DISTRICT is a basic administrative unit in our country. The district bureaucracy and its structure in the country are conceived and given a shape more than a century ago. The head of the district administration is the Collector/ District Magistrate/ Deputy Commissioner who is drawn from Indian Administrative Service.

Though most of the developmental activities at the district are carried out by the various functional departments, the Collector as the Chief Executive of the district has a central role as the coordinator of programs implemented in the district

As the revenue head of of the district, he is the chief representative of the Government. As the District Magistrate he is responsible for the law and order within the district.

The Deputy Commissioner is assisted by Assistant Commissioners, who will be in charge of the revenue administration of one or more taluks called revenue sub-division, and Tehsildars who will be in charge of the revenue administration of  one taluk.

Dakshina Kannada District has 2 revenue sub divisions viz., Mangalore and Puttur and 5 Taluks viz., Mangalore, Bantwal, Puttur, Belthangady and Sullia

Deputy Commissioner's Office Mangalore is situated in the heart of the city near State Bank. The DC office has various sections to deal with different matters of  land, law and order, public grievances etc.

In the Deputy Commissioner's Office, the Deputy Commissioner is assisted by ADC ( Additional DC), Election Tahsildar, Protocol Tahsildar, Shirastedars and Caseworkers of different sections.

The district was formed in 1799 and MAJOR MUNRO was the first ever Collector of the district. J F Saunders was the district collector in 1947 (during Independence). Syed Ahmed Sahib was the district collector in 1950(during Republic Day). H.Narasimha, IAS was the district collector in Nov'1956(during reorganization of states). S B Muddappa, IAS was the 100th collector of the district.

The present Deputy Commssioner is the 123rd in the list of Deputy Commissioners/Collectors worked in the district.

PRESENT INCUMBENTS: