Category Archives: Inspiration / Positive News and Features

Madikeri Kodava Samaja President Inspects Kodava Heritage Centre

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Madikeri:

With the works on Kodava Heritage Centre near Vidyanagar on the outskirts of Madikeri having resumed recently, Madikeri Kodava Samaja President Konganda S. Devaiah and Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa – General K.S. Thimayya Forum Convenor Col. Kandrathanda C. Subbaiah visited the site on Monday  and inspected the ongoing works.

The two received inputs on the design of structures coming up at the site, the architectural  outlook of Ainmane and the nature of works in progress.

The contractor said that the works have been taken up at a cost of Rs.1.56 crore and the collapsed walls of structures are being rebuilt. 

Pointing out that red stone pillars, which do not have the capacity to bear the roof load are being replaced with concrete pillars following directions from the PWD, the contractor said the roof for Ainmane is being designed with the concept of Mundmane. Also the repair works of steps leading to the overhead tank is underway and a View Point is being built atop the water tank. The View Point will have iron canopy instead of jungle wood roof-cover as it was found that the iron cover was better  considering the geographical location of the site.

Continuing, the contractor said that the Heritage Centre will have two Ainmanes, with the first one being built now and the other later. The PWD has give nine  months time to complete the works, the contractor said and added that he was hopeful of completing the works by March 2021 itself.

After receiving inputs from the contractor K.S. Devaiah and Col. Subbaiah went through the blueprint of the project  and took note of the roof design, amphitheatre, View Point, Mundmane, water pond and other features. Devaiah asked the contractor to build the structure strictly  in accordance with the characteristics of Ainmane and to maintain quality in works.

Col. Subbaiah asked the contractor to get a blueprint of the complete project from private agencies. Asking the contractor not to deviate from Kodava customs and traditions in the construction of structures, he said that the contractor too must have the self-satisfaction of having executed quality works.

Speaking to Mysooru Mithra, the sister publication of Star of Mysore, Col. Subbaiah said that he inspected the works and interacted with the contractor. 

Noting that more inputs on the project will be sought from PWD and Tourism Department officials following which the project will be discussed in detail with Kodagu Deputy Commissioner (DC), he said that he will hold talks with Kodagu District In-charge Minister too later. Thereafter, the DC will be appealed to convene a meeting of officials of all concerned departments and efforts will be made to ensure that all works on Kodava Heritage Centre are wholly completed, he added.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / December 08th, 2020

Kodagu flood victims to get houses at Biligeri

Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All

The houses built for flood victims of the 2018 calamity at Biligeri in Madikeri taluk are almost ready for distribution to eligible beneficiaries.

In total, 22 houses have been constructed at the village at a cost of ₹3.96 crore. These houses will be allotted to those whose houses were fully damaged in the floods and landslips two years ago.

On Thursday, Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy, along with a team of officials, inspected the newly built houses and other amenities provided at the colony. The officials told the Deputy Commissioner that the works were almost done and the houses were ready to be handed over to the beneficiaries identified.

During the visit, the officials said that Minister for Housing V. Somanna, who is also the Minister in charge of Kodagu district, was expected to hand over the keys of the houses to the flood victims and the date of the function would be finalised soon.

Assistant Commissioner Eshwar Kumar Kandu, in-charge Additional Deputy Commissioner Srinivas, and Madikeri tahsildar Mahesh were present.

Heritage village

The Deputy Commissioner also inspected the Kodava Heritage Village, a project for showcasing the culture of the Kodavas coming up at Madikeri. Work on the project has resumed. Accompanied by tourism and other department officials, Ms. Joy examined the works. Laterite stones are being used to build the building.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mysuru – November 28th, 2020

Bride heads to exam hall directly from wedding hall

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Inspiration / Positive News and Features

A bride came directly from the marriage hall to the Junior College in Madikeri to write a competitive examination, after completing her wedding rituals, on Sunday.

Swathi, a resident of Ashokapura, is the bride. The competitive examination for the selection of DCC Bank staff had coincided with the date of her marriage with Suresh from Madhuramma Pattana in Suntikoppa.

The marriage was held at Ambedkar Bhavan in Madikeri. The auspicious timing was fixed so that it did not clash with the timing of the examination.

Swathi and Suresh entered into wedlock between 6.30 am and 9 am on Sunday and Swathi later came to the exam hall in the Junior College in Madikeri directly, in her wedding attire.

Swathi Suresh said that she had been preparing for the competitive exam from the past several months.

The marriage rituals were performed in short, so that she did not lag behind the schedule of the exam.

Swathi expressed her confidence in clearing the exam.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Madikeri / November 22nd, 2020

855 Kodava students from financially backward families provided with scholarships

Education, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All
Representative Image

With selfless contributions from the donors and members, the corpus of the fund currently stands at Rs 9.88 crore even as members are hopeful that the amount will touch Rs 10 crore by the end of year.

The Coorg Education Fund, a trust incorporated in 1919 in Kodagu, is extensively promoting education among the Kodava community. With over 450 members in the trust and numerous other donors, the trust has succeeded in providing scholarships to merit students and students from financially backward families.

This year, the education fund has handed over scholarships to 855 Kodava students amounting to a total of Rs 47.43 lakh. “The Coorg Education was founded in 1863 and it started providing scholarships to merit students from 1916. It was, however, formed into a legal corporation in 1919,” explained KP Uthappa, present president of the trust. While an average of 450 to 500 students receive scholarships every year, over 800 students have been benefited by the trust this year. “Priority is given to merit students and the students are required to possess 75% and above results in the academic and competitive exams. Nevertheless, students from financially backward families are also provided with scholarships based on recommendations. We are stressing the community students to opt for medical, dental and engineering courses. Apart from this, we are extensively encouraging students to take up defense and IPS courses and an increased scholarship – up to Rs 50,000 for each student is being offered to students who opt the same,” explained Uthappa.

With selfless contributions from the donors and members, the corpus of the fund currently stands at Rs 9.88 crore even as members are hopeful that the amount will touch Rs 10 crore by the end of this year. Meanwhile, a contribution of Rs 75 lakh was made to the trust this year by benefactor Raghu Madappa in the memory of his department sons.

“This year, a youngster B Rachith Aiyappa received a maximum donation of Rs 5 lakh. The youngster has opted to pursue PhD in Informatics & Data Science and this impressed the donors resulting in such a huge scholarship,” confirmed Uthappa. The trust, in its annual ceremony, encourages and motivates Kodava students to work with “dedication, concentration and efficiency,” as explained by Uthappa.

source: http://www.edexlive.com / EdEx, The New Indian Express / Home> News> Kodava Community / by EdEx Live / November 19th, 2020

Channayanakote reveals the best way to be a clear village | Mysuru News

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All

Madikeri:

Channayanakote village is turning into a mannequin village in cleanliness in Kodagu.

Panchayat president, panchayat growth officer, ladies organisations have succeeded in creating consciousness amongst individuals to maintain their environment spick and span.


PDO Rajan and panchayat president Geetha have set up a scientific waste administration unit within the village.

They bought a car beneath Swachh Village challenge to make sure trash reaches the dumping centre. Initially, the residents had been stunned to see the PDO himself attain their doorways within the car throughout morning hours to organize them to domesticate a routine behavior of cleanliness.


“Our village should look beautiful and attractive. We have even cleared the garbage around the village, and we are developing a garden for the villagers,” disclosed president Geetha.
Indira, an activist, appreciated the work by the panchayat crew. “Approaching people door to door by the PDO and creating awareness for cleanliness is a welcome step.

Woman organisations will also join hands with the panchayat in their endeavour,” she introduced.

source: http://www.thegreatrindia.com / The Greater India / Home> States / by TGI News / November 13th, 2020

Paddy cultivation brings laurels to progressive agriculturist

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All

Gonikoppa:

If carried out with hard work and passion, farming will not only bring satisfaction but will also support the livelihood, opined Podamada Mohan, a progressive agriculturist from Balele Devanuru village.

Mohan has been cultivating paddy on only two hectares of land. However, he has been able to harvest an average of 62 quintals of paddy per hectare, annually. This is made possible owing to the innovative methods of irrigation, pest control and so on.

For his commitment towards agriculture, he has been awarded the taluk-level progressive farmer award in Virajpet, for the year 2015-16.

Mohan has been cultivating Atira and Tunga varieties of paddy. Now, both the varieties are almost ready for harvest. He has maintained cleanliness in the paddy farm by removing the shrubs.

Manure

He said that a mixture of DAP, Urea and Potash are provided to the crops in the quantity of 20 kg per acre, at the time of transplantation. This will help in the faster growth of paddy sheaths.

The process of providing fertiliser is repeated twice, with a gap of one month. The high-lying area of the paddy farm, which is known as ‘Nippuni’ is provided with 100% manure while the low lying ‘Kippani’ area is provided with 20% of manure.

The paddy farm has not been affected by any disease. Mohan has made sure to spray insecticide 15 days before the transplantation.

This will control the disease at the initial level, he said.

No takers

Mohan lamented that 45 quintals of unsold rice from last year, is remaining at his house. Even though the rate is Rs 1,125 per quintal, there are no takers.

No suitable market price is available at the APMC as well. The low price is discouraging for many farmers, said Mohan.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Gonikoppa / November 10th, 2020

Subedar Guddemane Appaiah Gowda Memorial Day Observed In City

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Mysore/Mysuru:

Nammuru Nammoru Samaja Seva Trust, Mysuru, observed Martyred Freedom Fighter Subedar Guddemane Appaiah Gowda Memorial Day at an event held at Jaladarshini Guest House recently.

Veteran writer Dr. C.P. Krishnakumar (CPK) inaugurated the programme by showering petals on the portrait of Appaiah Gowda.

Speaking on the occasion,  CPK said that the year 1857 is a very significant year in the history of freedom struggle. Pointing out that the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny was the first major battle in the fight for the country’s independence from the Britishers, he said that we have read about great freedom warriors such as Mangal Pandey and Tatya Tope who laid down their lives. 

Noting that the first independence revolution took place in 1837, 20 years before the sepoy mutiny of 1857, the veteran writer said that many great freedom fighters such as Tipu Sultan, Rani Chennamma, Sangolli Rayanna, Parampara of Kodagu, Kalyanaswamy, Guddemane Appaiah Gowda, Kedambadi Ramegowda and Kudiya brothers had laid down their lives much earlier fighting the Britishers.

Recalling that the people of Kodagu revolted when the Britishers divided the then Coorg State into Kasaragod, Puttur and Sullia and brought them under Madras Province, he said that warriors from Kodagu such as Nanjaiah, Kedambadi Ramegowda and Guddemane Appaiah Gowda are an inspiration for generations to come.

Noting that Appaiah Gowda led the ‘Katukai battle’ (Amara Sullia Dange) against the British in 1837, Dr. CPK said that he was one of the greatest heroes Kodagu has produced. Stating that Appaiah Gowda was a symbol of patriotism, self-respect and pride of Kodagu, he said that Appaiah Gowda, who was hanged by the British in front of Madikeri Fort in 1837 for leading protests against colonial power, did not want outsiders to have a say in the affairs of Kodagu. 

He urged the Government to set up an Authority for sensitising the public on the sacrifices made by Appaiah Gowda and all other great freedom fighters of the times and on the significance of Amara Sullia Dange (Sullia rebellion).

Trust President Satish Gowda, Vice-President Kumar Gowda, Gen. Secretary A. Ravi, Dist. Vokkaliga Assn. Vice-President Gururaj, Director Ravi, Dentist Lokesh and others were present.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / November 03rd, 2020

‘Swachh Bharat’ Lesson!

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders
  • Alert ex-GP President in Kodagu makes Mysuru youths return to Madikeri to pick up their trash 
  • Thanks the tourists for responding positively

Madikeri:

A vigilant Kodava has made the entire Kodagu District proud by making a group of tourists from Mysuru, who had thrown garbage on roadside, to come back and pick it up. His appeal through social media not only got a tremendous response from people but also sent a message loud and clear that  ‘You cannot take everyone, everyplace and everything for granted.’

The ‘hero’ of this incident is Madetira Thimmaiah, a former President of Kadagadaalu Gram Panchayat in Madikeri taluk. On Friday, Thimmaiah while travelling in his four-wheeler saw the empty Pizza packets and the paper bag thrown on roadside near Kodagu Vidyalaya junction. He stopped his vehicle, checked the bag and found the bill which had the mobile number of the customer. 

Without wasting time, he video-recorded the strewn garbage on his mobile phone and put it on the social media platform. When he called the mobile number mentioned in the bill, he was told that it was Chirag of Mysuru who along with his friends came to Madikeri. 

Thimmaiah, ex-GP President

Chirag reportedly told Thimmaiah that he had bought the pizza from a Pizza Shop in Madikeri, and had disposed the trash on roadside. When Thimmaiah asked Chirag to come and pick up the garbage, the latter told him that he was almost near Mysuru and it would take another three hours for him to come back. 

However, the former GP President did not budge and said he would wait for three hours failing which a Police complaint will be lodged. 

Meanwhile, Thimmaiah appealed to the citizens of Kodagu to call up that mobile phone number to ask him to come back and collect the garbage, which received overwhelming response. 

After three hours, Chirag and his friends, not only came back but also tendered an apology for their ‘negligence.’ However, the embarrassed youths appealed Thimmaiah not to film their faces to which the former obliged. The youths collected the empty packets and promised to dispose the same at their house bins.

Later, Thimmaiah put another video on social media of Chirag holding the empty packets in the paper bag and carrying with him. Thanking the people of Kodagu for supporting his campaign to keep the hilly district green and clean, Thimmaiah also appealed one and all to join hands in the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. 

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / October 31st, 2020

Appointed As DG Of Civil Aviation Security

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All, Uncategorized

New Delhi:

Kodagu-born Maneyapanda Appaiah Ganapathy, IPS, has been appointed as the Director General (DG) of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). 

The 1986 batch, Uttarakhand cadre IPS Officer, is currently CISF Special Director-General and Head of the Airport sector. 

PM Modi-headed Appointments Committee of Cabinet recently approved the Aviation Ministry’s proposal to appoint Ganapathy as DG BCAS till his superannuation on Feb. 29, 2024, or until further orders, whichever earlier.

Ganapathy has been awarded the President’s Medal for meritorious service and he was later decorated with the President’s Medal for distinguished service.

He completed his primary and secondary education at Ponnampet in Kodagu and graduated from the Madras Christian College, Tambaram. He studied his Post-Graduation at JNU New Delhi.

He is the son of Maneyapanda Appaiah (Vittala lawyer) and Premalatha, retired teacher, of Kunda in Virajpet taluk. Ganapathy is married to Sandhya and they have a son.

“Given his experience as heading Aviation security sector of CISF, Ganapathy is the right person for the position of DG BCAS,” said a senior official. 

The post of DG fell vacant after Rakesh Asthana, a Gujarat cadre 1984 batch IPS Officer, was appointed as the DG, Border Security Force (BSF) in August this year. Asthana is also holding additional charge of DG, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / October 15th, 2020

GTN, A Legend And A Luminary

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Voice of the Reader:

Sir, 

KBG’s  ‘Nostalgically Speaking-8’ write-up on Prof. G.T. Narayana Rao in SOM dated Sept.6, 2020, has prompted me to write about my association with him since 1975. He joined our team of Ganabharathi as Committee Member in 1980 when I was the Vice-President. 

Guddehittalu Thimmappaiah Narayana Rao, GTN as he was popularly called, after his early education in Madikeri and Mangalore passed MA in Mathematics at Madras (1947). Lecturer in Madikeri College (1953-63) was his first appointment. After a three-year stint in Government College in Bangalore he came to Mysore in 1969 to settle down. He was absolutely simple in his dress, wearing white pant and bush shirt and chappals, going on a cycle or by walk wherever he had to go but equally forthright in speaking his mind out. He was a role model to some of us who were much younger to him.

GTN took the mantle of collecting funds for the construction of Veene Seshanna Bhavana on Adichunchanagiri road. His slogan was ‘Jagannatha’s Rath has to be drawn by all’ and  believed in ‘No great work has ever suffered for want of funds.’ He never hesitated to ask any stranger for funds and he even carried a receipt book in his bag to give it readily. His involvement was so much as he did not spare some of the shop owners on Sayyaji Rao and Dhanvanthri Roads. 

I fondly remember him barging into my clinic even during busy hours just to tell me a ‘vismaya’ (miracle in his words) that he collected a few hundred rupees. The major donation of Rs. 1 lakh he got was from Dr. Veerendra Heggade of Dharmasthala who was his student in a Bangalore College. 

As the estimated cost of construction was Rs.12 lakh he had to make a couple of trips to Bombay. Once he was invited by the  Bombay University to deliver a lecture on Science subjects offering him the flight and hotel charges. He politely refused to accept it and travelled in Gandhi class and stayed for a few days in his friend’s house asking the organisers to make that amount as a donation to Ganabharathi!

His love for Karnatak music started while he was in  Madras and it continued till his end in 2008. His reviews on music were unbiased and forthright, sometimes quite open and critical too. 

Ganabharathi on the occasion of Veene Seshanna Bhavan’s  Silver Jubilee in 2016 posthumously honoured GTN with a Silver Plaque which was received by his wife Lakshmi Devi Rao. It is also gratifying to note that a memorial music concert is instituted in his memory in Ganabharathi. His admirers have contributed handsomely to this fund.

Being an avid student of Science he always used to quote Einstein’s popular saying ‘Science without religion is lame and Religion without science is blind’. He has written several books on science including Nobel Laureates Einstein and Chandrashekar. One of his books in Kannada ‘Vijnanada Moolatatvagalu’ has won an award also.  After becoming the President of Ganabharathi in 2011, I am proud to say that I am following his footsteps in collecting funds for the development of the institution. 

I would like to conclude with GTN’s yet another selfless service for a cause. With his intense commitment to the improvement of art and culture in Mysuru he had provided free of cost a place in his house for the noted Dance Master late Muralidhara Rao to conduct his classes.

– Dr. C.G. Narasimhan, Mysuru, 9.10.2020

source:http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Voice of the Reader / by Dr C G Narasimhan / October 22nd, 2020