A new war memorial will be unveiled soon in South Kodagu, in the memory of all the martyrs, and to offer a tribute to the soldiers.
Soldiers are responsible for the protection of the country. They work selflessly for the betterment of the country and ensure that peace and harmony is maintained. Hence, to remember the struggle of martyrs and their sacrifices, a new war memorial has been set up at the main junction of T Shettigeri village, in South Kodagu and will be unveiled on August 28.
he major highlight of this memorial is that it has been set up by the funds donated by the No 33 Ex-Servicemen Association of T Shettigeri. This association consists of 450 retired soldiers. Installing a new war memorial was a dream of the association. This association has also contributed a lot to the society including extension of financial assistance to the needy and also providing aid during the time of natural disasters.
This war memorial is made up of marbles that cost around Rs 5 lac and the cost of construction is largely donated by the wife of K Bopaiah, a former havaldar, said president of Association, K A Vishwanath.
source: http://www.daijiworld.com / Daijiworld.com / Home> Karnataka / by Daijiworld Media Network – Madikeri (SJM) / August 25th, 2023
Ex-banker Soomanna Mandepanda and his wife, Puja Soomanna set up their startup Humblebean in 2017 to ensure better prices and reach for small coffee farmers and improve every part of the value chain.
For former banker Soomanna Mandepanda, the motivation for setting up Humblebean was not just to sell the best coffees, but more importantly, uplift the small and medium Indian farmers who grow them.
In the process, he is trying to bring about changes at almost each stage of the business — from cultivation and supply chain to research and education.
Founded in 2017 by Soomanna and his wife and former Yahoo executive Puja Soomanna, Bengaluru-based Humblebean works on an omnichannel model: It ties up with small coffee farmers in south India, roasts and grounds supply, provides the beans to roasters, exports its products, operates brew bars, and has an online presence.
A responsible way to grow coffee
The coffee drinking experience has been gaining traction in India, with the market for the brew expected to record a compound annual growth rate of 7.2 percent during 2021-25, according to a January 2021 Statista report.
Startups including Sleepy Owl, The Flying Squirrel, and Coffeeza, as well as shops such as Third Wave Coffee Roasters are making their presence felt in the market.
India is the world’s sixth-largest producer of coffee and fifth in terms of exports; in fact, 70 percent of its production is exported, says a January 2021 report by the India Brand Equity Foundation. Yet, Soomanna says, “a lot of small and medium farmers and farms aren’t getting the kind of business and reach they should”.
Soomanna would know: he spent most of his childhood on the coffee estates of Coorg and was a small farmer before moving to the world of finance and banking for 13 years. One way to correct the imbalance, he says, is by “making great biodiverse coffee that farms in India are already poised to do”.
According to him, 80-90 percent of coffee farms in India are held by small and medium farmers, whose secondary income comes from crops such as jackfruit, avocado, pepper, and orange that are part of the same farms.
Cultivating other crops alongside coffee “ensures automatic carbon sequestration, top soil replenishment, and lesser need to feed chemicals unlike commercial crops grown in other countries”, says Soomanna. “The mining of the minerals is automatic and you become carbon neutral.”
Puja Soomanna
Advocating farmer-friendly norms
Increasingly popular among young consumers are organic, speciality, and Rainforest Alliance coffees that respectively employ natural methods of cultivation dispensing with harmful chemicals, are of the highest grade being derived from a single origin or single estate, and protect the environment as well as worker rights.
However, in India these certified varieties are grown largely on rich estates; most small and medium farmers cannot afford the costly certifications and grades.
Coffee cultivation and the business are still quite unorganised in India, the certifications cost a lot of money, and need constant follow-ups, says Soomanna.
“The norms are difficult to adhere to for most small farmers. It is a replication of an American model.”
______________________
He says most large corporations in India export to Europe. “The small companies in Hassan, Chikmagalur, etc. certify about 150 estates and add the tags. But the farmer doesn’t get the price because the better prices are still being fetched with the local trader. The local traders are important, but the real traceability is lost.”
As farmers don’t get better prices, there is little driving them to improve their produce, he says. “Speciality coffee is something few farmers can afford to grow.”
Hence, the need to bring in farmer-friendly rules, he says.
The Humblebean coffee
Promoting social value investing
Given the largely unorganised state of affairs, Humblebean focused on getting farmers on board. The team collected random samples, tasted them, and guided farmers on growing the beans in a better way.
By 2018, the team had got 50-60 farmers on board and given them assessment reports free of cost. Until then, the startup was in its pre-revenue stages, bootstrapped with funds from family and friends.
The team then focused on getting roasters to directly buy from farmers. For this, it adopted the idea of social value investing, in which everyone who is part of the value chain comes together to solve a problem and there is money in it for all.
_______________________
“Once we got the farmers on board, we decided to tie up with brands and introduce them to the new portfolios of coffees,” says Soomanna. “We incubated close to four different brands in India from scratch to start a unique brand with a different blend. The idea was to bring in multiple partnerships and inclusiveness in the farming community on one platform.”
Most of the speciality coffee firms have restricted names and types of beans grown on particular estates. “The idea is to bring in more brands that can access different estates, work with them, and encourage the farmers,” says Soomanna.
Humblebean also fulfils the complete roast and ground process for such brands and even gives them a credit facility, he says.
Quality comes with education
Towards the end of 2018 and early 2019, the Humblebean team found that coffees served at most star hotels weren’t up to the mark.
One of the reasons for this, Soomanna says, is that coffee as education is lacking in hotel management schools: one has to go to Italy to learn more about its nuances. The Coffee Board of India mostly takes care of the functionality, he says.
___________________________
“We met a few management schools and after some discussions it was decided that the colleges would look at it as part of the curriculum,” says Soomanna.
Brewing innovative Indian blends
Even as Humblebean works to improve every part of the value chain, it is trying to offer consumers a very Indian coffee drinking experience.
To that end, the startup opened its first Brew Bar in the food experience section of a workspace on Bengaluru’s Residency Road in 2019. Humblebean was one of the early members of that workspace set up by a Singapore-based company.
Puja, who conceptualised Brew Bar, spent time innovating the blends with the use of Indian robustas.
“We don’t serve a single cup of speciality coffee; we wanted to make sure through the brewing methods can small and medium farmers come into mainstream brewing?” says Soomanna.
_______________________
He says these Indian blends “aren’t being used by a single new-age speciality coffee company” as they are considered “harsh and used as a filler across the world. But they are unique and you need great expertise and experience to make a robusta out of them”.
Following research and development, the startup has also come up with its own set of products. Together with B2B partners, it has launched these products online and will soon sell them at other marketplaces. The range is priced at Rs 220-350 for 250 gm for limited editions and depending on the roast.
“Indian coffees can have a global impact,” says Soomanna. “The idea is to be farmer-friendly and also not cause too much environmental damage. We want to bring an amazing cup of coffee from the farms the way it should be drunk.”
Edited by Lena Saha
source: http://www.yourstory.com / YourStory / Home> / by Sindhu Kashyaap / edited by Lena Saha / February 07th, 2021
KC Ganapathy will pair up with Varun Thakkar to represent India in the men’s 49er event at Tokyo 2020.
Indian sailing star KC Ganapathy not only made his country proud but also put his community — Kodava — on the sailing map of the world by making a cut in the 49er event (with crew member Varun Thakkar) for Tokyo 2020 at the Mussanah Open Championship earlier this year.
For the uninitiated, the Kodavas are a tribe from the Kodagu region of Karnataka in India, who speak the Kodava language. And the 26-year-old will be the first from his community to represent India at the Olympics.
His journey to the pinnacle of the sporting event has been challenging as after losing his father, Deepak Chengappa, it was his mother Reshma Chengappa, who ran the furniture business for his family in Chennai.
However, his achievement is also fulfilling for his grandmother Padma Prathap, a resident of Kolthodu village near Hatur in South Kodagu, as she has seen Ganapathy overcome all the odds.
“He won the Under-12 National Championship and has come a long way. I pray for his success every moment,” she told the starofmysore.com.
Incidentally, his journey is also inspiring for his Indian sailing contingent teammates, who have seen his never-say-die spirit at close quarters.
It happened so in 2020, that after being reduced to visual training for a major part of 2020 in Chennai, Ganapathy and his crew member Thakkar decided to train in South India in Rameswaram. However, the plan turned out into a disaster, as a bike accident almost reduced his chances of competing any further.
Ganapathy suffered a hairline fracture on the foot along with a soft tissue damage. But he was able to pull off the recovery in no-time, thanks to the doctors and training process he was asked to follow. His teammate Vishnu Sarvanan, a laser radial class sailor, has had a lot of respect for him ever since.
“When I got into sailing for the first time, I kind of looked up to him,” Vishnu told the New Indian Express.
Moreover, Ganapathy also worked on putting up weight to balance his boat (along with his partner), which needs a minimum of 160 kilograms on board. And from quitting school to pursue sailing on a full-time basis, Ganapathy has come a long way in pursuit of making his dreams count
When will KC Ganapathy’s campaign at Tokyo 2020 begin?
Varun Thakkar and KC Ganapathy will begin their campaign at Tokyo 2020 on July 27, Tuesday, in the men’s 49er Race 1.
source: http://www.olympics.com / Olympics.com / by Samrat Chakraborty / July 26th, 2023
Brik Oven, the renowned Bangalore-based pizzeria is thrilled to announce a collaboration with Nikki Ponappa, golf coach and founder-the Food Lover Company, for a special breakfast sandwich pop-up event. This partnership aims to support the Coorg Wellness Foundation, with all proceeds from the event going towards the charitable organization.
Brik Oven’s sourdough, meticulously fermented for 48 hours, will be generously packed with the most delicious fillings. The menu will be showcasing a range of breakfast sandwiches including scrumptious Burrata and Mozzarella cheeses and bread made in-house at Brik Oven. Drawing inspiration from the coffee heartland, the sandwich spread will feature an authentic Coorg delicacy as well, directly sourced from the estates of Coorg – the Pandi Curry. The offering will also include Veg, Vegan, Prawn and Brik Oven’s own Roast Chicken and Ham varieties, paired with fresh seasonal fruits for a harmony of flavours.
Brik Oven and the Food Lover Company aim to create a memorable culinary experience for attendees while supporting a noble cause, a commitment to building a community and giving back to the Coorg Wellness Foundation. The Food Lover Company has made significant contributions to the foundation’s initiatives, including the construction of homes and the provision of higher education for children in Coorg.
Drop in at Brik Oven and dig into these mouth-watering sandwiches. Follow @brikovenblr on Instagram for more updates!
Among the multiple famed tourist attractions in the hill station of Kodagu — a captivating destination for travellers from far and wide throughout the year — is a new must-visit place, a brand-new glass skywalk bridge.
It is made of tempered glass panels or flooring that provide visitors with a thrilling experience of walking above ground level, often offering panoramic views of the surrounding landscape
The glass skywalk bridge in the district is the second such attraction in South India, the first one being at Wayanad in Kerala at 900 Kandi Eco Park. This remarkable Glass Skywalk Bridge of Kodagu is nestled amidst the forests and hills of the Western Ghats, attracting tourists like a magnet.
The bridge, standing approximately 78 feet tall, with a length of about 32 metres and a width of 2 metres, has been attracting tourists to the ‘Pappy’s Bridge of Coorg’ at Udoth Motte near Madikeri on the Madikeri-Bhagamandala Road. This bridge, with a capacity to support around 5 tonnes, can accommodate up to 40 to 50 individuals at once, providing them with an opportunity to immerse themselves in the beauty of nature.
Through its stunning natural beauty, the tourism sector in Kodagu has successfully garnered global attention and the newly added glass skywalk bridge further enhances this tourism initiative.
Situated amidst the lush green hills, the bridge offers a breathtaking view. Standing and gazing from the bridge not only evokes a sense of fear but also provides an exhilarating experience. The surrounding hills seem to reach out and beckon, their peaks adorned with greenery.
Looking down from the top feels as if the sky is within reach and stepping on the glass, while enjoying the beauty of nature, brings joy to the visitors. While the natural beauty of Kodagu with its umpteen viewpoints has enchanted the tourists, the bridge, amidst the greenery of the hills stands this remarkable creation, skilfully erected by engineers.
Walking on the transparent glass surface, amidst the verdant nature, offers a thrilling experience that takes it to the next level. The facility, allowing tourists to indulge in the beauty of nature, was recently inaugurated by Virajpet MLA A.S. Ponnanna who also walked along the bridge.
He appreciated the significant contribution of the local community to this tourism initiative and noted that the facility holds significance as a unique attraction in the region, surpassing even the famous glass bridge in Wayanad.
He said that the facility will contribute to the Kodagu district’s development as a nature-friendly tourist destination, without causing any harm to the environment. He also mentioned that the implementation of this unique project will lead to an increase in the number of tourists visiting the district.
Fake image
Yet again an image claiming that cracks had developed on the glass bridge went viral and the video generated panic among tourists. Later it was found to be stable and the photo was confirmed to be fake.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles, Top Stories / July 17th, 2023
Indian Badminton Doubles Players, Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto have achieved their career-best rankings in BWF Rankings. In the recent update by the BWF, the duo successfully climbed up one place to reach 60th rank. This is the highest they have achieved in their entire career.
The pair recently won the Nantes International Challenge title by defeating the prolific duo of Hung En-Tzu and Lin Yu-Pei of Chinese Taipei. The event took place at the Salle Metropolitana de la Trocardaiare, Paris. Ashwini is a Commonwealth gold medallist and a world-class player with many titles under her belt.
Meanwhile, Tanisha has astoundingly proven herself. She paved her way through the domestic circuit and has shown his talent alongside experienced players. Both of them have performed exceptionally well in the recent past and are willing to stick with the winning ways.
Ashwini attained the highest-ever ranking of 10 in women’s double alongside Jwala Gutta in 2015. While Tanisha had the highest rank of 115 with Shruti Mishra. This duo has come a long way to achieve this feat in the BWF Rankings update. They display the depth in the Indian Badminton pool and the nurturing of this depth.
Other Indian Players to Gain in Recent BWF Rankings
Apart from these two, Simran Singhi and Ritika Thaker moved up to 64th rank. Swetaparna Panda and Rutaparna Panda advanced to 66, while the Palak-Unnati pair moved to the 90th position. All of these Ranks were achieved in the Women’s Doubles category.
In the Men’s Single category, Kiran George moved up three places to achieve the 53rd position. While in the Men’s Doubles category, P.S.Ravikrishna and S.Sankar climbed up four places to grab the 70th ranking. The pair of Achutaditya-Venkata Harsha also made meager progress by moving to 80th place in the rankings.
These are some major updates from the BWF Rankings update in July 2023 and the players would be motivated to further progress in the same manner.
source: http://www.sportskeeda.com / SportsKeeda / Home> Badminton / by SportzConnect / edited by Yash Singh / July 05th, 2023
While 70% of saplings are that of native trees, 30% are crops that have some economic value.
Picture for representational purpose only | (Pic: Express)
The College of Forestry at Ponnampet, in collaboration with Sucden India, is involved in an afforestation drive across Kodagu. The initiative called the Sustain Landscape Project involves the distribution of native varieties of tree saplings among farmers.
Plans are afoot to plant them across sacred groves in the district.
Kari Mara (Diospyros ebenum), ‘Karadimara (Chukrasia tabularis), Dhoopa mara (Vateria indica), Kari Dhoopa (Canarium strictum) to name a few, are native trees that once dotted the Kodagu landscape.
Older generations are familiar with the tree species but these are alien to the present generation. The increased demand for wood and medicines along with galloping urbanisation has led to plummeting of the native trees. To revive the trees, Ponnampet Forestry with support from Sucden India this sustainable plan was devised.
“Community forestry is being promoted through the project with seedlings of the native trees being distributed to the farmers of the district. We have been conducting this initiative for the last three years. Final-year students of the college look after the seedlings of the native trees and a few economic crops, under the experiential learning model. The students receive stipends from Sucden and the seedlings raised in the college nursery are then distributed to farmers,” said K Nanaiah, assistant professor of the college.
Look at the numbers The seedlings are distributed for free to the farmers. While 70% of saplings are that of native trees, 30% are crops that have some economic value, he said. Since 2020, a total of 250 farmers (the majority in South Kodagu) have received the saplings and raised them. The college students have also planted saplings across river banks and other protected areas across South Kodagu.
This year, they plan to expand the initiative across Kodagu, he said. The college has invited the participation of various Sacred Grove Temple committees. “Communities must be involved for this sustainable initiative. If this does not happen, we will devise other plans to plant these saplings,” he said.
The project initiative has achieved a success rate of over 50% with 25,000 to 30,000 saplings have been planted so far. They are now targeting 60,000 plantations by this year.
source: http://www.edexlive.com / Edex Live, The New Indian Express / Home> News> Kodagu / by Prajna GR / July 03rd, 2023
The All India Tennis Association (AITA) on Tuesday unveiled a 12-member squad for the continental quadrennial games. Doubles specialist Rohan Bopanna will once again represent India in the tennis competition at the Asian Games. On September 23, the Asian Games will get underway in Hangzhou.
The potential singles players for the team are Sasikumar Mukund and Sumit Nagal, who both competed in doubles at the 2018 Asian Games alongside Ramkumar Ramanathan. Bopanna, 43, and Ramkumar are most likely to team up. The other two members of the group, Yuki Bhambri and Saketh Myneni , are already paired on the ATP Tour.
Ankita Raina, who won bronze in singles at the 2018 Asian Games, will serve as the team’s captain. Karman Kaur Thandi, Rututaj Bhosle, Sahaja Yamlapalli, Vaidehi Chaudhari, and Prarthane Thombare are the other active members.
The nucleus of the Indian delegation in both the men’s and women’s divisions is essentially unchanged, with Ramanathan, Nagal, and Bopanna also being part of the Jakarta Games team. Ankita, Karman, Ruturaj, and Prarthana are among the four female players that participated in the Jakarta tournament five years ago. Sahaja and Vaidehi are the two new players.
source: http://www.sportscafe.in / Sports Cafe / Home> Tennis> National> News / by Sports Cafe Desk / June 21st, 2023
Theetharamada Sinchal Kaveramma shattered the national record in the 400-metre hurdle and met the qualifying mark for the Asiad (Asian Games), during the 62nd Inter-State Athletics Championships in Odisha.
Notably, she broke the national record, crossing the finish line in a thrilling photo-finish with a time of 56.76 seconds, surpassing the previous record of 57.02 seconds. This remarkable achievement also stands as Sinchal’s personal best time. She clinched the silver medal in the 400-metre hurdles event and a bronze medal in mixed relay.
The recently concluded National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships, held at the Kalinga Stadium at Bhubaneswar, Odisha, served as a selection trial for both the delayed Asian Games in Hangzhou, scheduled for September, and the upcoming World Championships in Hungary.
Numerous top-tier athletes travelled to Bhubaneswar with the aim of securing their spots in the Asian Games later this year. Sinchal is among the 65 athletes representing 27 disciplines who persevered through scorching heatwaves to meet the Asiad qualification standard.
Sinchal receives training from Bollanda Vikram Aiyappa and Pramila Aiyappa in Bengaluru. Speaking to Star of Mysore, she attributed her record-breaking performance to her coaches and family, expressing her full dedication to them.
Sinchal has already commenced her preparations for the main Asian Games, scheduled to take place from Sept. 15 in Bangkok.
Sinchal is the daughter of Theetharamada M. Ravi and Rashmi (Kuppanda), residents of Nalloor village near Ponnampet. Her grandparents are Theetharamada Mudappa and Chondamma of Nalloor, as well as Kuppanda C. Thimmaiah and Muthakki of Nalvathoklu.
Sinchal completed her primary education at Lions Primary School in Gonikoppa and attended high school at Alvas English Medium High School in Moodbidri. She pursued her pre-university course at Alvas PU College and is currently in her final year of B.Com studies at Bishop Cotton Women’s Christian College in Bengaluru.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports /June 21st, 202
Indian squash players performed creditably in international, and home events.
There can be little doubt that in the last quarter of a century Indian sport has made a mark on the international stage. In various disciplines Indian sportsmen and women have won medals at World and Olympic meets and particularly in disciplines like weightlifting, boxing, wrestling, shooting, athletics and badminton Indians have earned a lot of respect worldwide.
But if there is one sport in which Indians have been making a comparatively quiet buzz it is squash. Not only have they performed creditably in international events but the country has also staged several international meets.
The most recent one was the just concluded Squash World Cup in Chennai, where eight countries participated. It was for the second time the city was hosting the event, the previous one being in 2011. Favourites Egypt won the event defeating Malaysia in the final. India made it to the semifinals before going down to Malaysia.
Zena Wooldridge, the president of the World Squash Federation (WSF) spoke highly of both the excellent infrastructure in the country and the potential of Indian squash to rise even higher. “India is such a massive attraction to any country and as such the Indian market is something that is irresistible in more ways than one’’ said Wooldridge who was in Chennai for the mega event.
Squash has come close to being an Olympic sport more than once before narrowly missing out to other disciplines but Wooldridge has not lost hope. She is confident of it being included in the 2028 Olympics, “Squash has not done anything wrong to not get the go ahead. I think we had some of the best bids and presentations.’’
In fact in keeping with the times the sport has made an important change in the points system and this was seen for the first time during the Chennai event. It featured a novel seven point best of five games format instead of the traditional eleven points posing a unique challenge for the players. In other words this abbreviated version was termed as the sport’s T-20 format but the players had no problem in adapting to it.
Think of Indian squash and the names that spring to mind immediately are Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal. The two young women along with the leading men’s player Saurav Goshal have done the most to put Indian squash on the international map. All of them have been ranked at various times in the top ten in the WSF rankings on the way, notching up victories over the leading players in the game.
All three, as well as several upcoming players, readily acknowledge that their game improved by leaps and bounds because of the Indian Squash Academy (ISA) a world class facility in Chennai that is the brainchild of N. Ramachandran former president of the Indian Olympic Association and former president of the WSF. There was a time when Mumbai was the hub of Indian squash but things changed when the ISA was set up at the turn of the new millennium.
The Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) secretary-general Cyrus Poncha is firmly of the view that Chennai is now the place for squash players, “It goes without saying that Chennai is the squash hub in India and the reason for that is the presence of the ISA in the city. The training and the tournaments we conduct and the coaches we have at the ISA ensures high standard performances by our players.’’
Ghoshal for one has trained both in England and India. “When I am in India it is in Chennai that I undergo training. The facilities at the ISA are on par with any other academy abroad,’’ he says.
A factor in the growing popularity of squash according to Poncha is that it is an indoor and all weather sport. “We have been seeing a steady growth in the number of players taking to the sport. We have a programme wherein we go to schools and bring interested students to the squash academy. We take in kids as young as ten years and train them,’’ he says.
A far-sighted approach in making the sport popular has also helped. Initially matches in the Asian and World championships were held at the ISA. But the authorities realised that for squash to become popular it had to be taken to the masses.
In keeping with this for the last few years national and international events have been held at the Express Avenue Mall in the heart of the city. The huge crowd present during the recent Squash World Cup was testimony to the sport’s growing popularity.
Even those who had come in for shopping or window-shopping had a glance at what was going on at the court in the main foyer. But there were hundreds who had come specifically to watch the proceedings. From the various floors the spectators enjoyed the fare even as they clapped and cheered for the Indian players while holding aloft the national flag.
There is little doubt that Joshna and Dipika by their exploits on the squash court have inspired a younger generation to take to the sport. Joshna was part of the Indian team that took part in the world meet while Dipika who is married to Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik has twins to care off and plays the game only sporadically. Incidentally Goshal is Dipika’s brother-in-law having married her sister.
Considering squash’s status at one stage, it has been a great journey for both Joshna, now 36 and Dipika, five years younger. The ISA took stock of their talent and moulded them. They were school children when squash crept into their activity zone.
The visionary zeal of N. Ramachandran, an industrialist and an ardent squash lover ensured the establishment of the ISA that virtually shaped the careers of several young talents. It was during his tenure as the Secretary General of the SRFI that the ISA became a reality. Today it is an institution that has helped script several wonderful moments for Indian squash.
source: http://www.thecitizen.in / The Citizen / Home> Sport / by Partab Ramchand / June 21st, 2023
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