Sahyadri College is one of the premier Educational  Institutes in the Malenaadu area or South Karnataka. It is prestigious one too.  The college was established in the year 1940 as an Intermediate College by the erstwhile Mysore Governement during the rule of His Highness King Jayachamarajendra Wadeyar of Mysore.

The college was started in the city and later shifted to its present location outside the city on Bangalore Honnavar Highway in 1948. Today the building has a solid stone structure with an imposing view.

The College was upgraded to the First Grade College level in the year 1956 and named as Government First Grade College. Influenced by the scenic landscape couched in the Sahyadri Hills, Dr. K V Puttappa (Kuvempu) the First recipient of Jnana Peeta award winner and the then Vice Chancellor of Mysore University urged the Government to rename the College as Sahyadri College. It was in 1962.