Bopanna thus surpassed Daniel Nestor of Canada, who had claimed the 2015 Cincinnati Masters to become the oldest champion at the age of 42.
Matthew Ebden, of Australia, left, and teammate Rohan Bopanna, of India, hold up the men’s doubles winner’s trophy at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament.(Photo |AP)
Indian Wells :
India’s Rohan Bopanna became the oldest ATP Masters 1000 champion when he and his Australian partner Matt Ebden claimed the men’s doubles crown at the BNP Paribas Open here.
The 43-year-old Bopanna and Ebden, 35, defeated top-seeded Wesley Koolhof of the Netherlands and Neil Skupski of Britain 6-3, 2-6, 10-8 in the final on Saturday.
“Truly special. It’s called Tennis Paradise for a reason,” said Bopanna, who was playing in his 10th ATP Masters 1000 final.
“I’ve been, over the years, coming here and seeing all these guys win for so many years. I’m really happy that Matt and I were able to do this and get this title here.
“It’s been some tough matches, close matches. Today we played against one of the best teams out there. Really happy that we got the trophy.”
Bopanna thus surpassed Daniel Nestor of Canada, who had claimed the 2015 Cincinnati Masters to become the oldest champion at the age of 42.
“I spoke to Danny Nestor and I told him sorry I’m going to beat his record,” he joked.
“Winning the title, that stays with me, so really happy with that. ” It was the 43-year-old’s fifth Masters 1000 doubles title and first since he won in Monte Carlo in 2017.
This was the third final of the year for the Indo-Australian duo.
He now holds 24 tour-level trophies in his cabinet.
The Indo-Australian pair stunned defending and two-time desert titlists John Isner and Jack Sock in the semi-finals, while getting the better off Canadian singles stars Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov in the quarters.
Bopanna and Ebden had defeated Rafael Matos and David Vega Hernandez in their opening match.
A former World No.3, Bopanna jumped four places to No.11 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Doubles Rankings.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Sports> Tennis / by PTI / March 19th, 2023
Bommai inaugurates Appachattolanda Cup Kodava Hockey Festival at Napoklu
Madikeri:
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that Kodava Development Corporation, a long-pending demand of the people of the district, will be a reality soon.
“I will issue an order on the setting up of the Kodava Development Corporation at the earliest,” he said after inaugurating the Kodava family hockey tournament hosted by the Appachattolanda family at General Thimayya Stadium in Cheriyaparambu of Napoklu last evening.
“Kodavas are physically strong and protect the nation. The Government is committed to the welfare and growth of the Kodava community and the Kodava Community Development Corporation that will strive exclusively for the overall development of the unique Kodava community has been a long-pending demand from the community and steps would be taken to realise it,” he added.
Picture shows former Indian Team hockey coaches M.P. Ganesh and A.B. Subbaiah greeting the players.
Heaping praises on the concept of a family hockey tournament, the CM said that the concept is wonderful and unique and brings Kodava families under one roof. “Kodava families are well-knit families. At a time when relationships are waning, the tourney has helped bring together families. Families should be united and relationships should bring together the people,” he said. “This is a special tournament as it is organised by the Kodava families. These families enjoy a good relationship, and family bond and the heritage of the Kodava community is being promoted through the game of hockey. The culture, tradition, and practices of the Kodavas unite all. Their attire and food are special,” he added.
“It is happy to note that this tournament is going on for the last 23 years. Families must unite and relationships must prosper. This is the culture of India. This kind of tournament is not seen anywhere in the world. Hence, the State Government has released Rs. 1 crore for the tournament,” Bommai said.
The hockey festival is being held from Mar. 18 to Apr. 9 on three grounds and a record 336 families or teams have registered for it. This is the 23rd edition of the event which had a four-year break from 2018 onwards owing to natural calamities in the district followed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier, the tournament began with a grand procession. Besides this year’s participants, the family teams which have participated in the tournament in the previous years also took part in the procession. Heads of the family teams gave the green signal for the hockey festival by firing 23 rounds of gunshots in the air.
The idea of a family tournament to bring together different Kodava families was conceived by the late Pandanda Kuttappa, popular as Kuttani, and the first edition was held in 1997 and has since then grown into a major event. The first exhibition match was held between the 37th Coorg Field Regiment and Kodava Academy-11. The second exhibition match was held between Indian Junior Hockey team and Karnataka team consisting of Olympian players from Kodagu.
The CM was felicitated by handing over a silver hockey stick and silver ‘odikathi’ on the occasion. Bommai was dressed in Kodava attire, complete with ‘Kupiya-chele’, ‘peechekathi’ and ‘mandethuni’. Several cultural programmes were performed.
Minister S.T. Somashekar, MLAs K.G. Bopaiah, Appachu Ranjan, MP Pratap Simha, MLC Suja Kushalappa, former MLC Veena Achaiah, DC Dr. B.C. Satish, SP Ramarajan, ZP CEO Akash, ADC Nanjundegowda, CCF B. Niranjan Murthy, Kodava Hockey Academy Director Cheeyanda Satya, Hockey Festival Convener Appachattolanda Manu Muthappa, Appachattolanda family Pattedara Erappa, ex-Advocate General and Congress leader A.S. Ponnanna, Bangalore Kodava Samaja President M.T. Nanaiah, Padmashri Rani Machaiah, former hockey coaches M.P. Ganesh and A.B. Subbaiah were present.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / March 19th, 2023
Nine journalists from Mysuru among 123 in State receive the honour
Bengaluru:
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has presented Karnataka Media Academy Awards to 123 journalists including nine from Mysuru, for the years 2019 to 2022, in a ceremony organised at Ravindra Kalakshetra here yesterday.
Andolana Award given for best district newspaper and instituted by Andolana Daily of Mysuru, was bestowed on ‘Nrupathunga’ Daily of Kalaburagi for the year 2019, ‘Navika’ of Shivamogga for the year 2020, ‘Sanje Darpana’ of Hubballi for the year 2021 and ‘Jayakirana’ of Mangaluru for the year 2022.
Mysuru Digantha Award given for best stories on human issues was given to Bagalkot’s Chandrashekar More of ‘Udayavani’ for his report titled ‘Maneyalle Eeji Samagri Tandevu’ for the year 2019, ‘Prajavani’ Mangaluru reporter Pradeesh H. Marody for his report titled ‘Keluttilla Male Makkala Alalu’ for the year 2020, T.N. Padmanabh of ‘Vijaya Karnataka’, Ramanagar for his report titled ‘Pusthaka Hidyuva Kaige Hasuvina Hagga’ for the year 2021 and V.R. Shivakumar of ‘Vijayavani,’ Hunsur for his report titled ‘Jopadiyalle Jeevana Bandi’ and Deepak Sagar of ‘Vijayavani,’ Shivamogga for his report titled ‘Kaggadalli Mulugida Meghaane Vanavasigalu’ jointly for the year 2022.
Executive Editor of ‘Mysuru Digantha’ Ghanavantha Malali was present on the occasion.
Special Awards were conferred on K.N. Tilak Kumar of ‘Deccan Herald’ for the year 2019, Vijay Sankeshwar of ‘Vijayavani’ for the year 2020, H.R. Ranganath of ‘Public TV’ for 2021 and economic expert Susheela Subramanyam for the year 2022.
Annual awards for the year 2019 were given to R. Manoj of ‘Kasturi TV,’ Chamarajanagar district, Sudarshan Chinnangihalli, ‘Vijaya Karnataka’ and H.V. Kiran, ‘TV9,’ Hassan, Kenche Gowda, ‘Vijaya Karnataka,’ Mandya and Anantha Shayana, ‘Shakti,’ Kodagu.
Annual awards for the year 2020 were given to Dharnesh Bookanakere, ‘Digvijaya News’ and senior journalist D.L. Lingaraju, Mandya, Nagesh Panathale, ‘Vijaya Karnataka’ and senior journalist Mahesh Machaiah, Kodagu, B.R. Udaykumar, ‘The New Indian Express’ and G. Prakash, ‘Vijaya Karnataka,’ Hassan and Mullur Raju, ‘Vijayavani,’ Mysuru.
Annual Awards for the year 2021 were given to A.M. Suresh of ‘Udayavani,’ Mysuru, Mohan, ‘Vishwavani’ and Mullur Shivaprasad, ‘Andolana,’ Nanjangud, K.P. Nagaraj, ‘Public TV’ and Shankar Bennur, ‘The Hindu.’
Annual Awards for the year 2022 were given to K.B. Ramesh Nayak, ‘Andolana,’ Chamarajanagar, Ravi Nakalgod, ‘Hello Hassan,’ Hassan and Somashekar Keragodu of ‘Kemmugilu,’ Mandya.
President of Karnataka Media Academy K. Sadashiva Shenoy delivered the welcome address.
N. Manjunath Prasad, Principal Secretary of the Department of Information and Public Relations and Dr. P.S. Harsha, Commissioner, Department of Information and Public Relations, were present during the awards presentation ceremony.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / March 14th, 2023
The Kodava community in the hilly district conducts the inter-family hockey tournament every year where players from over 200 families participate.
The annual Kodava hockey festival has no bar on age or gender. The only rule of forming a team is that all members must be from the same family. | Photo Credit: File photo
Napoklu, a small town 21 km away from district headquarters Madikeri, is all set to host what is termed the world’s largest field-hockey tournament, as the annual Kodava hockey festival will be held from March 18 to April 9 after a four-year gap.
The town has only three mud grounds. On Thursday, workers were seen preparing the grounds for the tournament, while temporary bleachers were up on all sides of the ground where 30,000 spectators can be accommodated, said Navin, a member of the festival organising committee, while overseeing preparations at the Napoklu General Thimayya Ground.
“In all, three grounds will be utilised for the hockey tournament and they will also be used as a backup in case it rains,” he said. Multiple galleries, lighting, speakers, and display boards have been set up on the ground. An estimated ₹1.5 crore have been spent to organise the event by the family.
The Kodava community in the hilly district conducts the inter-family hockey tournament every year where Kodava players from over 200 families come together to play. From 2018, the hockey festival was not held due to large-scale devastation caused by heavy rainfall and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The sporting event has no bar on age or gender. The only rule of forming a team is that all members must be from the same family.
This year, the Appachettolanda family is organising the tournament under the aegis of Kodava Hockey Academy. “From every family, young boys and girls, men, women, and professionals, and former hockey players who have represented the State or country, will be part of the family team. Through this event, we are bringing all the Kodavas together. Most of the community members who are outside the district working in various professions come to Kodagu to be part of the sporting event like a festival,” said Appachettolanda Manu Muthappa, president of the Hockey Festival Committee.
The late Pandanda Kuttappa conceived the idea of the Kodava family hockey tournament, which morphed into a major sporting event and festival in the country. “Mr. Kuttappa started the Kodava Family Hockey Tournament in 1997 and was organised by the Pandanda family first in a belief that tapping the inherent love among the Kodavas for hockey could help bring the families and the community together,” Mr. Muthappa noted.
The tournament also emerged as a platform for the community members to discuss trade and business interests besides scouting for marital alliances, according to Maletira Srinivas, secretary of Kodava Hockey Academy. “In the first tournament which was held in 1997, nearly 60 teams took part. The format of the tournament was such that every year, one of the Kodava families had to host the event. Now, over 200 families participate where 3,000 players play hockey,” Mr. Srinivas said.
“Starting with the first tournament, the numbers have increased, reaching a high of 281 in 2003, where this event became the world’s largest hockey tournament. Lasting three weeks, it is a single-elimination tournament and concludes on April 9,” he added.
CM to inaugurate
The Kodava Hockey Namme (festival) is hosted by a different family each year and named after it. Families apply to the Kodava Hockey Academy expressing interest and are allotted the tournament after evaluation. There is no permanent venue; the festival has been held across the district in previous years.
On March 18, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai will inaugurate the festival, which will open with an exhibition match between India Junior XI and Karnataka Men’s XI. The organisers said the festival is held at an estimated cost of ₹ 1.5 crore all raised through funds. While the winning team of the festival this year will be given a cash prize of ₹3 lakh, the runners-up will get ₹2 lakh, and the second runner-up will get ₹1 lakh.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by Darshan Devaiah B P / March 17th, 2023
On the occasion of International Women’s Day, Lopamudra Hospitals, Gonikoppal organized a special event to celebrate women.
The event was graced by three renowned women from the region, Dr Gowramma Paruvangada, Consultant OBG at PNM hospitals, with five decades of practice in mother and child care, Dr. Fathima Kariappa, President of IMA Virajpet and Consultant OBG at Virajpet Nursing Home, and Uzma Jabeen, Panchayat Development Officer, the youngest in the district of Kodagu.
The event was presided over by the Managing Directors, Capt. Madappa M. A. and Dr Amrit Nanaiah M.M., a Consultant Physician at the Hospital. Dr Soumya Ganesh Nanaiah the Director of the Lopamudra Drishti Eye Hospital, a Cataract and Refractive Surgeon was present. She also emceed the event. Dr Sonia Mandappa, Consultant OBG, and Dr Trupthi Uthappa, Consultant ENT, were also present.
Speaking of their varied experiences, the Chief Guests enlightened the gathering on a multitude of topics.
Dr. Gowramma Paruvangada spoke about her long-standing commitment to serve women from rural parts of the country and her willingness to contribute more to the society at large. Dr Fathima Kariappa reminisced about how the babies she helped deliver were today doctors at the very Lopamudra Hospitals. She also emphasized the importance of women empowerment in today’s society and the role of family as an institution. Uzma Jabeen highlighted various government schemes available for women and how they could avail the benefits by contacting her.
The event was a sequel to a ‘Women’s Health Camp’ that saw more than 100 women availing the benefits of a health package curated to check overall well-being of women.
On the event of International Women’s Day, the hospital unveiled its new logo and a toll-free number for quick response. The hospital can now be reached at 1800 8333653. They also inaugurated the B Scan recently installed at the eye hospital. The B Scan is the first to be installed in Kodagu district. It can be used to assess the posterior segment of the eye in cases of media opacities and can be useful in cases of advanced cataracts
Dr Ruth Adhlaka, a Consultant Physician at the hospital, gave the vote of thanks, acknowledging the importance of such events and the hospital’s commitment to serving and empowering women.
Ponnappa, 33-year-old former World Championship bronze medallist, has formed a new partnership in women’s doubles with 19-year-old Tanisha Crasto.
Ashwini Ponnappa along with her new partner Tanisha Crasto in Pune | Senior Badminton National Championships
Through the course of her career, Ashwini Ponnappa has been part of many firsts in women’s doubles for Indian badminton. Ponnappa and Jwala Gutta, became the first Indian women to win a badminton BWF World Championship medal (bronze in 2011). She has won gold, silver and bronze medals at the Commonwealth Games and also the women’s team bronze medal at the Incheon Asian Games in 2014. She has been part of Uber Cup bronze medal-winning squads.
But now the 33-year-old, a veteran of the sport in India, finds herself in the nascent stage of a women’s doubles partnership. In December, she made the decision to pair up with 19-year-old Tanisha Crasto for women’s doubles.
The change sees the once world No 10 women’s doubles player now find herself ranked 141 as a pair with Crasto, albeit they’ve played just two international competitions together – a quarterfinal finish at the Super 500 event in Indonesia in January, followed by a first round exit at the Thailand Open Super 300.
A third event was the quarterfinal finish at the 84th Senior National Championships, at the Balewadi Sports Complex in Pune on Sunday as they put up a good fight before losing against the in-form top-seed pairing of Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly.
It’s a long way back to the top, but in an interview with Scroll in Pune she asserted she’s looking forward to climbing back up the ladder, while also exploring a new role in commentary.
Excerpts from the interview:
How has the new partnership been working for you?
It’s good. Tanisha is young, she’s very energetic. It’s nice to play with that energy. We haven’t really had many tournaments together, we’ve played two and this is the third. But I’m excited to be here at the Nationals, it’s been a while since I played at this competition.
Earlier you had Jwala Gutta as a partner who was senior to you, then N Sikki Reddy who was not much dissimilar in terms of age. Now you have a partner who is 19. Are you also playing the role of mentor?
You could say that. I would say there’s a vast difference from when I started playing with Jwala to the youngsters now. They’ve all been playing international tournaments from when they were 17 or 18. They’ve all been there, done that. The doubles game has changed and the approach has changed. There’s not a lot of mentoring, she is good in mixed doubles and she’s done well there. Women’s doubles is a little different, but it’s good to have someone who moves into the net. She has that energy and speed on the court.
With age have you changed your approach to the game?
Of course. It’s inevitable for that to happen. I can’t be compared to a 19-year-old in terms of fitness and energy on court. I definitely have to be smarter on court towards the game in order to make sure that I can physically take the toll that badminton has on the body. I have to be very mindful of my training and how I approach the game.
Is it about the warmups and cooldowns getting longer now for you?
Yeah. Probably. But I’ve always been someone who had a longer duration for warmup. But cooldown definitely still needs to get better.
Recently we saw a different side to you – as a commentator. How was that experience?
I happened to be at the tournament and they asked me if I’d like to give it a shot. I felt no harm in doing that, although I feel that it’s not my cup of tea in terms of how I speak. I’d love to get better at it.
But I loved the experience. It was fun being on the other side of the TV. Watching players play you see things differently. You see patterns which you otherwise don’t look out for unless you’re getting ready for a match. That was interesting for me.
I sat for five matches during the Thailand Open, it was interesting for me to watch patterns match out of match. Like if one side was slower or faster, how players dealt with it. You understand that the player who is actually smarter on that day in dealing with the conditions has the upper hand. So that was very interesting that way.
Do you feel there were more expectations when you’re in the commentary box? Since people know here’s someone who has played at the highest level, is there an expectation for some insight which you’d not get otherwise?
Yeah, I am supposed to be the expert. The colour commentary part of it. It does get tricky because, that’s what I meant that it’s not my cup of tea. Not in a bad way, but being articulate about what I see, I’m not a journalist, I’m don’t have the lingo for it. So sometimes I feel, ‘what am I saying?’ Sometimes it’s so repetitive. But it was nice. Although I was a bit nervous, it was an enjoyable experience.
Is that something you’re looking to pursue later on?
Maybe later. Honestly, I don’t know. Right now, I’m definitely focusing on the game. But if I get these opportunities in between to commentate, I’ll definitely give it a shot.
What are the kind of things you and Tanisha have to do off-court just to get the chemistry going to gel on-court? And what are the targets?
This was our third tournament together. We’ve sent out entries for tournaments where we haven’t got an entry. But Tanisha will be playing in mixed doubles (with Ishaan Bhatnagar) in those tournaments. We haven’t had so much time in general to build the partnership because it is brand new, we just started. There’s still a long way to go, we still need that bonding time.
Is that, perhaps the target?
I would say the first target is to get an entry.
You mentioned the doubles game has changed. How?
Over the years the whole approach has changed. When Jwala and I were playing, we were kind of like the path-breakers in a way for doubles. There wasn’t a lot before us. Nobody we could look up to, nobody who had ever won. We had a lot of firsts together. But the game-changer has been that youngsters have been given a lot of exposure to tournaments. They’ve been playing tournaments since they are 17 – that was unheard of back then. We didn’t even have those tournaments in India.
Right now we have four international tournaments in India. You’re giving youngsters an opportunity to get that hunger at a very young age because you’re giving them a taste of what international badminton is. Also, everyone is going out, everyone is sponsored. That’s changed.
That’s why you see a lot of youngsters playing and taking it up. Otherwise, our generation, people in the past, they trained a lot, but never played tournaments. I wouldn’t say you didn’t have that talent back then, you just didn’t know. They were just training, they didn’t have the exposure, no push to go out. That has changed, and that’s why we see a rise in a lot of doubles players playing and doing well.
It’s because they’ve been pushed from a young age, getting out to participate, get that exposure, start training at a young age. These girls are 19. At that time, at 19, nobody was really encouraged to go out.
Yet you’ve remained relevant throughout this. What’s been the changes you’ve had to make in the way you approach the game to continue playing at the highest level?
I would say, I still need to get to the top. I have, in the past. But currently I’m starting from scratch. Ground zero. It’s challenging because you’ve been there and you’re coming back all the way down. It’s a reset.
source: http://www.scroll.in / Scroll.in / Home> Badminton / by Shahid Judge / February 27th, 2023
On Friday, Indian tennis player Rohan Bopanna and his Australian partner Matthew Ebden took home the men’s doubles championship in the Qatar Open 2023 tennis competition in Doha. The pair defeated Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands and Constant Lestienne of France 6(5)-7(7), 6-4, 10-6.
It was Rohan Bopanna’s second victory in the Qatar Open. He had finished second last year with Canadian Denis Shapovalov in the doubles competition after winning it in 2020 with his Dutch partner Wesley Koolhof.
Throughout his career, Rohan Bopanna has already won 23 doubles championships. It was his first time playing alongside current Wimbledon doubles winner Matthew Ebden. At Tel Aviv, Pune, and Adelaide, the Indian tennis player won three championships last year. Bopanna’s first championship of 2023 was the ATP 250 victory in Qatar.
Bopanna and Ebden also advanced to the Rotterdam Open ATP 500 final last week, but they fell to Austin Krajicek of the USA and Ivan Dodig of Croatia in the match tiebreaker following the winning point.
The third-seeded Indian-Australian combination in Doha on Friday had a break advantage at 6-5 in the first set before being pushed back and dropping the set in a tiebreaker. In the second game, both defences improved, and the teams maintained their serves until the ninth game. Bopanna and Ebden, though, triumphed in the tenth game to force a match tiebreak.
Bopanna is ranked No. 37 in the world and No. 17 in the ATP doubles rankings. The match tiebreaker was won in 99 minutes by Ebden after they successfully converted four of six break-point opportunities.
source: http://www.sportscafe.in / Sportscafe / Home> Tennis> National> News / by SportsCafe Desk / February 25th, 2023
Conservationists hope to connect people and the dwindling fish species, to save streams, rivers and otters.
Volunteers conduct survey of the stream to look for signs of Koilemeen and Small Clawed Otters
Madikeri :
Food has a way of bringing people together. Raising awareness using a local delicacy to protect streams and the ecosystem of Kodagu is the unique ‘Koilemeen Project’ — an initiative by conservationist Gopakumar Menon. To understand the motto of the project, it is important to first understand that koilemeen is the Kodava name for freshwater fish, commonly known as Spiny Loach, with the scientific name ‘Lepidocephalichthys thermalis’.
A local variety found in streams and water-filled fields of Kodagu, the koilemeen used to be a popular delicacy in Kodava households during the monsoon. However, the numbers have dwindled over the years due to various reasons, and this is where the ‘Koilemeen Project’ comes into the picture.
The objective is to involve the local community in the conservation of streams and rivers, by connecting the people to their once-popular koilemeen dish, Gopakumar explains. “In the past two decades, there has been a precipitous drop in the availability of Koilemeen. We spoke to several coffee planters and a fish trader in Virajpet, who shared his worry due to the non-availability of koilemeen,” he said.
He explained that the use of chemicals in agriculture and horticulture has severely affected the koilemeen population, which also indicates that stream and river waters are being polluted by chemicals. “Increased use of weedicides, pesticides and other fertilisers have affected the koilemeen, and indicates that our water is polluted. The project addresses the loopholes and tries to bring awareness in the community,” he added. Illegal sand mining across the streams of Kodagu has also affected the koilemeen population.
These tiny fish breed on sand, and with sand illegally mined for commercial purpose, it has affected their numbers. “The fish spawn across paddy fields (during monsoon) and other shallow streams, and swim upstream post the monsoon. However, the use of chemicals, sand mining and deposits of plastic waste across the streams has affected the fish. The project is trying to sensitise locals and get them involved. For the community, koilemeen is an easy logo to enable the conservation process,” he shared.
The group is active across social media platforms, and wants youngsters from the district to get involved in the conservation project. The project team meets small groups of planters and raises awareness on the need to stop the extensive use of chemicals. “We tell planters and farmers about the correct method to use chemicals. We are creating awareness on the hazardous use of weedicide and urging them to use fewer chemicals, while ensuring there is at least a 20-ft gap from the chemical-sprayed area and water source,” he explained.
While the project’s main objective is to protect the streams of Kodagu, the focus is not just the tiny koilemeen fish. The bigger picture includes small clawed otters – a Schedule 1 species under the Wildlife Protection Act, whose habitat is found by freshwater streams of Kodagu.
Small beings in the ecosystem, like small clawed otters, have the same protection right as elephants or tigers, but are less talked about though their existence touches the level of endangerment. Since koilemeen are occasionally hunted, it is being used as a mascot to protect the small clawed otters in their natural habitat of freshwater streams and rivers.
The team — geared in gumboots and equipped with GPS — heads out to survey streams to find signs of small clawed otters. “The signs or presence of otters indicate good health of the ecosystem. We look for droppings or spraint of otters and are collecting data on their habitat,” explained Yashas S, a master’s student, a volunteer for the project. He stresses the need to conserve the riparian habitat to protect small clawed otters.
The project aims to collect research material on the otters, and find ways to protect them from being poached. “The diet of an otter includes crustaceans and koilemeen. Our aim is to protect the prey which will help conserve the predator. Protecting the prey also means protecting the streams,” explained Gopakumar.
Alongside the community conservation initiative, the project is conducting a baseline analysis on the otter habitat, which will help take an intelligent step towards their conservation.
Purpose of the project
To involve the community in conservation of fresh water streams, rivers of Kodagu. Enable conservation by connecting community to their once-favourite delicacy. Protect koilemeen, the prey, in freshwater streams.
Urge planters to opt for organic farming, stop use of harmful weedicides Protect, conserve vand conduct analysis on small clawed otters, the predator.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by Prajna GR, Express News Service / Februry 26th, 2023
She sits inside a cage, goes down 25-feet deep well to bring back the feline after darting
Mysore/Mysuru:
One of the most challenging and dramatic animal rescue missions has been accomplished by a Kodagu-born veterinarian Dr. Pandikanda Meghana Pemmaiah, now settled in Mangaluru.
She recently saved a leopard that had fallen inside a 25-feet deep well and performed the act by sitting inside a cage that was lowered into the well to sedate the leopard that was stuck there and starving for 36 hours. She was able to pull the one-year-old feline into the same cage in a tense and dare-devil two-hour rescue operation. Her husband Dr. Yashaswi Naravi too was a part of the rescue mission.
In fact, it was 31-year-old Dr. Meghana, who volunteered to go down the well. She told Star of Mysore that though she was scared as it was deep inside the well and the leopard was not visible from the top, the adrenaline rush to save the starving and stuck animal overcame the fear.
The incident took place near a house in Niddodi near Kateel in Dakshina Kannada, about 35 km from Mangaluru. “We got a call at 9 am on Feb. 12 from the Forest Department. We are a team from Chitte Pilli, a Wildlife Rescue and Research Centre in Mangaluru and the team comprises me, my husband and experts Dr. Prithvi Salian and Dr. Nafisa Kousar. We reached the place at 11 am with some necessary equipment for the rescue,” she said.
After successfully tranquillising the big wild cat, Dr. Meghana being pulled up along with the tranquillised leopard inside the cage.
Failed attempts
The Forest Department had tried to rescue the feline with a ladder and a cage, as in other instances the trapped leopard had walked into the cage when it was lowered inside a well. However, this leopard was unwilling to move, she added.
The leopard was not visible from the top and it had taken shelter at a cosy spot that was shaped like a cave-like cavity — to avoid falling into the water — inside the sturdy well that was built with stones. The leopard was aggressive when attempts were made by the Department to drain the well water.
“Later, a different strategy was adopted and it was decided to lower a cage carrying a person to tranquillise the leopard and bring it back. We had no other choice and someone had to do it. I volunteered despite the dangers involved,” Dr. Meghana revealed.
The leopard being treated after capturing in Mangaluru.
A risky mission
The cage was lowered by villagers, volunteers and the Forest Department staff in a coordinated action and with Dr. Meghana holding the tranquilliser gun. “We did not have a visual of the leopard and as such, it was a risky mission as no one had a clue as to how the leopard would react,” she said.
“I waited patiently for a sight of the leopard as the cage was lowered gradually and finally I could spot the animal around 10 to 15 feet inside the well and it was growling at me though it looked exhausted without food and water. I had very little time and hence aimed the dart at the animal and shot at it. Luckily, it was a precision shot and the dart hit the feline’s thigh in the first attempt itself,” Dr. Meghana said.
Meghana had carried about three to four syringes containing the sedating medicine as she did not know about its weight, size, health and other parameters for darting it. If she missed the aim the first time, she could well refill the tranquilliser gun with the second shot but the leopard could have moved away from the initial close proximity and there was more probability of her missing the shot.
Growling leopard
“In fact, I had to sit inside the cage for over 15 minutes for the dart to take effect and the leopard was right in front of me. It was growling and looking at me. Slowly, the sedation process began and I tried to pull it to the cage but could not. Another youth got inside the well and helped me and we both put the 25-kg leopard inside the cage. It was a leopardess. Now when I look back, sometimes I fear what could have happened if something had gone wrong,” she said.
So tense was the situation after the dart was fired that Dr. Meghana sat motionless inside the cage as any movement or noise would disturb the leopard and it would take a long time for the animal to get sedated. Finally, the feline fell unconscious after over 15 minutes. After the leopard was lifted back to the ground, it was checked and the vets found no external injury marks.
“It was a healthy leopard but was exhausted. After administering the required medicines for the feline to rejuvenate and get back its strength so that it has the capacity to hunt on its own, it was handed over to the Forest Department that released it back to the wild,” Dr. Meghana said.
Passion for wildlife keeps her going
Wildlife rescue operations are nothing new for Meghana and she has been a part of many rescue operations in the last six years in Karnataka. She has been a part of many missions where she has rescued and treated tigers, owls, star tortoises, pariah kites, crows, pigeons, birds and even pythons.
“Passion about wildlife, increasing human-animal conflicts and the resulting rescue mission keeps me going. I dread to see an animal suffering due to injuries,” she said.
Every year, she does almost 10 darting procedures after following the scientific process and protocols. But this was the first time she had to get down into a well, sitting inside a cage to rescue a leopard. She hails from Halugunda village near Virajpet in Kodagu district and studied in Bengaluru.
Dr. Meghana treating a python.
After completing her PUC from Christ College, Dr. Meghana did her BVSc followed by MVSc in Wildlife and Surgery from Veterinary College, Bengaluru. The next four years, she worked in People For Animals (PFA) as a senior veterinarian and this gave her on-hand exposure to animal rescue and medication.
Her father late Pandikanda M. Pemmaiah was a retired Superintendent of Police and her mother P.P. Sarasu and rest of the family live in Bengaluru. She married veterinarian Dr. Yashaswi Naravi of Mangaluru and both have been working at Chitte Pilli — a Wildlife Rescue and Research Centre.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News> Top Stories / February 21st, 2023
The Kodavas have a unique culture and history rooted in martial traditions, and have made significant contributions to the Indian Armed Forces. Defence and aerospace analyst Girish Linganna explains
The Kodavas, a small warrior community from the Coorg district in southern India, have a long-standing tradition of serving in the Indian armed forces. This is due to a number of factors, including their martial culture, sense of duty and loyalty to the country, and the prestige and honour associated with military service in their community.
The Roots of Warrior Culture
The Kodavas are an ethnic group with a distinct culture and language. They have been living in the Western Ghats region for centuries, with a history dating back to even before 1100 AD. They have a martial culture, and the men are trained in the use of traditional weapons such as the odi katti (traditional Coorgi sword). They have a rich history of military service, with many Kodavas having served in various conflicts and peacekeeping missions.
In fact, Coorg is the only district in India to have produced all the ranking officers in the Indian army, despite having a population of just over 1.5 lakh. Coorg was once a state and had its own chief minister. Four diwans served the Mysore maharajas; many held the commander-in-chief position even pre-independence during Mysore rajas’ rule.
Dedication to Duty: The Kodavas in the Indian Army
The Kodavas have a strong tradition of serving in the Indian armed forces, driven by their martial culture, sense of duty, and desire to protect and defend their country. Many come from families with a history of military service, and it is not uncommon for multiple generations of a family to have served in the armed forces. There are even Kodava couples who have served together in the Indian armed forces. They are also known for their physical fitness and discipline, which makes them well-suited for military service.
In addition, serving in the armed forces is often seen as a way for Kodavas to protect and defend their country, and many view it as a matter of great pride and honour. As a result, many Kodavas are willing to make significant sacrifices, including leaving their families and communities to serve in the armed forces.
Bravery in the Face of Danger: Kodavas in Action
The Kodavas have a rich history of military service and have played a significant role in defending the country in various conflicts and peacekeeping missions. They have been known for their bravery and dedication in the face of danger.
One of the most notable Kodavas to have served in the Indian Armed Forces is Field Marshal K M Cariappa, who was the first Indian commander-in-chief of the Indian Army. He played a key role in the integration of the Indian states after independence and was honoured with the Order of the British Empire and the Legion of Merit.
Another notable Kodava is Lieutenant General K S Thimayya, who served as the Chief of Army Staff from 1957 to 1961 and was awarded the Padma Bhushan and the Distinguished Service Order. Other notable Kodavas who have served in the Indian Armed Forces include Brigadier B K Ponnappa, who fought in World War II and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947, Lieutenant General B K Krishnan, who served as the Director-General of Military Training and the Commandant of the Indian Military Academy, Lieutenant General P K Dewan, who served as the Deputy Chief of Army Staff and the Commandant of the Indian Military Academy, and Major General K S Chandrashekar, who served as the General Officer Commanding of the Indian Army’s Southern Command.
In conclusion, the Kodavas have a unique culture and history rooted in martial traditions and have made significant contributions to the Indian Armed Forces. Their sense of duty and loyalty drives their dedication to the military to the country and their desire to protect and defend their country.
They have a rich history of military service and have played a significant role in defending India. The Kodavas of Coorg are a shining example of bravery, honour, and sacrifice, and their service to the nation should be revered and celebrated.
source: http://www.newsable.asianetnews.com / Asianet Newsable / Home> English News> India News / by Team Newsable / February 21st, 2023
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