K.B. Ganapathy served as the Chairman of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (BVB), Mysuru Kendra. He has also served as its Vice-Chairman; Former Vice-President of Kodava Samaja, Mysuru; Former Vice-President of Mysore District Journalists Association (MDJA) and Member of Karnataka Patrika Akademi 1993-1995.
Fund raising
1. Funds were raised for the victims of the Kargil war in 1999.
2. Funds for the Gujarat earthquake in 2001 were raised by collecting about Rs. 12 lakh with the help of Rotary Mysore.
3. Collected Rs. 3.80 lakh as relief funds in association with Rotary Mysore for the earthquake victims of Latur district in Maharashtra in 2003.
4. Star of Mysore collected Rs. 74 lakh from various organisations and handed it over to the Mysore Citizens Forum (MCF) to be distributed to those who lost their lands and homes in the Tsunami that struck Tamil Nadu in 2004.
5. Star of Mysore has been giving monthly financial help to the nursing home being run by Little Sisters of the Poor and the rehabilitation centre for the mentally challenged being maintained by Mother Teresa Mission Charities in Bannimantap, and also presenting Rs. 10,000 annually to Deena Bandhu Charitable Trust to be distributed among talented children.
6. Star of Mysore also collected Rs. 7.5 lakh for successful surgery for a hearing-impaired child for a Cochlear implant.
7. Among other services, the company instituted the ‘Star of Mysore Silver Jubilee Endowment Medal’ at the University of Mysore. The gold medal is awarded to the candidate who has passed the MA Exam in Journalism by securing the highest marks in the entire course (in all the papers). The candidate, however, must have studied in the English Medium.
DEVELOPMENT OF SCHOOLS
1. Adoption of Government Kannada-Urdu High School in HUDCO Colony in Bannimantap and constructing separate toilets for boys, girls and teachers at the school and compound for the school.
2. As a patron of Kodagu Model School in Vidyashankara Layout, which is a lower-middle-class area, Ganapathy personally raised over Rs. 40 lakh donations and also contributed substantially to its development.
3. Star of Mysore has raised money to build infrastructure for other schools, too.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News> Top Stories / July 13th, 2025
and Publisher of STAR OF MYSORE & MYSURU MITHRA Newspapers
Dr. Kalyatanda B. Ganapathy, the former Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) and Editor-in-Chief of Star of Mysore English Evening Daily and Mysuru Mithra Kannada Morning Daily of Mysuru, published by Academy Newspapers Pvt. Ltd., Bannimantap, Mysuru, passed away at the age of 85 in Mysuru today (July 13, 2025).
Mysuru city’s largest circulated and popular evening newspaper, Star of Mysore, was founded by K.B. Ganapathy and late C.P. Chinnappa in 1978. The Kannada morning regional newspaper Mysuru Mithra, a sister concern of Star of Mysore, was founded in 1980 and is equally popular, covering five districts — Mysuru, Mandya, Hassan, Chamarajanagar and Kodagu.
K.B. Ganapathy with C.P. Chinnappa, with whom he established Academy Press in 1975 and launched Star of Mysore in 1978.
Born on 27.12.1939 to K.A. Bopaiah and K.B. Muthavva (Baby) in Coorg (Kodagu), K.B. Ganapathy is the second of the four siblings. A native of Kunjila (Kakkabbe) village in North Kodagu, his father was a school teacher belonging to the Kalyatanda family, a Kodava clan.
Ganapathy was a Bachelor of Arts and Law and had a Diploma in Journalism from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (BVB), Bombay. He practised as an advocate at the Karnataka High Court and the Civil Courts in Bengaluru from 1961 to 1964.
After being a trainee-junior lawyer for four years at a senior advocate’s office in Bengaluru, he wanted to pursue journalism, which he was inclined towards. So he moved to Bombay to study journalism at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.
After he got his diploma, he interviewed with T.J.S. George, the doyen of journalism, who was then the Assistant Editor of Free Press Journal, who gave Ganapathy his first job as a Sub-Editor.
Ganapathy worked as a Journalist (Reporter and Sub-Editor) in Free Press Journal and Indian Express, Bombay, till 1970 and then established his advertising agency, ‘Sunbeam Advertising’, Pune, in 1970.
A star was born
After marriage, in 1976, he shifted to Mysuru because his wife K.K. Devamma (Ralie Ganapathy) was a Government College lecturer, and his family members were living in Mysuru. Soon, he ventured to do what he always loved — Journalism. Thus, in 1978, Star of Mysore was born.
Today, 48 years later, Star of Mysore, an evening English newspaper of Mysuru city, with a population of about a million, is the largest circulated newspaper with over a lakh readership. Two years after establishing Star of Mysore, in 1980, Ganapathy recognised the importance of journalism in the local language and started a local Kannada morning paper called Mysuru Mithra.
K.B. Ganapathy in his chamber at Star of Mysore office.
Today, this Kannada paper has gone from being a local paper to a regional paper covering five districts with a readership of over 2.5 lakh.
Even though in the 1970s Mysuru had many newspapers, Star of Mysore stood out for its factual reports and in-depth coverage. To add, Ganapathy wrote two columns every other day called Abracadabra and Hocus-Pocus, which helped popularise the paper.
These columns were enlightening, informative, risque and soon captured the attention and imagination of Mysureans. Ganapathy, after 48 years, continued to write his column. His last two Abracadabras were on the global conflict — ‘Pondering over wars and warmongers of the world!’ published on June 19 and ‘A miracle in Jerusalem’ on June 21, 2025.
Three Wordsmiths: R.K. Narayan and N. Ram insisted that K.B. Ganapathy sit in the middle flanked by these patron giants of the literary world
Attention to reportage, visual appeal
It is noteworthy that Star of Mysore is probably the country’s only evening subscribed English newspaper. Ganapathy achieved this by building a strong distribution network while paying attention to reportage, an endeavour in which many national newspapers failed.
Ganapathy did three unique things in local journalism. First, he wanted the newspaper to stand out visually. To achieve this, he chose to print Star of Mysore in a unique size — Berliner. Even though this newspaper size costs more money to publish, he felt it was essential for recall. Today, Star of Mysore is the only Berliner- sized newspaper in the country.
The next was his approach to journalism and public participation. Before the term ‘citizen journalist’ was coined, Ganapathy in the 1980s encouraged Mysureans, be it teachers, students or industrialists, to write. Be it a letter to the editor or even articles, everyone was encouraged.
Even today, this tradition continues with columnists like Dr. Javeed Nayeem, Sadhguru, Devdutt Pattanaik, Dr. Balasubramaniam and Gouri Satya.
Many of the young journalists and writers of Star of Mysore from the 1980s-90s did not have a journalism degree, yet they were employed at Star of Mysore and Mysuru Mithra. Ganapathy felt that a ‘nose for news’, a ‘passion for storytelling’ and a ‘sense of journalistic purpose’ were more important than a degree in journalism.
Today, most of these ‘alumni’ of SOM and MM as the two newspapers are fondly abbreviated, are in senior positions in other national media houses.
Some of them are late Girish Nikam (Rajya Sabha TV), late Niranjan Nikam (Deccan Herald), Krishna Prasad (former Editor of Outlook Magazine), Chetan Krishnaswamy (Formerly with The Week Magazine), H.R. Ranganath (former editor of Kannada Prabha and now the Editor-in-Chief, Public TV), Manu Aiyappa (The Times of India), etc.
Shaking hands with a replica of noted cartoonist R.K. Laxman’s ‘The Common Man.’
Passion for journalism
In a way, with his passion for journalism, Ganapathy turned his two newspapers into a kind of school for journalism, producing more practising and successful journalists than the journalism schools in Mysuru.
Over the years, both newspapers have also patronised celebrated thinkers and writers such as T.J.S. George, Maneka Gandhi, Devdutt Pattanaik, Sadhguru, to name a few.
With his two newspapers, Ganapathy created awareness among the people of Mysuru city about the usefulness and impact of an influential local evening newspaper on the community.
When a citizen is in trouble due to poor service by various Government or quasi-Government agencies or the local bodies, Star of Mysore and Mysuru Mithra are their voice for justice. More importantly, he showed that local journalism could be influential and have an impact in creating a good city, as it brings awareness among the citizenry, who then hold their leaders accountable for the health of their city.
UoM Honorary Doctorate to Dr. K.B. Ganapathy.
Courage and determination
Speaking about Star of Mysore, late Union Minister H.N. Ananth Kumar had said, “If there is a torch-bearer in this part of the country that always stood for liberty and equality, it is Star of Mysore.” He then added, “Ganapathy always wages a silent war with the establishment and in the process, he and his family faced many threats and attacks. This is easier said than done. I salute his courage and determination.”
The combination of an entrepreneur-journalist is scarce, and Ganapathy has achieved a rare feat by being successful as both. Today, his newspapers have become household names, and with their online edition, they have truly become the conduit that connects Mysureans to Mysuru and Mysureans to their leaders.
No wonder late Ananth Kumar stated, “Star of Mysore is now addressed in the same breath as Mysore Pak and Mysooru Mallige. I have seen eveningers like Mid-Day in Mumbai and Bengaluru. But in this part of the country, Star of Mysore has earned its unique and respectful place in the hearts of its readers.”
Mysuru has been better off for having these two newspapers because using the two newspapers, Ganapathy took up numerous causes for the city of Mysuru and Mysureans, such as — Save Kukkarahalli Lake, Campaign against Chamalapura Power Plant, Campaign to Save Heritage buildings, Campaign for Tree Protection, Strived and succeeded in converting noted novelist R.K. Narayan’s house in Yadavagiri into a Museum, supporting Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP), an NGO, in its activities, to name a few.
Concern for Mysuru
Star of Mysore’s major article on Rare Materials Plant (RMP), the Uranium Unit of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Yelwal, which the local villagers called ‘Bomb Factory’, had brought the top official of Atomic Energy from Bombay to Mysuru to allay fears of the Mysureans.
This article was written by one Saketh Rajan (late), a young, intelligent student. The official held a press meet, assuring that there was no danger of ‘radiation leak’ or of any kind, and all measures for absolute safety and security are taken care of.
Only after this, other NGOs came on the scene demanding closure of this ‘bomb factory’ or revealing the safety measures taken in the event of accidents in the unit.
Star of Mysore and Mysuru Mithra head offices in Bannimantap.
Now, the company, Academy Newspapers Pvt. Ltd., under which the two newspapers are published, employs many people apart from providing part-time jobs and serving over 4 lakh Mysureans.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles> Top Stories / July 13th, 2025
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has assured that one of the metro stations in Bengaluru will soon be named after Field Marshal K. M. Cariappa, India’s first Commander-in-Chief.
He made this announcement on Sunday during a felicitation ceremony organised by the Kodava Samaja Bengaluru at the Kodava Samudaya Bhavana in Vasanthnagar. The event honoured Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar for allocating seven acres of land to the community in the State capital.
He said that the proposal to name a metro station after Field Marshal Cariappa will be placed before the Cabinet, and a final decision will be taken shortly.
For years, the Kodava community has been urging the State Government and the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) to honour Cariappa’s legacy in this manner.
In July 2024, members of Kodava Samaja formally submitted a request to BMRCL Managing Director Maheshwar Rao, reiterating the demand to name a metro station after the iconic military figure. Praising the Kodava community’s contributions, Siddaramaiah lauded its inclusive spirit, highlighting that Kodavas respect all Indians regardless of caste or religion.
He also expressed confidence in the political future of Kodagu MLAs A.S. Ponnanna (Virajpet) and Dr. Manthar Gowda (Madikeri), describing Ponnanna as an emerging firebrand leader comparable to the late A.K. Subbaiah and M.C. Nanaiah, known for their socially conscious speeches in the legislature.
Deputy CM Shivakumar appealed to the Kodava community to continue supporting Congress government. “Our government has initiated many programmes for you. We have allotted land to families of Armed Forces personnel, appointed Kodavas to Rajya Sabha and ensured representation in the legislature. Recognising this legacy, we request your continued support,” he said.
He pointed out that the Government’s decision to allot seven acres of land in Bengaluru to Kodava Samaja comes with only nominal financial concessions, underscoring that no price tag can match the community’s discipline, sacrifice and patriotism.
“We must safeguard our traditions and culture. Your dedication is beyond monetary value,” he added.
The event was attended by Ministers K. J. George, Krishna Byregowda, Byrathi Suresh, MLA Rizwan Arshad, MLAs A.S. Ponnanna and Dr. Manthar Gowda and Bengaluru Kodava Samaja President Karavattira Pemmaiah, among others.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / June 19th, 2025
“The matter to name a Metro Station in Bengaluru city will be placed before the cabinet meeting to arrive at a decision,” said the Chief Minister and exuded confidence that “None will have objection to name a Metro Station after Field Marshal Cariappa.”
Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa —DC Image
Bengaluru :
Responding to a plea to name a Station of Bangalore Metro Train Corporation Limited (BMRCL) in Bengaluru city, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday assured to fulfill the wish of the Kodavas to name a Metro Station after Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa, the first Field Marshal of independent India. Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa was from Kodagu district.
“The matter to name a Metro Station in Bengaluru city will be placed before the cabinet meeting to arrive at a decision,” said the Chief Minister and exuded confidence that “None will have objection to name a Metro Station after Field Marshal Cariappa.” Though a request has been made to name a Metro Station but have not stated a particular Station.
“I will make an honest effort to name the Metro Station after Field Marshal Cariappa,” Siddaramaiah said at a felicitation programme organized by members of Kodava Samaj in Bengaluru. The felicitation to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar was organized in honour of the State Government allocation of 7 acres for Kodava Samaj in Bengaluru city.
At the function, D.K. Shivakumar assured the Kodava Samaj members that the demand of Kodava Samaj to name a Metro Station after Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa has been received with an open mind and stated “The State Government will make all efforts for the coming generations to remember Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa.”
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Southern States> Karnataka / by M B Girish / June 16th, 2025
Auction creates buzz; franchise owners draft 175 players from a talent pool of 270 registered players
Mysuru:
The Kodava Hockey Premier League (KHPL) — Player Auction 2025 was held with much fanfare on June 1. KHPL 2025 is scheduled for June 27, 28 and 29 at Chamundi Vihar Stadium, Mysuru, promising three days of fierce competition and Kodava pride.
Organised by the Kodava Samaja Youth Wing Mysuru, in association with Kodava Samaja Mysuru and under the aegis of Hockey Mysore, the event witnessed a remarkable blend of tradition, sport and strategy.
Ten franchises — Coorg United, Connecting Kodavas, Anjigeri Naad, Pale Taluk, South Side Rangers, Coorg Titans, MTB Royals, Kodava Tribe, Kodavu Warriors and Kakot Strikers — each began by selecting three icon players, and then went on to build 18-member squads with calculated precision from a talent pool of 270 registered players. A total of 175 players were drafted into the KHPL 2025 league.
The auction’s digital footprint was equally impressive, with over 10,000 views on the Kodava Swara YouTube channel, the event’s official broadcast partner. Powered by M9 Sports, the live stream delivered a seamless, front-row experience for online viewers who followed the action from across the globe.
The event was held at Hotel Ibis Styles, Mysuru. The auction was attended by a host of dignitaries, including Ponjanda Ganapathy (President, Kodava Samaja Mysuru), Pandanda Bopanna (President, Kodava Hockey Academy), Konganda Dilip Biddappa (President, Hockey Mysore), Kotera Muddaiah (Vice-President, Hockey Mysore), Muckattira Somaiah (Director, Kodava Hockey Academy), Appanervanda Dr. Sonia Mandappa (Obstetrician & Gynaecologist), Bollepanda Kariappa (Coach, Indian Junior Hockey), Ganesh Iyer (GM, Ibis Styles Mysuru) and Machanda Prakash (Vice-President, Kodava Samaja Cultural & Sports Club, Mysuru).
Ajjetira Vikram Uthappa anchored the high-octane evening as Master of Ceremonies, while the Kottangada Ayudh Appanna fired up the crowd as the official auctioneer, adding energy and excitement to every bid.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports /June 04th, 2025
Kodagu, a region renowned for its extraordinary contribution to the Indian Armed Forces, has added another proud chapter to its legacy as three of its youth have been commissioned as Sub Lieutenants in the Indian Navy.
Kadiyamada Rea Achaiah
Sub Lieutenant Kadiyamada Rea Achaiah, a Mysuru-based native of Kodagu, has been commissioned into the Indian Navy and is currently serving aboard INS Sujata, a frontline patrol vessel.
Rea, an alumna of Vidyavardhaka College of Engineering (VVCE), Mysuru, completed her degree in Information Science. Inspired by a long-standing dream to serve the Armed Forces, she cleared the Services Selection Board (SSB) exams and joined the Indian Naval Academy at Payyannur, Kerala, on July 1, 2024. She was formally commissioned on May 31, 2025.
Rea had the distinction of being selected for both the Indian Army and the Indian Navy, ultimately choosing the latter. A multi-talented achiever, she is a former international Roller Speed Skater and has represented India in three World and Asian Championships.
She made history by becoming the first Indian female skater to win an individual medal in an international competition, claiming two bronze medals at the 18th Asian Championship in South Korea (2018). She has a medal tally of 155 golds, 28 silvers and 11 bronzes across various competitions.
Apart from roller skating, Rea is also a national-level ice skater and sailor. She recently won gold in the Indian Navy Laser Sailing Championship held at Karwar and secured gold and bronze medals in the Biangular Sailing Regatta at the Indian Naval Academy. She is the daughter of Kadiyamada Arun Achaiah and Priya Achaiah of Athur village, Gonikoppal and residents of Vijayanagar 1st Stage, Mysuru.
Chiriapanda Atul Somayya
Sub Lieutenant Chiriapanda Atul Somayya, son of Lt. Col. (Retd.) Chiriapanda Vivek Muthanna and Asha, hails from Kanoor, Kodagu.
An alumnus of PES Institute of Technology, Bengaluru, where he earned a degree in Civil Engineering with distinction, Atul was inspired from an early age to join the Armed Forces. He was commissioned into the Indian Navy on May 31, 2025.
Areyada Chaman Poovana
Sub Lieutenant Areyada Chaman Poovana, son of Areyada Kiran Ganapathy and Beena, has also been commissioned into Indian Navy on May 31, 2025.
His achievement marks a proud milestone for his family and community and highlights the continued tradition of military service in Kodagu. Known for his dedication and discipline, Chaman looks ahead to a promising career in naval service.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / June 03rd, 2025
Thirty-eight-year-old squash champion Joshna Chinappa’s win at the National Doubles Championships shows she’s still in fine form.
Q. You recently won the women’s final at the National Doubles Championships alongside Anahat Singh. Do you have a long-term plan with this pairing?
Anahat and I were casually discussing the doubles and decided to play together. We will be playing the Asian Doubles Championships in Malaysia in June. She is a solid player, so it makes it easier and more fun.
Q. How have you modified your game with age?
I have a deep appreciation and respect for my body and what it has done over the past three decades for me to be able to play squash professionally. I definitely have to put in more work in terms of how I prepare for a game with my strength training, fitness, diet, etc.
Q. You’ve been playing squash for three decades now. How has the game evolved over the years?
The game has definitely gotten a lot more intense physically and you have so many different players with amazing skill to add to that physicality. There are so many tournaments happening all around the world and in India.
Q. What do you make of the next generation of Indian players?
There are a good crop of young players doing well at the junior and professional level. It’s so good to see about 6-7 of them playing the big PSA events consistently. I hope more juniors make the switch to go pro because that’s where the real test is.
source: http://www.indiatoday.in / India Today / Home> News> Leisure / by Pratibha Joy / June 10th, 2025
The Kodava Students Association (KSA), Mysuru, recently organised a hockey tournament at Chamundi Vihar Stadium, in Nazarbad, featuring 26 teams.
The two-day event showcased the commitment and unity of Kodava students pursuing higher education in Mysuru.
The tournament commenced on May 3 at 11 am in the presence of Ponjanda Ganapathy, President of Mysuru Kodava Samaja; Jammada Ayyanna, Treasurer of Jabhboomi Charitable Trust and Dr. Mathanda Aiyappa, Director of Brindavan Hospital.
KSA President Motteyanda Ishani Kuttappa presided.
During the ceremony, Jammada Ayyanna briefed the gathering on the ‘5-a-side hockey’ format, while Dr. Mathanda Aiyappa inspired the youths with motivating words, stressing the values of sportsmanship and perseverance. Ponjanda Ganapathy reaffirmed the continued support extended to Kodava students.
The opening day saw 18 matches, followed by quarter-finals, semi-finals and the grand finale on day-2, each match receiving enthusiastic cheers from the crowd.
Axilaratorz HC’ emerged as champions, while Bottiyath Naad, Kunda, finished as runners-up. ‘Blaze A’, Murnad, secured third place, with ‘Blaze B’, Murnad, taking fourth.
The closing ceremony featured a distinguished line-up of guests, including social activist Ajjikuttira Kanchan Ponnanna, wife of Virajpet MLA A.S. Ponnanna; Puliyanda Sujatha Bopanna, Dean at Sapient College; Baleyada Karun Kalappa, retired Senior Vice-President and Regional Head of a leading firm; Manjeera Kuttappa, a Progressive farmer from Kodagu and Chendanda Shammi Belliappa, Director of Druid Solutions Pvt. Ltd. and also KSA Advisor.
Kanchan Ponnanna delivered an inspiring address to the students, while Baleyada Karun Kalappa underscored the importance of balancing sports with academics. He urged the younger generation to consider careers in civil services, highlighting the Kodava community’s under-representation. Puliyanda Sujatha Bopanna also shared motivating insights.
Chendanda Shammi Belliappa commended the KSA team for their dedication and efforts to keep the sport of hockey alive in Mysuru. He thanked contributors such as R. Ashok (Mysore University Hockey Coach), Boliyadira Chetan Subbaiah, Muckatira Karthik Nanjappa, Mandepanda Kripan, and others for their support.
In recognition of outstanding achievements, Mandepanda Jasmine Kaveramma, CEO of Growthzone Company, UAE, and Monnanda Tasmai Kariappa, professional motorcycle racer, were felicitated.
Mookonda Sanjana proposed the vote of thanks, while Ajjetira Vikram provided engaging match commentary. The tournament was seamlessly coordinated by KSA’s Hon. Secretary, Mandetira Degul Ganapathy.
KSA Committee Members
The following students have been elected as KSA Committee Members: President – Motteyanda Ishani Kuttappa, Vice-President – Theetharamada Thanush Ganapathy, Hon. Secretary – Mandetira Degul Ganapathy, Joint Secretary – Mookonda Sanjana Damayanthi, Treasurer – Allaranda Kariappa, Joint Treasurer – Puchimanda Dipshika Daychamma, Cultural Heads: Kundyolanda Aiyappa (Amakka) and Kaliyanda Richa Poovamma (Pommakka).
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports / May 07th, 2025
The Codava National Council (CNC) has urged the Union Government to ensure a separate “code and column” for the Codava community in the upcoming General Census and caste-based enumeration scheduled for 2025.
Madikeri:
The Codava National Council (CNC) has urged the Union Government to ensure a separate “code and column” for the Codava community in the upcoming General Census and caste-based enumeration scheduled for 2025. The demand, presented in a memorandum to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Registrar General of India, seeks formal recognition of the Codavas as a distinct, mono-ethnic indigenous warrior clan native to Kodagu in southwest Karnataka.
In a detailed representation given to the central government on Friday and subsequently shared with The Hans India, CNC president N.U. Nachappa Codava welcomed the Centre’s April 30 decision to conduct caste-wise enumeration along with the delayed decennial census, calling it a long-overdue step toward social justice. He stressed that this offers a crucial opportunity for micro and minuscule communities like the Codavas to be accurately documented and constitutionally acknowledged.
“Codavas are a unique mono-ethnological community with no class or sub-caste divisions. Our identity, tied intrinsically to our ancestral homeland of Codavaland, has been historically undermined by administrative mergers in post-Independence censuses,” said Nachappa Codava.
He argued that the Codava community’s omission from independent classification between 1941 and 2011 had severely affected its socio-political representation and cultural survival. From being enumerated distinctly in colonial censuses between 1871 and 1931, the community was, he alleged, subsumed into broader categories under post-1956 frameworks, stripping it of its ethnic and territorial recognition.
The CNC’s memorandum calls for a “social engineering” process that includes:
A distinct column and code for Codavas in the Census 2025, Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the community, Restitution of hereditary land rights lost due to state reforms, Recognition of the Codava language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, Autonomous geo-political status for Codavaland,
Special political representation in Parliament and state legislatures, And recognition under international indigenous frameworks, including those of the United Nations. Codavas, traditionally known for their martial legacy, were one of the few communities permitted to retain arms under British rule—a right they view as emblematic of their warrior identity. “India’s diversity should not be measured merely in numbers. Communities like the Codavas may be small in size, but our cultural and historical distinctiveness deserves statutory recognition and protection,” the CNC noted.
The memorandum has also been copied to the United Nations, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, and the Karnataka Department of Social Welfare, underlining CNC’s efforts to raise the issue at both national and international levels.
This fresh call for constitutional safeguards comes amid growing discourse around caste enumeration, identity preservation, and indigenous rights in India’s evolving demographic policy landscape Nachappa told Hans India
source: http://www.thehansindia.com / Hans India / Home> News> State> Karnataka> Bengaluru / by Hans News Service, Hans India / May 02nd, 2025
Chenanda to host 26th edition of Family Hockey Tournament at Napoklu in 2026
Madikeri:
The Mandepanda family was declared the winner of the Muddanda Hockey Festival 2025 held at Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa College Grounds, Madikeri, after heavy rain interrupted their final against the Chendanda family yesterday.
Mandepanda was leading 1-0 when a downpour forced the match to be abandoned just over 12 minutes into play. Later, the organisers issued a statement confirming Mandepanda as the champions of the Silver Jubilee edition of the Kodava Family Hockey Festival.
Amidst overcast skies and thunderous cheers from the crowd, the much-anticipated final had begun with high energy. Chendanda earned the first penalty corner early on, but Olympian Nikin Thimmaiah failed to convert the opportunity.
Mandepanda responded with sharp counterattacks, securing their first penalty corner, which Gautam successfully converted to give Mandepanda a crucial 1-0 lead in the first quarter.
Rain began to intensify during the second quarter as Chendanda pushed hard for an equaliser. Despite earning back-to-back penalty corners, they failed to break through Mandepanda’s defence. As lightning flashed and thunder rolled, torrential rain forced a suspension of play.
Relentless downpour left the field waterlogged. After about half an hour of efforts to clear the standing water, the match briefly resumed. Chendanda came close to scoring, but Mandepanda’s young goalkeeper Dhyan Bopanna made a brilliant save to preserve his team’s lead.
Moments later, the rain returned with greater intensity, turning the ground into a virtual stream. With further play impossible, officials from the Kodava Hockey Academy, referees and team managers declared Mandepanda the winners.
Despite being soaked twice over, the spirit of the crowd remained unbroken. Spectators packed into gallery corners, cheering, clapping and even dancing in the rain. However, disappointment lingered among fans and organisers alike, as many had hoped for a full and thrilling conclusion to the Silver Jubilee tournament. Earlier, in the third-place match, Nellamakkada defeated Kuppanda (Kaikeri) 2-1 to claim third spot.
The Kambiranda family that won the Muddanda Cup Women’s Hockey Festival 2025.
VIP speeches delay action
The final was marred by significant delays and drew heavy criticism from spectators. Many expressed frustration over poor planning and coordination, blaming the organisers for nearly four-hour delay in starting the final.
Originally scheduled to begin at 11 am, the final was postponed due to an extended inaugural ceremony where several Ministers and elected representatives delivered prolonged speeches, pushing the start time to around 2 pm.
Home Minister Dr. Parameshwara addressing the gathering.
Mere minutes after play commenced, heavy rain lashed Madikeri, leading to the abandonment of the match. “When a match is scheduled for 11 am, starting it at 2.30 pm is simply unacceptable — especially with rain forecasts and spectators waiting, hungry and eager, to watch the finals,” many said.
“Are we here to watch hockey or to listen to endless speeches?” one frustrated fan remarked. Spectators further noted that in professional tournaments, VIPs attend to witness the sport, not to hold the mic and deliver lengthy lectures, disregarding the value of spectators’ time.
Among the speakers were Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara, Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh, Higher Education Minister Dr. M.C. Sudhakar, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, Virajpet MLA and CM’s Legal Advisor Ajjikuttira S. Ponnanna, Madikeri MLA Dr. Mantar Gowda, MLC Mandepanda Suja Kushalappa, Kodava Hockey Academy President Pandanda Bopanna and Muddanda Hockey Festival Committee President Muddanda Rashin Subbaiah.
Just minutes after the final match between the Mandepanda and Chendanda began, heavy rains lashed Madikeri, leading to waterlogged grounds.
World Wide Book of Records recognition
The Silver Jubilee Muddanda Cup set a new record with 396 men’s teams comprising 5,544 players competing in 397 matches, alongside 58 women’s teams with 464 players competing in 57 matches during the five-a-side tournament.
The festival was officially entered into the World Wide Book of Records, with Sindhuja, a representative from the record book, announcing the recognition at the closing ceremony and presenting the certificate to the Muddanda family.
The 26th Kodava Family Hockey Festival will be hosted by Chenanda family at Napoklu in 2026. The family ceremoniously accepted leadership during a flag procession held on the Muddanda Cup Grounds.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News> Sports / April 28th, 2025
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