India, May 24 -- Karnataka's Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar has strongly opposed the Karnataka government's decision to appoint actress Tamannaah Bhatia as the brand ambassador of Mysore Sandal Soap, calling it a blow to Kannada pride and heritage. His statement adds weight to the growing outrage over the state-owned Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited's (KSDL) move to sign on a non-Kannadiga celebrity to represent the iconic brand.

Describing KSDL as a "legacy institution," Yaduveer reminded the government and the public that the brand was founded in 1916 by Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar, the then Maharaja of Mysore. "Mysore Sandal Soap is not merely a commercial product. It is woven into Karnataka's cultural ...