Bengaluru FC is an Indian professional football club based in Bengaluru, Karnataka, founded in 2013 by the JSW Group and currently competing in the Indian Super League. The club’s crest was unveiled alongside the squad and team colours at a launch event at the Bangalore Football Stadium on 20 July 2013, where a laser show revealed the emblem to the public.[1]
Design and History
The Bengaluru FC crest is a shield-shaped emblem with a red border, crested by three yellow stars. The upper half of the shield features a blue banner with the word “Bengaluru” written across it, above a silhouette of Bangalore Fort. The lower half of the shield contains the Gandaberunda, a mythical two-headed bird from Hindu mythology, which supports the monogram “FC” within a circle.[2]
The Gandaberunda has a deep historical connection to the Mysuru kingdom and has been used as a motif by various Karnataka dynasties, including the Chalukyas, Hoysalas, Kadambas, Vijayanagara kings and Wadiyars, appearing in crests and on seals. It also sits at the heart of Karnataka’s state emblem.[3] The bird is traditionally shown carrying elephants in its talons and beaks to highlight its strength, though it is not depicted that way on the Bengaluru FC emblem.[4]
The three stars on the crest were not part of the original design. They were added progressively to mark the club’s major titles. After Bengaluru FC won the I-League in its debut 2013-14 season and again in 2015-16, and later claimed the Indian Super League title in 2018-19, the club added a star for each championship. An official Indian Super League feature from March 2019 confirmed that the crest then carried three stars, noting the club had earned them “in just six years of existence.”[5]
Meaning and Symbolism
The crest combines elements that reference both the city of Bengaluru and the state of Karnataka. The Bangalore Fort silhouette connects the emblem to the city’s historical landmark, while the Gandaberunda ties the identity to Karnataka’s broader cultural and royal heritage.[2][3]
The club’s away kit for the 2020-21 season featured the colours of the unofficial Karnataka flag in the form of red and yellow seams lining the sleeves and collar, a design choice intended to connect the players with the state and its people.[6]
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