Tunga Mahavidyalaya (Kannada: ತುಂಗಾ ಮಹಾವಿದ್ಯಾಲಯ ) is located at the foothills of Anandagiri in Thirthahalli Town. Tunga Mahavidyalaya "is the offspring of" Tunga Vidyavardhaka Sangha" - an association of the philanthropists. Thirthahalli Taluk is the birthplace of great writers, artists, Jurists and political leaders. It has given birth to two Jnanapeetha awardees - Rastrakavi Kuvempu and U. R. Ananthamurthy, besides a host of other eminent writers like H.M. Nayak, Sri. S.V.