Field Marshal KM Cariappa is known as the man who took charge of the Indian Army from its last British Commander in Chief, General Sir Roy Bucher in 1949.
Image Source : TWITTER @RASHTRAPATIBHVN (FILE) /
HIGHLIGHTS
Cariappa was the first Indian Officer to be given command of a unit in 1942
He had led troops in the 1947 Indo-Pak war & successfully recaptured Zojila, Drass & Kargil
On January 15, 1949, Cariappa became the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army
Army Day is celebrated on January 15 every year in recognition of Field Marshal KM Cariappa’s taking over as the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army from Sir Francis Butcher, the last British Commander in 1949.
Who was KM Cariappa?
Field Marshal Sir Kodandera Kipper Madappa Cariappa is known as the man who took charge of the Indian Army from its last British Commander in Chief, General Sir Roy Bucher. Born on January 28, 1899, in Shanivarsanthe, Coorg Province (present day Kodagu district in Karnataka), Cariappa completed his education at Central High School at Madikeri and went on to study at the Presidency College in Madras. He was among the first Indians to be selected for military training.
Following his training in Indore, he joined the British Indian Army shortly after the end of World War I. Later, he was commissioned into the Carnatic Infantry. He became the first Indian Officer to be given command of a unit in 1942.
He had led his troops in World War II and the first Indo-Pak war of 1947. He successfully recaptured Zojila, Drass and Kargil and established a linkup with Leh.
He went on to receive many awards and accolades in his career spanning three decades. He received the prestigious order of the British Empire (OBE) for his role in Burma against the Japanese force during World War II.
Before taking over as the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, Cariappa served as the commander of the Indian Army’s Eastern and Western Commands. He has also conferred the ‘Order of the Chief Commander of the Legion of Merit’ – the first-ever award of its kind given to an Indian General, by President Harry Truman (the 33rd President of the United States).
In 1947, he became the first Indian to be selected to undergo a training course at Imperial Defence College, Camberley, UK. On January 15, 1949, Cariappa became the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army.
In 1983, he was given the title of Field Marshal (five stars). The only other person who has been conferred the title so far is Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw in 1973.
After retiring from the Indian Army, Field Marshal KM Cariappa served as High Commissioner to Australia and New Zealand till 1956. He died on May 5, 1993, at the age of 94.
source: http://www.indiatvnews.com / India TV / Home> English News> India / by India TV News Desk , New Delhi / January 15th, 2022
Established in April 2017, Thanal Ashram has provided shelter and been a home to many women, including a few who now live happily with their families.
The Thanal Ashram in Madikeri district. (Photo| EPS)
Madikeri :
Solace to the distressed, neglected and the homeless – this resonates as a synonym of Thanal Ashram in Madikeri. Established in April 2017, Thanal Ashram has provided shelter and been a home to many women, including a few who now live happily with their families.
Located amid the chaos of bad roads and routine buzz of the normal world, Thanal is a symbol of tranquillity. Smiling faces and sweet greetings welcome one into the building, currently home to 24 women. Most of them are homeless, and a few others made the ashram their home, after being deserted by their families.
“A 96-year-old woman who was found on the road, was brought to Thanal. The first thing we do is give them a bath. The woman was unclean but refused to take a bath till she was fed. When we gave her food, she ate her fill. This is when I realised that we first need to cater to their hunger,” shared Shashikala BK, an employee of the ashram.
She narrated stories about many women who were, and are, being nurtured at Thanal. “An old woman, Parvathy, was brought to the ashram from the District Hospital in Madikeri. After she was admitted to hospital, no family member came to take her back. She had cancer and she passed on in a few months, after living at the ashram,” she said.
Parvathy was from the Kodava community. “In order to perform the final rites as per Parvathy’s religion, we contacted people from the Makkada Koota and Kodava Samaj. The members took Parvathy’s body for cremation, as per Kodava rituals,” explained Mohammed Musthafa, the head of Thanal in Madikeri.
“Parvathy had no family, but there were many people from the surrounding areas who attended her funeral and bid her goodbye,” recalls Shashikala.
The head office of Thanal is based in Kerala, and is founded by Dr Idris, who is also chairman of the charitable trust. In Madikeri, the trust is run by Daya Rehabilitation Trust, headed by Musthafa. “No one who has a family should stay homeless on the roads. While we shelter the homeless, we look forward to reuniting them with their families,” says Musthafa.
He narrated the stories of Muthulakshmi, Jalavathi and others who were reunited with their families after many years of separation. “Jalavathi is from Uttar Pradesh. She got lost on a train and somehow ended up in Madikeri. She couldn’t speak proper Hindi and didn’t know her address. Her son’s number was traced by Thanal and she was reunited with her family after two years,” says Musthafa.
Like Jalavathi, Muthulakshmi was found in a pitiable state near the Madikeri Bus Depot. Two of her toes had fallen off and her legs were rotting due to myiasis (infection caused by maggots). She was treated for her infection and mental illness.
“During the course of her treatment, she recalled the name of her village. There are many villages by that name and we visited several before we finally traced her village in Tamil Nadu. She was reunited with her family after seven years. No one must stay orphaned if they have a family and Thanal strongly believes in this,” said Mohammed.
However, a few women who have been abandoned by relatives, swear to spend their last days in the comfort provided by Thanal. This destitute home has sheltered over 80 women in the past three years and has united at least eight families.
In case of death, the rituals of the deceased’s community are followed during the last rites. “This is not a home for people from any particular caste or community. This is a home for humans,” shared Musthafa.
The ashram is run by the trust, and with support from the main branch of Thanal. However, it is in need of more funds and benefactors who recognise their social work. Reach out to Thanal Ashram on 9844558896.
Thanal Ashram
Established in Madikeri in April 2017 to provide a home to distressed and homeless women. It has since become a home to many.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by Prajna G R, Express News Service / January 23rd, 2022
During the natural calamities that struck the district, the Mayamudi Higher Primary School had suffered immense damage and students were forced to study under leaking roofs.
One of the new classrooms (Photo | Special arrangement)
Madikeri :
Classrooms built by OSAAT Charitable Trust at a cost of Rs 40 lakh were inaugurated at the Mayamudi Higher Primary School in Kodagu. The improved classrooms will help support the education of many tribal kids in the village.
During the natural calamities that struck the district, the Mayamudi Higher Primary School had suffered immense damage and the rural students of the school were forced to study under leaking roofs inside the vulnerable school building. Alerted by this situation at the school, One School At A Time (OSAAT) Charitable Trust members came forward to build four new classrooms at the school premises with improved facilities for Rs 40 lakh. Further, since the school lacked proper toilet facilities, OSAAT has also built a toilet for the girl students at Rs 6 lakh.
In 2020, members of OSAAT including PV Subramanya, Ramesh Babu and NV Gopalakrishna Bhat visited the school premises and assured to build improved classrooms in a year’s time. Four new classrooms and a toilet have now been completed and were inaugurated by MLA KG Bopaiah on Monday. With over 100 volunteers in the charitable trust from across the country, the Mayamudi School is the 51st school project completed by the trust.
“Education is the backbone to build a prosperous country. Promoting education in rural India will help educate the students from poor family backgrounds. The OSAAT Charitable Trust has enabled and supported the education of rural kids and the residents must be grateful for their work,” said Bopaiah, inaugurating the school building. OSAAT members Nagesh and Shrisha were present with the school management during the inaugural ceremony.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by Express News Service / January 24th, 2022
Kodagu is a small and beautiful mountain district of Karnataka and is well known in the world for coffee and its ‘brave warriors’, men and women, serving in all services.
New Delhi :
It was a proud moment for the people of Kodagu district when Lt Gen CP Cariappa took command of India’s elite 1 Strike Corps at Mathura on Friday. Lt Gen Cariappa became the Corp Commander and the District boasts of rare distinction of three Lieutenant Generals serving the army simultaneously.
Kodagu is a small and beautiful mountain district of Karnataka and is well known in the world for coffee and its “brave warriors”, men and women, serving in all services. Talking only of Indian Army there are 90 posts at the rank of Lieutenant General.
Lt Gen PC Thimmaya and Lt Gen CB Ponnappa are the other two generals. Lt Gen Thimmaya is the Army Commander at the Army Training Command and Lt Gen Ponnappa is the Chief of Staff at the Northern Army Command. All three officers are a product of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and joined the army at different times. Lt Gen Ponappa is the junior-most who joined the Army in June 1985.
Lt Gen CP Cariappa was commissioned in June 1984 into the 4th Battalion of the Rajputana Rifles. He served in UN Peacekeeping Forces at Mozambique (Africa) and Iraq- Kuwait. Prior to taking over command of elite 1 Corps, he was the Military Secretary to the President of India at New Delhi. The officer on taking charge emphasized that his priority is ’fight against COVID-19 threat.’
________________________
Twitter
Kodagu Connect / @KodaguConnect
Kodava population: 1.25 lakh
Number of Kodava Lieutenant Generals in Indian Army at present: 3
____________________
At present Lt, Gen PC Thimmaya is the seniormost coorgi officer, who became Army Commander on 1 November 2018. He was the best cadet in pre-commission training at Indian Military Academy and was awarded the Sword of Honour. He got commissioned into 5th Battalion of the Mechanised Infantry in June 1981.
He commanded Army’s 10 Corps and was the Commandant, Army War College at Mhow before becoming Army Commander. Like the other two officers he also had UN Stint, was a Military Observer in UN Mission, Angola. He also was Defence Attache in the High Commission of India in Bangladesh. He assumed the command of Army Training Command in Nov 2018.
Lt Gen C Bansi Ponnappa is Chief of Staff of the prestigious Northern Command since Feb 2020. He was commissioned into 2 MAHAR Regiment in Jun 1985 and later commanded the same unit. The officer had two UN Tenures. He was in Somalia under UNOSOM-II and North Kivu Brigade of UN Peace Keeping Force in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
These officers follow in the footsteps of illustrious predecessors like Field Marshal K M Cariappa and General Kodendera Subayya Thimayya. Field Marshal Cariappa was first Indian Commissioned Officer, first Indian General and then first Commander-in-Chief of India.
A total of eleven officers from Kodagu have occupied top posts in the Army so far. This apart, Kodagu also boasts of having 20 Major Generals and four Air Marshals, which undoubtedly makes Kodagu, the Land of Generals.
Although, with time the numbers of people joining forces from the district have fallen, steps are being taken to regain it. The district has its own War Memorial with names of all martyred soldiers of Kodagu. A museum in the name of former Army Chief General Thimmaiah is also being constructed. The Kodava Legacy in the Army will continue.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by Mayank Singh, Express News Service / April 05th, 2020
Perfect combo: Bopanna’s experience and Ramkumar’s powerful serves were instrumental in the Indians’ success. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
Surprise top seeds Dodig and Melo in the final
The unseeded pair of Rohan Bopanna and Ramkumar Ramanathan beat the top seeds, Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo 7-6(6), 6-1 in the doubles final of the $521,000 ATP tennis tournament here on Sunday.
It was the first professional tournament together as a pair for Bopanna and Ramkumar, who had partnered each other in the last Davis Cup tie against Finland.
In five matches, the Indian pair dropped one set and did not drop even one service game, to collect the winner’s share of 250 ATP points and $18,700.
While it was the maiden Tour title for Ramkumar, it was the 21st Tour doubles title for the former World No. 3 Bopanna, ranked 41 now. It was only the fourth doubles title with an Indian partner for Bopanna after the ones with Mahesh Bhupathi and Divij Sharan.
“Amazing feeling to win my first ATP title with Bopsy! A great week ended on a high note. Always lived for these moments and thankful to Almighty for all the blessings,” said Ramkumar.
Chance pairing
Interestingly, it was a chance pairing as Bopanna was scheduled to play with Edouard Roger-Vasselin, who subsequently got into the ATP Cup in Sydney. Since both were in the same flight from Dubai, Bopanna asked Ramkumar to travel to Adelaide for the doubles, as the latter was only scheduled to train in advance for the Australian Open qualifying event.
“I think it worked well for both of us. He got into the singles here as well. He got five doubles matches. Couldn’t have asked for a better week for both of us,” said Bopanna.
Bopanna has watched Ramkumar grow in the professional circuit and has guided him at every opportunity.
“I have seen Ram grow as a player. He has got tremendous potential. His serve is his biggest weapon. Every time I play with somebody serving that big, makes it easy for me at the net. I really felt Ram’s serve today in my ear. So I know how hard it comes through,” said Bopanna.
New-found confidence
Ramkumar has grown in stature as the current India No. 1, and has the new-found confidence as part of his arsenal. “I think what has changed is the belief in himself. That has really changed from last year. Ram was playing some good tennis by the end of the season. He is serving well, volleying well. Now, he is starting to believe he can do well at tournaments. It is just a matter of time for him to string a few matches together and break back into the top-150, 100,” observed Bopanna.
“I would love to play more with Bops, whenever we can,” said Ramkumar, who would focus on the Australian Open singles qualifying event from Monday in Melbourne .
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sport> Tennis / by Sports Bureau / Adelaide – January 09th, 2022
Varsha Acharya with versatile talent is making her big career in both acting and fashion designing industry at the same time.
Coastal region always known for producing talents and Varsha Acharya is one who manages both professions with ease. In her short span of career, Varsha has grown exponentially with managing multiple roles that can set example for young generations.
Varsha Acharya hails from Kodagu, has done her pre-university at Canara College and fashion designing at Karavali College. Varsha is the daughter of Venkataramana Acharya and Vidyalatha Acharya and has a sibling Vrushab Acharya. Varsha was titled ‘Princess of Malnad’ in a beauty pageant in 2016.
During her fashion designing course at Karavali College, Varsha used to do lots of shoots, designing where the opportunity popped out for Varsha four years ago through Hombanna.
Varsha Acharya was always passionate about designing, illustrations, paintings. Apart from acting Varsha has shown interest towards fashion designing for several occasions. Kannada movie Padavipoorva was the first breakthrough for Varsha to showcase her creativity in fashion designing. Apart from fashion designing, Varsha is playing a key role in the movie Padavipoorva.
Varsha has also designed a main sequence in the movie Abracadabra directed By Shishir in the banner of Paramvah Studios. She is also the designer for an album song as well in a movie starring Pruthvi Ambar And Kushee Ravi, while two projects as an actor is on card. Varsha is delighted to pull of both the professions equally by being an actress and a designer.
Speaking to daijiworld.com about her dual job Varsha Acharya said, “Although they are two different professions, there is quite a bit of overlap but it all comes under how passionate I am about the work I do to manage both the professions equally. Being an actor was always my passion, as I have done my Fashion Designing i love to carry forward that in the industry too as if feel I can put both under the same roof.”
She also says, “Acting is all about fitting into the character and requires more of homework, practice and so on. Perhaps in Fashion Designing we have lot of groundworks, pre-production, try to figure out different looks of the character, fitting them in , figuring out the exact time scales per project for the preparations of the attire, time management, sudden schedule changes, being active, involvement, interest. I love to take challenges. It’s a whole different feeling being in both the professions.
“I will have a clear idea about the costumes once the script is narrated. I always have a word with my directors if they have any particular visually planned ideas, so that I can get an actual output as per the director’s plan, she says.
When asked about managing tight deadlines, Varsha says, “Tight deadlines have always made me feel good, that makes me happy knowing that I am doing good at it. However tight the schedule is, I keep my charm and smile on my face that makes my work even easier.”
source: http://www.daijiworld.com / DaijiWorld.com / Home> Coastal> Cine World / by Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (ANK) / January 05th, 2022
Olympian M.P. Ganesh, who captained the Indian hockey team and was honoured with the Padma Shri by President Ram Nath Kovind, is Coorg Person of the Year-2021.
Mollera Poovaiah Ganesh, hailing from Suntikoppa in Kodagu district, was selected ‘Coorg Person of the Year’ in a poll conducted by www.coorgtourisminfo.com, Kodagu’s first news portal, promoted by journalist and author P.T. Bopanna.
There may not be many such extraordinary instances of a person running away from home to join the Army ending up at the Rashtrapati Bhavan to receive the coveted Padma Shri. Ganesh was also conferred the Arjuna award in 1973.
Ganesh, born on July 8, 1946, was an achiever both on and off the field. Though he ran away from home without informing his parents to join the Army after writing his matriculation examination, Ganesh managed to complete his MA in English, diploma in sports coaching from the National Institute of Sports, Patiala and Ph.D in Physical Education.
Although Ganesh joined the Army to fulfil his childhood dream of becoming a football player, he failed to make it to the football team. Then he went for the hockey selection where he was successful. This goes to prove the adage that “hockey is in the blood of the Kodavas.”
Ganesh represented the Services (Defence Services) in the National Hockey Championships from 1966 to 1973.
After he found a place in the Indian hockey team in 1970, Ganesh played for India at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, finishing third. He was one of the coaches of the Indian team that won a gold medal at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow.
Ganesh, a right winger, twice represented the country in the Asian Games, first in 1970 in Bangkok and then in 1974 in Tehran. He was in the Indian team that won Bronze at the first World Cup in Barcelona in 1971 and captained the team that won Silver at the next World Cup in Amsterdam in 1973. He also played for World XI in 1972. Ganesh last played for India in 1974, as his career was cut short following a knee injury.
His most disappointing moment probably was during the finals of the World Cup in Amsterdam when India lost to Netherlands in the finals, after missing a penalty stroke.
Ganesh had a long reign as a sports administrator. He served as Director of Sports Authority of India (South) and in 2017 took charge as the High Performance Director and CEO of the National Hockey Academy in Delhi.
He is married to Keethiyanda Prema and their only son Ayyappa passed away when he was 20 years old due to a rare medical condition.
P. Shrividya Somanna, who helped Ganesh to put together his autobiography ‘Living The Dream: My Autobiography’ told this reporter that Ganesh’s wife Prema was instrumental in motivating him to pursue his higher education.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / January 01st, 2022
A couple got reunited after seven years in filmy style.
Mutthamma was suffering from psychological disorder. She was admitted into a hospital in Bengaluru in 2014. She was in the hospital for two months. However, one day she escaped from the hospital. From that day onwards, her husband Rajappa, son in laws Dorai and Nagaraj searched for her everywhere. At last, Rajappa filed a missing complaint on his wife in Bengaluru police station. They have given up hope of seeing Mutthamma again.
Meanwhile, Mutthamma was found near a hotel in Madikeri in 2017. Her left leg had turned to Gangrene and started decomposing. When the public informed the same to Tanal orphanage, they took her into their fold and saved her. The organization also gave treatment to her psychological disorder and leg. Her psychological health recovered a great deal.
After Mutthamma arrived from Kerala, she could recall the name and address of her home, husband etc. Tanal organization tried to find out her family. Mohammed, manager of Tanal in Kodagu had tried a lot to locate Mutthamma’s husband Rajappa. Later Kodagu district magistrate Subrahmanya was successful in tracing the address of Mutthamma’s husband in Tamil Nadu.
Rajappa, husband of Mutthamma was overwhelmed when he came to know that his wife is alive. He along with his sons in law rushed to Madikeri and got united with her. Now Mutthamma is back to her native place in Tamil Nadu healed completely. The role of Tanal organization and giving her back a normal life is highly appreciated.
source: http://www.daijiworld.com / Dajiworld.com / Home> Karnataka / by Daijiworld Media Network – Madikeri (MS) / December 28th, 2021
Cauvery College Gonikoppal to hand over required land.
Madikeri:
After the resounding success of Sunny Side, General Kodandera S. Thimayya Museum and War Memorial in Madikeri that once housed the residence of the celebrated General that is now attracting a steady stream of visitors, thanks to its brilliant collection of war relics and armaments in all the three battlefields — land, water and air — a new War Heroes Museum will come up at Gonikoppal in South Kodagu.
This Museum will be dedicated to all war heroes of Kodagu as it is the land of warriors where the district has contributed largely to the Indian Army. There is at least one person serving in the Army from every family in Kodagu and the tradition continues, though not many youngsters enter the Defence Services now. The proposed Museum will trace the military history of this tiny district and an attempt will be made to showcase the glorious past, inspiring the present and future generations. The Museum will come up at Cauvery College Gonikoppal where two bronze statues of Field Marshal Kodandera M. Cariappa and General K.S. Thimayya have already been installed and inaugurated in November 2018 by the then Chief of the Army Staff General Bipin Rawat who rose to be Chief of Defence Staff (now late). The management of Cauvery College has already agreed to hand over the required land.
A new trust in the name of War Heroes Memorial Trust has been established and Major (Retd.) Biddanda Nanda Nanjappa is its President and Convenor. He is also the Convenor of Field Marshal K.M Cariappa and General Thimayya Forum that played a critical role in establishing the Sunny Side Museum and War Memorial in Madikeri. Other patrons of the Trust are Maj.Gen (Retd.) Kuppanda P. Nanjappa, Lt. Gen. (retd.) Pattacheruvanda C. Thimmaiah and Field Marshal Cariappa and General Thimayya Forum President Col. (Retd.) Kandrathanda C. Subbaiah.
There are over 20 known war heroes from Kodagu who have dedicated themselves for the cause of the nation and there are many more unknown faces and only their names exist in records. Efforts will be made to have each and every war hero from Kodagu featured in this museum and initially, there will be 20 rooms, one each dedicated to every war hero. Each room will be dedicated to a particular regiment from which the war hero hails and the regiments would take the responsibility of filling up the room with defence paraphernalia that symbolise the distinctive character of the regiment where the war hero hailed from. The regiment will also supply photos, weapons and equipment used in the wars.
“Efforts will be made to secure details and memorials of each war hero irrespective of the rank and communities. The only criteria would be that the war hero must be from Kodagu. There are many war heroes who have been awarded Vir Chakra, Mahavir Chakra and Paramvir Chakra and the Museum intends to disseminate information on such heroes hailing from various regiments,” Forum Convener Major (Retd.) Biddanda Nanda Nanjappa told SOM.
“We are planning to construct the museum in the shape of a ‘Mundhu Mane’ (large ancestral house of Kodagu) and rooms will be dedicated to the war heroes,” he added.
The Trust aims to complete the museum by 2024 and will be constructed with the help of donors and also the Defence Services. In the past too, the Indian Army has contributed funds to set up the Sunny Side Museum and has pooled in money for the bronze statues installed at Cauvery College.
In fact, CDS late Bipin Rawat had wholeheartedly welcomed the War Hero Museum at Gonikoppal and had assured all help. He had opined that a vibrant museum with a wide range of military equipment and war machines would definitely inspire more and more youths to join the Defence Services.
Gen. Kodandera S. Thimayya (Distinguished Service Order)
Field Marshal Kodandera M. Cariappa (Order of the British Empire)
Air Marshal Cheppudira D. Subbaiah (Vir Chakra)
Subedar Nadikeriyanda N. Bheemaiah (Vir Chakra)
Squadron Leader Ajjamada B. Devaiah (Mahavir Chakra)
Lieutenant Colonel Anjaparavanda T. Ganapathy (Vir Chakra)
Major General Kuppanda P. Nanjappa (Vir Chakra)
Colonel Mandetira M. Ravi (Vir Chakra)
Flight Lieutenant Mandepanda A. Ganapathy (Vir Chakra)
Squadron Leader Ballachanda C. Karumbaiah (Vir Chakra)
Company Havildar Major Paradanda J. Thimmaiah (Shaurya Chakra)
Lieutenant Colonel Puttichanda S. Ganapathy (Mahavir Chakra)
Captain Chambanda M. Thimmaiah (Shaurya Chakra)
Major C.M. Ganesh (Shaurya Chakra)
Baleyada M. Cariappa (Vir Chakra)
Mangerira C. Muthanna (Shaurya Chakra)
Major B. Ranjan Chengappa (Shaurya Chakra)
Mahesh (Shaurya Chakra)
[NOTE: Names in the photos have not been mentioned as some of them have not been confirmed yet. But all the photos are of Kodagu war heroes]
Notes:
Reader:
Devayya Shyam says: December 28, 2021 at 10:14 am Lt. Col. C. N. Madiah CO 6th Kumaun ’62 Indo china war vet Only officer to attack the Chinese in that war POW You missed him out
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / December 26th, 2021
Sanjay Ponnapa at the opening of the first Fuel Espresso takeaway cart, on The Terrace, Wellington, in 1996.
Sanjay Ponnapa: businessman; b January 10, 1964; d November 26, 2021
Sanjay Ponnapa, who has died aged 56 in Hong Kong, was one of the founders of Wellington’s coffee industry, going on to build a highly successful coffee empire in Wellington and Asia.
He was born in Tamil Nadu, near to his family’s homeland of Kodagu. The Kodagu (formerly known as Coorg) is a small, sparsely populated region nestled in the rich coffee-growing hills of the Western Ghats, about halfway down India’s western side.
His family were coffee farmers and soldiers; his uncles included Field Marshal Kodendera Madappa Cariappa, the first Indian commander-in-chief of the Indian Army, and General Kodendera Subayya Thimayya.
Sanjay Ponnapa in 2004, at the launch of Fuel Espresso’s Revolution brand. He roasted and created his own coffee blends, including specialty arabica beans from his family’s plantations in Coorg, western India.
Coming from India to the gastronomically bleak New Zealand of the 1960s must have been a shock, but Ponu’s brother sent over bags of Coorg coffee, which Leela would roast in the family kitchen.
Sanjay went to school at Viard College in Porirua and then St Patrick’s College (Silverstream). He grew up into a tall, strongly built, strikingly good-looking man, with a love of fine clothes, whiskey and late 50s jazz. He attended Victoria University and the University of Canterbury, but left without a degree.
He worked in the fashion industry, then travelled to New York, supporting himself by cocktail bartending. Those playboy years were not wasted, as seeds were being planted that were to bear fruit later; attention to detail, a love of quality and customer service. One seed in particular was to grow into a plant that would build an empire.
Around 1995 he returned to Wellington and took a job with a young business called Coffee Supreme. It was the first years of what was to become the city’s cafe boom. Supreme founder Chris Dillon remembers Ponnapa as “very entrepreneurial”.
“He was always picking your brains. We had a lot of conversations about what he wanted to do next, and the potential he could see for takeaway carts, like he had seen in the US.”
Yeonhee and Sanjay Ponnapa with daughter Leela in 2015. Fuel now has seven sites in Hong Kong and two in Shanghai, in addition to three in Wellington.
Ponnapa wanted to do something different. He still wasn’t sure how. Then, in 1996, things came together. He designed and built his first coffee cart.
Anyone who was in Wellington then will remember it: based on the 1950s design icon, the Airstream Caravan, in silver, black and red, with the sounds of Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins wafting through aromas of the finest arabica coffee served in branded cups. It was an instant hit with Wellingtonians. Fuel Espresso Ltd was born.
“He wanted to elevate takeaway,” says Dillon. “Many thought it was second-best. He wanted to show it could be beautiful. He paid a lot of attention to branding, to how staff deported themselves, to make sure it would be a very coherent presentation. I’m pretty sure staff didn’t get to play fast and loose with the music playlist.”
That year Ponnapa also met his first wife, Alexandra Tylee. They were married the same year. For the first five years, they worked side by side developing Fuel.
The first cart, on The Terrace, showed them that the concept worked; the next challenge was getting more sites. Ponnapa persuaded sceptical bureaucrats to allow coffee carts at the hospital and airport.
“It hadn’t been done. We had to convince them it was a good thing to do,” Tylee says. “Back then lots of people hadn’t had proper espresso coffee. He was really charming, determined and tenacious, and didn’t give up.”
Fuel soon expanded to seven carts and sites around Wellington. Unhappy with the wholesale imported beans most cafes used, they travelled to Trieste, Italy, and created their own blend with coffee maestro Vincenzo Sandalji. They then set up their own roastery in Holland St.
“We practised the roasting for about a year before he was happy with it. He wanted to get it right. He was a perfectionist,” says Tylee.
Ponnapa was very proud of his blend, a closely guarded mix of Italian and specialty arabica beans from his family plantations in Coorg. He believed passionately that good coffee, like good wine, needed close attention to blending and even ageing. He decided to age his coffee, contrary to what he called the “global industry’s obsession with the ‘fresh is best’ dogma”.
Tylee says his talent as a leader helped the business grow. “Everyone at Fuel was really like a family. He loved being able to integrate his passion for his music, and his family. He had a vision and saw it through.”
Unfortunately, family life was not so smooth. The couple’s son Zeus was born in late 1999. He died only a few months later, from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, and his parents eventually parted ways.
By 2005, Fuel Espresso was well-established in the Wellington coffee scene, and Ponnapa was looking for the next step. He saw it in Hong Kong. He had a vision for a chain of high-end cafes nestled amongst the Guccis, the Versaces and other luxury shops of Hong Kong’s plazas.
Over the next decade he built it. Fuel now has seven sites in Hong Kong and two in Shanghai, in addition to three in Wellington. It has been stunningly successful; a tribute to the boy from Porirua who exported the taste and aroma of his secret blend to Asia.
Hong Kong became his home; he met his second wife, Yeonhee Kim, who worked in the financial sector. They married in 2012. Their daughter, Leela, was born the next year.
On Friday, November 26, Ponnapa mentioned to his wife that he was feeling unwell. He attended a staff dinner that evening, but left early. While entering an escalator, he is believed to have suffered a medical event that caused him to fall. He died at the scene.
Dillon says Ponnapa made a significant contribution to the development of Wellington’s cafe culture. “Fuel was the first high-end New Zealand takeaway coffee chain. He would say the only one. No-one had made good-quality takeaway coffee with that level of attention to detail and quality and presentation.”
Tylee says it’s hard to believe he’s gone. “He was so full of life, he had so many interests and so much he wanted to do.
“He was really warm, and a caring person.”
Chris Brown, of Sputnik PR, worked closely with Ponnapa to build his brand, but says his business achievements were ultimately not what gave him most satisfaction.
“He was very excited about celebrating their [his and Yeonhee’s] 10th anniversary. After all he’d been through, he thought his little family was his greatest success.”
Sources: Mythi Ponnapa, Chris Brown, Chris Dillon, Alexandra Tylee
source: http://www.stuff.co.nz / Stuff / Home> Life & Style> Food & Drink / by Patrick Piercy / December 11th, 2021
WELCOME. If you like what you see "SUBSCRIBE via EMAIL" to receive FREE regular UPDATES.
Read More »
