The roof of the Old Fort main building is on the verge of collapse in Madikeri.
The lack of basic amenities is haunting several tourists places in Kodagu district. The Madikeri Fort, referred to as ‘Palace’ situated on the heart of the city, should have attracted a large number of tourists. However, the crumbling structure is disappointing tourists.
The roof of the fort is on the verge of collapse. The walls have not seen whitewash or paint for several years. The rooms, where soldiers were staying during the king’s reign, have collapsed completely. Weeds have covered the fort premises.
With the damage to the roof, rainwater enters the fort. Plastic sheets have been used to protect it from rainwater. With this, the history of Madikeri fort will soon disappear.
Historians have expressed concern over the lack of maintenance by the Archaeological Department. They fear that a few remaining traces of history will soon enter the pages of the history.
Haleri ruler Mudduraja built a mud fort and palace in the 17th century. Later, Tipu Sultan rebuilt it using stones and renamed it as Jaffarabad. In 1790, Dodda Veerarajendra conquered the fort. In 1834, the fort came under the reign of the British.
The palace that was built by Linga Raja Wodeyar II houses government offices. With the increase in the density of people, the palace is in a deplorable condition. The Zilla Panchayat office, MLA’s office, Agriculture Department, district library, court complex and Bala Mandira are functioning from the palace itself.
Chandan, a tourist, said “Hundreds of vehicles visit the fort premises daily. Due to the pressure, the fort is losing its identity. Without any maintenance, the huge doors are losing charm. The visitors have also disfigured a few of the carvings. Even the cannons are not preserved. We are disappointed by watching this fort.”
An officer said, “We fear to work here during monsoon. The Zilla Panchayat and the court complex will be shifted shortly.”
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by Naina J A / DH News Service / November 13th, 2018
The 29-year-old shuttler has really come into her own this season in terms of taking charge of her partnerships with Sikki Reddy and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy.
Reuters
It’s hard to believe sometimes that Ashwini Ponnappa is already 29 years old. Just two years ago, at the Rio Olympics, she was the junior doubles partner of the experienced Jwala Gutta. Now, she is the leader, in not one but two doubles partnerships.
Ashwini has really come into her own this season in terms of taking charge of her partnerships with both N Sikki Reddy, 25, and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, 18. In April, she assumed charge and guided Satwik through to a brilliant win over the current world No 6 pair Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying of Malaysia to help India win the mixed team gold.
Throughout that one-hour-15-minute long match, Ashwini was seen constantly talking to Satwik in between points, guiding him tactically and also motivating him to push on. She did the same later with Sikki, as they won a historic bronze medal in the pair events.
Earlier this month, at the Denmark Open, Ashwini and Sikki defeated the world No 7 pair Lee So Hee and Shin Seung Chan from Korea despite going a game down. While that match was unfortunately not televised, Ashwini’s leadership was there to be seen in the quarter-finals, where the Indians faced the top-ranked Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka Hirota of Japan.
Even though the Indians, currently ranked 24th in the world, lost that match in straight games, the way Ashwini took charge of their partnership was heartening.
Reading the game
“I don’t see it as a leadership role,” says Ashwini, during an interaction in Mumbai at an event organised by Red Bull, which sponsors her. “It’s just a partnership where I have a lot to say,” she added, laughing. “My partners have been kind enough to let me voice my opinion and accept it.”
Sikki, butting in, says, “She reads the game very well. Being a very experienced player, her guidance is good for us because it makes it easier for us to play. We don’t need to think too much. Just go for what she says,” she adds, laughing.
From starting out as someone who hardly worked her grey matter during matches, Ashwini says she has evolved over the years into someone who loves using her head while playing.
“I love thinking,” she says. “Over the years, I have just evolved as a player from someone who used to just hit and hit, to someone who just really loves to watch my opponents, see things and figure out how we can get better as a pair. That’s something I am relishing. I really love using my head, I’d say.”
Ashwini Ponnappa believes she and Sikki have become more consistent since the Commonwealth Games (Image: PTI)
While Ashwini has all the intentions to play at the Tokyo Olympics in two years, when she will be nearly 31, does she see herself going into coaching after she hangs up her racket? “I don’t know, maybe, because I really enjoy thinking and analysing,” she says.
“I do love figuring things out – what’s good for us, what sort of drills would help us get better, what kind of rotation we could work on… those are things that of late my mind really thinks about. I love watching and learning, so maybe, yeah. I would love to [coach], I guess.”
Gaining consistency
Ashwini is quite pleased with how this season has gone for her, despite not going past the quarter-finals in any BWF World Tour tournament. She has been able to get the odd good result with both her partnerships but not really challenged for a medal, apart from the Commonwealth Games.
However, Ashwini believes their consistency as pairs has gotten better after the Commonwealth Games, especially with Sikki. After their bronze at Gold Coast, the Indian women’s doubles pair reached the quarters at the Asian Games and the Denmark Open.
“We have figured out the way we want to play,” Ashwini says, of her partnership with Sikki. “The Asian Games was good. We had a great match in the quarters [against the current world No 4 pair from China]. We could have won it. We were close but not quite there.”
Ashwini believes they are heading in the right direction, ahead of their last three international tournaments of the season: the China Open, the Hong Kong Open and the Syed Modi Championships.
“We are quite keen to do even better in the future,” she says. “The quarters is a start but hopefully we’ll win a Superseries soon.”
source: http://www.scroll.in / Scroll.in / Home> Badminton / by Jaideep Vaidya / November 01st, 2018
MLA K G Bopaiah, MLC Veena Acchaiah and others take part in the inaugural session of a skill development programme meant for flood-affected women from Kaluru village on Sunday.
MLA K G Bopaiah has called upon the flood victims not to lose hope but to rebuild their lives by boosting their confidence.
He was speaking after initiating a skill development and training session in sewing and food processing at the Government School at Kaluru.
The programme was organised by the Kodagu branch of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and the Project Coorg as a part of the ‘Yashaswi’ project meant for the women of Kaluru, which was ravaged by natural calamity.
Bopaiah further said that assistance would be provided by the government for women from the village towards setting up a platform to market the processed food prepared by them. He also assured release of grants from the MLA fund towards construction of a community hall in Kaluru and Devasturu villages, along with providing a site, following the requests of the village residents.
MLC Veena Achaiah expressed hope that the project would help the trained women lead a self-sustainable life.
K S Devaiah, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Kodagu branch president, said that the food and dress items prepared by the women would be put up for sale at shops in the Kodava Samaja complex.
Project Coorg convener Balaji Kashyap said that the women from the flood-affected village would be provided training in sewing for three months, with 28 sewing machines. Also, 30 women would be provided training in food processing and the products would be released in the market with the brand name ‘Coorg Flavour’.
Kodava Samaja, Madikeri vice president M E Chinnappa and Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan member Kuppanda Premnath were present on the occasion.
Lieutenant General Pattacheravanda Chengappa Thimmaiah has been posted as commander of the Indian Army’s Training Command in Shimla, which is one of the seven commands of the army.
Thimmaiah hails from Chettalli in Virajpet taluk. He is the third commander from Kodagu to have been appointed to the post after K C Cariappa and B C Nanda.
Recently, Aichettira B Uttaiah was elevated to the rank of rear admiral in the Indian Navy.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> In Brief / by Ashwani Kumar NKR – DH News Service, Madikeri / September 29th, 2018
The annual get-together of Sri Igguthappa Kodava Association, Vivekanandanagar, will be held on Sept. 30 (Sunday) at Kodagu Sahakara Sangha in Jayalakshmipuram from 9.30 am onwards.
Kalapanda B. Vishwanath, President, Sri Sri Shivabalayogi Maharaja, Mysuru Division, will be chief guest.
Sangha President Moodera B. Belliappa will preside.
The day-long event includes presentation of Scholarships to meritorious students, sports and games, lucky-draw.
For details contact Mob: 99013-92444.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> In Briefs / September 28th, 2018
Deputy Chief Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara, who unveiled the statue of Field Marshal K.M.Cariappa at Miller’s Road Junction near Kodava Samaja in Vasanthnagar, Bengaluru, this morning, is seen with Bengaluru Mayor Sampath Raj, Samaja President Ravi Uthappa, Advocate M.T. Nanaiah, former Karnataka Media Academy Chairman M.A. Ponnappa and others.
It may be recalled, a life-size bronze statue of Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa, the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, was unveiled at the Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai during June 2018 by his son, retired Air Marshal K. C. Cariappa.
Also, Chief of the Army Staff, General Bipin Rawat had unveiled the bronze statues of Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa and General K.S. Thimayya at Cauvery College in Gonikoppal, Kodagu district, in November 2017.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Gallery> Photo News / September 26th, 2018
The birth anniversary of ancient poet of Kodagu Haradasa Appaneravanda Appacha (Sept.21) will henceforth be celebrated as ‘Kodava Sahitya Dina’ in recognition of the poet’s immense contribution to Kodava literature.
A decision to that effect was taken at a function organised jointly by Shivamogga Agriculture and Horticulture University, Ponnampet College and Kodagu Rangabhoomi Pratisthana to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Haradasa Appacha Kavi at Forest College auditorium in Ponnampet on Friday.
A declaration to that effect was released by M. Asha Mandanna, Chairperson, Appacha Kavi College Management Council, Ponnampet.
Inaugurating the programme after offering floral tributes to a portrait of poet Appacha, Star of Mysore Editor-in-Chief K.B. Ganapathy recalled that Appacha had come out with many poems on spirituality and wished that the poet could have written a few poems on reformation of the social system for which the poet had enough knowledge and strength. He contended that theatre and poetry were powerful tools to correct society.
Releasing a book of Appacha, Akhila Kodava Samaja Working President I.K. Biddappa expressed happiness that Kodava literature had gained importance and popularity despite a thin population of Kodavas.
Speaking on the occasion, Kendra Sahitya Academy Member A. Cariappa recalled that the then Chief Minister of Kodagu ‘C’ State C.M. Poonacha had conferred the title of ‘Varakavi’ on poet Appacha who popularised Kodava literature using Kannada script.
Kodagu Rangabhoomi Prathistana Chief Convenor Anitha Cariappa welcomed the gathering. Former College Dean Dr. C. Kushalappa and others were present. Cariappa and other artistes presented a programme ‘Amarakavya’ featuring poems of Appacha Kavi.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / September 23rd, 2018
Taking note of the geographical factors typical of hilly Kodagu also known for its origin of the river Cauvery, Sreevidya began vacating people the next day from danger-prone areas.
When the whole of Kerala reeled under floods last month amid rain-triggered landslides along its eastern mountains, just east of upstate Malabar, Kodagu too was hit by the calamity. Yet, if the people of southern Karnataka’s scenic district largely escaped the effects of the monsoon fury, a share of the credit goes to a Malayali bureaucrat’s prompt administrative initiatives.
A native of Kollam district in Kerala, P I Sreevidya was only eight months old with her capacity as the deputy commissioner of Kodagu when her office got information last month that the district along the Western Ghats was set to receive “very heavy and unusual rains.” Far from laughing off the alert received on August 12 through various agencies, the 2009-batch IAS officer swung into action.
Taking note of the geographical factors typical of hilly Kodagu also known for its origin of the river Cauvery, Sreevidya began vacating people the next day from danger-prone areas. Relief camps came up within hours.
As it rained cats and dogs on August 15 and 16, Kodagu lost 2,500 houses while crops perished in acres of farmlands. Roads developed cracks, some simply vanished.
Sreevidya, who had earlier served as Kodagu zilla panchayat chief executive officer for six months from mid-November 2013, opened a control room this time by her office, coordinating rescue and relief operations. She ensured that the district got aid from all the three arms of the service, besides the IAF’s special Garud commando service and the state police, fire force as well as the National Disaster Response Force under the Centre.
Joining her in the efforts were zilla panchayat CEO Prashanth Kumar Mishra, police chief Suman D Pennekar, MLAs Appachu Ranjan (Madikeri) and K G Bopaiah (Virajpet) along with other people’s representatives and social workers. The office of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy would enquire about the developments on an hourly basis. There were opportune interventions from state chief secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar.
“All these ensured that we could minimise the loss to property and the impact on public life,” says Sreevidya, who belongs to Chakkuvarakkal near Kottarakara and had secured 14th rank in her civil service exams. “I couldn’t even call home those two days.”
The bureaucrat’s four-year-old son Madhav, sensing the gravity of the situation, threw no tantrums and stayed quietly with his grandparents in the camp house.
As for Sreevidya’s husband, he is also a top officer. T Narayanan, who is Pathanamthitta district police chief, was that time busy in a similar rescue operation in his area. There, in south-central Kerala, the Pamba had swollen dangerously, invading places along both its banks, much to the trauma of their residents. “Believe me, I didn’t know his place was that badly affected. Neither did he know anything about the Kodagu floods,” says Sreevidya. “We were both cut off that time.”
Today, Kodagu people are all praise for their deputy commissioner. Social media posts, especially on Facebook, speak of Sreevidya’s administrative efforts that assuaged their misery.
source: http://www.english.manoramaonline.com / Home> Women / by Malayalam Manorama Correspondent / September 17th, 2018
Meanwhile, 23 more people from relief centres returned home as Kodagu continued to receive light rainfall on Saturday. Dr Pennekar Superintendent of Police, Kodagu.
Mysuru:
As Kodagu limps back to normalcy after its recent floods and landslides that claimed several lives and left the coffee land in distress, the district has two women officers, Deputy Commissioner P.I. Srividya and Superintendent of Police Suman D. Pennekar to thank for the pivotal roles they played in restoring order. Working with 1,200 personnel of different agencies, and officers from different departments, they helped in rescuing 4,300 people stranded as a result of the natural disaster that created havoc in the coffee plantations and buried hundreds of homes under mud and debris of landslides.
On Saturday, a team of 338 DySP and PSI probationeries of the Karnataka Police Academy (KPA) led by its director, Vipul Kumar, visited Kodagu and talked to Dr Pennekar about the Kodagu police’s handling of the situation. For the 33 -year -old police officer, who is an ayurvedic doctor and a 2013 batch IPS officer, Kodagu is her first assignment as SP and she had reported for duty in the district when the monsoon was at its peak, on July 15.
“I have not seen the sun shine since I came to Kodagu. It has been a huge experience, which will last me for the next ten years,” said Dr Pennekar, speaking to Deccan Chronicle.
Recalling the rescue operation, she said 160 policemen and officers from Kodagu helped the rescuers at the ground level. “I got 100 additional police men every day from other districts in the southern range for VIP security. We also got 15 officers of different ranks each day from different districts of the southern range for patrolling. A 100 home guards were posted at the check post and relief centres. All senior officers, including DG Neelamani supported me in handling the situation,” she added.
Meanwhile, 23 more people from relief centres returned home as Kodagu continued to receive light rainfall on Saturday.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Current Affairs / by Shilpa P, Deccan Chronicle / September 02nd, 2018
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