Adi Karnataka is term used by the Ministry of Home Affairs (India)

Ministry of Home Affairs (India)

Ministry of Home Affairs , known as the Home Ministry or MHA, is an Indian government ministry. It is an interior ministry mainly responsible for the maintenance of Internal security and domestic policy.-Ministerial Team:...

 to denote members of one of the Kannadigas who are primarily indigenous to the Karnataka state

Karnataka

Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...

, as opposed to the Kannadigas whose ancestors came to present-day Karnataka from other areas like North India

North India

North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...

.

Adi Karnataka is not synonymous with Adi Dravida

Adi Dravida

Adi Dravidar is term used by the state of Tamil Nadu in India to denote Dalits. It means Original natives or indigenous people of Dravida land . The term was coined by Tamil social activist Periyar Ramasami who worked against casteism and division among the people based on castes...

 or Adi Andhra. Primary difference between the three being the language used in their lineage. Adi Karnataka people are Kannada speaking people and the Adi Dravida and Adi Andhra people are Tamil

Tamil language

Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...

 and Telugu

Telugu language

Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...

speaking respectively.

Adi Karnataka are divided into two sub groups: LEFT and RIGHT. Some time commonly called in Kannada as Edgai and Balgai which means right hand left hand.