Hunsur is located 45 kilometers west of Mysore City on the Mysore –Madikeri – Mangalore Highway. Its main claim to fame was that the former Chief Minister of Karnataka State Sri D. Devaraj Urs hailed from this constituency of Karnataka Legislative Assembly. St Joseph’s Convent institutions are located in the heart of Hunsur town, just near to the old KSRTC bus stand. Fr K.A. Mathew, parish priest of Hunsur at that time invited the Ursuline Sisters to Hunsur and Mother Genevieve, a daring person by nature and missionary minded, ventured into the Diocese of Mysore by opening a convent in the year 1956. Incidentally this was the first institution of the Congregation outside the Diocese of Mangalore, and was to become the gateway for the Ursulines’ entry into many a remote villages of Mysore District.
Sisters Julita Menezes, Ninian Therese, with Sr Cecily Pinto as Superior set foot into the Hunsur Campus on June 4, 1956. Mother Genevieve who had assessed the local situation earlier, aiming at only the social development and uplift of the poor, enthused the Sisters to start a school. Fr Mathew, the parish priest supported this cause and permitted the Sisters to begin the classes in the church premises. Later on they were moved to a rented house. On 24th June 1956 with 45 children the school opened its wings in Hunsur. Sr Julita became the first headmistress.
The whole campus consisted of nine acres of land with buildings for nursery, primary, high schools in both the mediums, PU College, First Grade Degree College, Sisters’ residence, a big coconut garden and a spacious playground.