he was appointed as the first Chief Justice of the Delhi and Himachal Pradesh High Court. He held this office till he was elevated to the post of Judge of the Supreme Court of India in 1967. However, he resigned this office in 1973 in protest against the supersession of senior judges in the appointment of the Chief Justice of India. In 1977, Justice K S Hegde was elected to the Lok Sabha and was elected Speaker of the Lok Sabha. He held this office till 1980. After a distinguished career, he retired form public life and settled at Nitte to relentlessly work for the upliftment and empowerment of the rural people. Justice K S Hegde passed away on May 25, 1990.

Smt. Meenakshi Hegde, wife of Justice Kowdoor Sadananda Hegde was the force and support in the growth of Nitte Educational Institutions. Smt.Meenakshi Hegde played a pivotal role in the formation of Nitte Education Trust.