migrated from the current Maharashtra region to stitch uniforms for the soldiers of the colonial British Indian Army stationed at Ballari. After the war, the community switched to making uniforms for school children, and gradually the uniforms made here became popular all over the country. Currently, Ballari is well known for its branded and unbranded denim garments, with brands like Point Blank, Walker, Dragonfly and Podium being successfully marketed nationally and internationally. There are about 260 denim garment units in Ballari with nearly 3000 families working in these units. Notable people See Kolur Basavanagoud – Politician, Educationist, and Industrialist. He served as MP in 13th Lok Sabha from Ballari Lok Sabha constituency. Basavarajeshwari – Politician and Industrialist Ravi Belagere – Actor, writer, novelist, journalist, publisher of the Hai Bengaluru Tabloid Naveen Chandra – Actor in Telugu film industry Manjula Chellur −1st Woman Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court Nagarur Gopinath – One of the pioneers of cardiothoracic surgery in India, credited with the first successful performance of open heart surgery in India in 1962. Recipient of Padma Shri (1974) and Dr. B. C. Roy Award (1978) Jayanthi – cinema actress, born in Ballari K. C. Kondaiah – Politician and industrialist Arcot Ranganatha Mudaliar – Former Deputy Collector of Ballari, politician and theosophist. He served as the Minister of Public Health and Excise for the Madras Presidency from 1926 to 1928. A. Sabhapathy Mudaliar – Philanthropist; The Women & Children's Hospital or The District Hospital was initially named after him, following his donation of land and building to the hospital. Bellary Raghava (1880–1946) – Noted dramatist. The Raghava Kala Mandir auditorium in Ballari is named after him Suparna Rajaram – Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Stony Brook University Dharmavaram Ramakrishnamacharyulu (1853–1912) – Noted dramatist Bhargavi Rao – a Kannada-Telugu translator, winner of the prestigious Kendra Sahitya Academy award Kolachalam Srinivasa Rao (1854–1919) – Noted dramatist Gali Janardhan Reddy – Former minister and district in charge. He is one of the richest politicians in India B Sriramulu - Present Minister of Health and Family Welfare of Karnataka Tekur Subramanyam – Indian Freedom Fighter, First post-independence MP of Ballari, elected thrice in a row since 1952, political secretary to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru Ibrahim B. Syed – Indo-American Radiologist Allum Veerabhadrappa - former minister, Government of Karnataka References Maps General External links Official website of Ballari City Corporation 1808 establishments in British India