Three men from Kodagu have made their heartland proud by playing a leading role in Tuesday’s Republic Day parade in New Delhi. Their families are happy their young and courageous sons have brought fame to their district.
Bommanda Chengappa, 76, is overjoyed that his only son, Colonel Bommanda Dheeraj Chengappa, 45, participated as a commandant of the President’s bodyguard at the Republic Day parade in New Delhi. Chengappa, himself a former BSF man, says it’s a great honour for the family.”Dheeraj was selected for the Army through the UPSC. He lives New Delhi with his wife and son. Dheeraj loves Kodagu, and speaks the Kodava language, but since he spent most of his childhood in Army schools, he is more fluent in English and Hindi,”laughs Chengappa. Dheeraj graduated from Delhi University and then joined the Army. Chengappa and wife Reeta, who live on their estate in Ammathi, Virajpet taluk, say they they visited him a month ago.
Captain Balyamanda Thimmaiah, 28, son of retired colonel Balyamanda Kaverappa, led the mechanized force contingent (Bees Bahadur). Kaverappa and his wife Pushpa are proud that Thimmaiah, an alumnus of APS Delhi, COPS Gonikoppal, St Joseph’s and MS Ramaiah College of Law, Bengaluru, participated in the parade. The family lives in Virajpet.
Mandapanda C Thimmaiah participated in the MiG-29 flypast at the parade. His father Mandapanda Sada Chengappa, a coffee planter residing at Chermabane, said these youths are giving Kodagu its moment in the sun. His other son, MC Appaiah, is in the Air Force.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Bangalore / TNN / January 27th, 2016
Yesterday, SOM reported that along with the Coffee-bean tableau representing Kodagu and Karnataka at this year’s Republic Day Parade, a Kodava Col. Bommanda Dhiraj Chengappa would be escorting the President to the saluting dais.
Now it is learnt that one more Kodava officer, 28-year-old Capt. Ballyamanda Caverappa Thimmaiah will be leading the MECH Force Contingent (Bees Bahadur) in the R-Day Parade at the National Capital.
Presently posted at Ambala in Haryana, Capt. B.C. Thimmaiah is the son of Col. Ballyamanda Kaveriappa (Retd.) and Pushpa Kaveriappa, residents of Appayaswamy Road in Virajpet, Kodagu.
Capt. Thimmaiah is an alumnus of Army Public School (APS) Delhi, Coorg Public School (COPS), Gonikoppal, Kodagu and M.S. Ramaiah College of Law, Bengaluru.
After a brief stint as a lawyer, Capt. Thimmaiah joined the Services in the year 2013 and his first posting was at Hissar, Haryana.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / Monday – January 25th, 2016
The President’s limousine flanked by Col. Bommanda Dhiraj Chengappa (left) at the dress rehearsal for the Republic Day Parade, exiting the Rashtrapati Bhavan to enter the Rajpath along with other Horsemen.
by N. Niranjan Nikam, Senior Journalist
Kodagu, the Coffee Land of Karnataka,’ is the tableau from the State chosen for the 67th Republic Day Parade at Rajpath this year.
However, there is one more Kodagu connection which the Kodavas and the Kannadigas can be really proud of that will be on display at the RD Parade.
I was visiting a Kodava’s house here in the city recently. As I was about to leave, after chatting for quite some time with her and her friend, who had come from Ooty, the lady hesitatingly brought out two photographs. It was of a handsome young man in full military uniform standing tall in the Ashoka Hall of the Rashtrapati Bhavan and in another picture sitting on a horseback in army’s resplendent uniform.
Disguising her pride, she said in a very low voice that the person in the photographs was her nephew. She gave me his mobile number. I called him and immediately a soft, pleasant voice answered. After introducing myself, I asked him whether he was Colonel Bommanda Dhiraj Chengappa and he confirmed that indeed it was him.
He is the Commandant, President’s Bodyguard. “I am going to escort the President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee on January 26th, the Republic Day, from the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan to the saluting dais on Rajpath,” said Col. Chengappa, who is the first Kodava to escort the President.
The Bodyguard consists of 46 Horsemen out of which 20 are ahead of the President’s Limousine and 20 in the rear. The Commandant (that is Chengappa) and the second in command will be on either side of the limousine in which the President travels. The trumpeter and the Regimental colours — party of four — will be behind the car, he said.
“On reaching the Saluting Dais, I will present the National Salute which initiates the unfurling of the National Flag, accompanied by the National Anthem and the 21 Gun Salute. The Parade commences thereafter,” explained Col. Chengappa in detail.
The President’s Bodyguard, all of 243-years-old, is the senior most unit in the Army, raised in 1773, on the lines of the Household Cavalry Regiment of the British Army. But to be eligible for this “most prestigious posting” in their careers, the men must meet exacting physical and mental standards. It is said that all of them are strikingly handsome too. During the British Raj, the English had de-abbreviated GGBG (then Governor General’s Bodyguard) as ‘God’s Gift to Beautiful Girls!
Early years: A graduate in Economics from Delhi University, Col. Chengappa’s early schooling was in Bangalore and then he studied in Jodhpur. His father Bommanda Muthanna Chengappa, now residing at Ammathi in Kodagu, joined the Indian Army in 1963 and thereafter was side stepped into BSF on its raising. He retired as the DIG. He was awarded the President’s medal for gallantry, meritorious and distinguished service.
Asked whether he was influenced by his father to join the Armed Forces, his reply, “I was not influenced by my father. I always liked the Army and I joined it in 1993 after my training in Indian Military Academy, Dehradun.”
He is married to Savera Chengappa and has a 12-year-old son Tapan Devaiah. “It is one of the proudest moments in my life to be part of the National Salute watched by the whole nation,” he signs off.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / Monday – January 25th, 2016
Kodagu district is gearing up for the zilla and taluk panchayat elections, after the MLC elections.
The elections for the 29 zilla panchayat and 50 taluk panchayat seats will be conducted on February 20, while the results will be out on February 23.
The district has 29 zilla panchayat seats. Madikeri, Somwarpet and Virajpet taluks have seven, 11 and 11 constituencies, respectively. The number of taluk panchayat seats has been hiked by one – Hoddur being the new constituency – making it 50 this time. There are 12, 19 and 19 taluk panchayat constituencies in Madikeri, Somwarpet and Virajpet taluks, respectively.
There are a total of 3,76,065 voters in the district – 1,86,643 men and 1,89,422 women voters. Madikeri has 88,745 voters – 44,396 are men and 44,349 are women. Somwarpet has 1,45,078 voters – 71,459 are men and 73,619 are women, while in Virajpet taluk, there are 1,42,242 voters – 70,788 are men, 71,454 are women.
Option of NOTA
For the first time, the option of NOTA (None Of The Above) has been given to voters in zilla and taluk panchayat elections. It may be recalled that nobody in the district had opted for it during the recently concluded MLC elections.
In the current elections, however, the candidate may contest under the name of a political party and symbol. Electronic voting machines will be used for the polls.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / by Srikant Kallammanavan / DHNS, Madikeri – January 21st, 2016
BJP candidate M.P. Sunil Subramani was declared winner after the counting of votes held this morning for the recently held Legislative Council Polls from Kodagu constituency.
The counting of votes was held at St. Joseph’s School premises under tight security provided by the District Police. Out of the 1,405 votes polled, 66 were rejected by the officials.
Among the 1,339 considered for counting, BJP’s M.P. Sunil Subramani polled a total of 683 votes while his nearest rival H.S. Chandramouli of Congress polled a total of 627 votes. JD(S) candidate Sanketh Poovaiah managed to get a mere 29 votes. The other two independent candidates C. Nagaveni and S.P. Mahadevappa failed to get even a single vote.
Following the declaration of the result, MP Pratap Simha, MLAs K.G. Bopaiah and Appachu Ranjan, Kodagu District BJP President Suja Kushalappa and other leaders congratulated Sunil Subramani.
The winning candidate was also handed over the declaration certificate from Kodagu Deputy Commissioner (DC) Mir Anees Ahmed, who was also the District Election Officer.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / December 30th, 2015
A total of 1,409 voters, including 737 female voters, will decide the fate of five candidates who are contesting the Legislative Council elections from Kodagu local authorities constituency on Sunday.
The candidates are H S Chandramouli (Cong), Sunil Subramani (BJP), Sankesh Poovaiah (JDS), S P Mahadevappa (Ind) and Nagaveni (Ind). They have been engaged in wooing the voters for the last one month. The polling will be held between 8 am and 4 pm. The counting will be held at St Joseph School in Madikeri on December 30. All the gram panchayat members, taluk panchayat members, Zilla Panchayat members, municipality members, town panchayat members, MLC, MLAs and MP are eligible to exercise their franchise.
The voters have to cast their votes on ballot paper in preferential order as 1, 2, 3…. The pen given at the polling booth should be used for marking the votes on the ballot paper. The voters have to produce voters ID or any other identity card as per the guidelines of the Election Commission.
Kodagu district has 108 polling booths, of which 19 have been declared hyper-sensitive, 33 sensitive and 50 general booths. The district has six booths in Maoist-infested areas.
Also, the Madikeri City Municipal Council polling booth has the highest of 74 voters (including MP, MLAs, ZP members, CMC members and taluk panchayat members). The lowest of voters – just five – are at Garvale Gram Panchayat in Somwarpet.
The Gram Panchayat members of Ponnampet and Taluk Panchayat members of Virajpet will exercise their franchise at the Ponnampet Taluk Panchayat office,.
The polling process from 79 booths will be live through internet—(http://www.ceokarnataka.kar.nic.in/webstream_pc_wise.aspx#). The use of mobile phones, camera and any other electronic items inside the booth is banned. Any irregularities or illegal activities during the voting process can be brought to the notice of the election observer at 9535633148, district election officer at 9482628409/08272-225500 or control room 08272-221077.
The mustering was held at St Joseph School on Saturday. Deputy Commissioner and District Returning Officer Meer Anees Ahmmed, Additional Deputy Commissioner M Sathish Kumar and others visited the mustering centre. Elaborate security arrangement has been made for the peaceful polling. Three DySPs, seven CPIs, 33 PSIs and ASIs, 127 head constables and 151 police personnel have been deployed.
Chikkamagaluru
With the Council election slated for Sunday, the Congress, the BJP and the JD(S) has completed two rounds of campaign in the district. The campaign for the election ended on Friday.
There are four candidates in fray in the district. The district has 2,547 voters. There are 2,216 gram panchayat members in 215 gram panchayats. There are 108 taluk panchayat members, 59 town panchayat members and 43 CMC members.
DH News Service
‘It is a tragedy that British termed freedom fighters insurgents’
It is a tragedy that British termed freedom fighters like Subedar Guddemane Appayya Gowda, Sangolli Rayanna, Bhagath Singh insurgents. The historians who failed to understand it, also termed them insurgents, said MLA K G Bopaiah.
Speaking after inaugurating Subedar Guddemane Appayya Gowda Martyrs Day organised by the district administration, Kannada and Culture Department and Karnataka Arebhashe Samskrithi mathu Sahitya Academy here on Saturday, he said there were several uprisings against the British rule prior to Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. Guddemane Appayya Gowda had led an insurgency against the British.
He said that there are miscreants who try to divide the society. “Let us pledge to work towards the integrated development of the district and spread the messages of Guddemane Appayya Gowda and Field Marshal K M Cariappa.”
Kodagu district Kannada Sahitya Parishat president T P Ramesh said that those who have no knowledge about history can not create it.”
He said Appayya Gowda should not be restricted to a community. Karnataka Arebhashe Sahitya mathu Samskrithi Academy and Karnataka Kodava Academy should document the history of the district. Karnataka State Handicrafts Development Corporation Chairperson Veena Achaiah, Kodava Academy president B S Thammaiah, Madikeri CMC president Shreemathi Bangera were present.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / DHNS / Madikeri, November 01st, 2015
Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani and Rohan Murty, have together contributed Rs 1.5 crore towards a corpus that former students of Bengaluru’s Bishop Cottons Boys School are building for retired staff members of their school.
Murty, son of the other Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy, and Nilekani are among the scores of illustrious citizens the school has produced in its 150-year history. The alumni are confident the corpus will grow in size.
An announcement about the fund, and Nilekani’s anchor donation of Rs 50 lakh, was made by Aditya Sondhi, another old Cottonian, and Managing Trustee of General K.S.Thimayya Memorial Trust at the school on Saturday on the occasion of 11th General KSThimayya memorial lecture. (The general was a Cottonian too, and this year’s lecture was delivered by Rahul Rao, lecturer in politics at the University of London, and Rohan Murty himself.)
Murty, who has announced a cheque of Rs 1 crore, said the teachers and other staff members have given 30-40 years of their life to the service of the school and its students. “I was very touched by the initiative. And, when i heard about Nandan’s contribution, i decided i should also emulate him. I hope more people will come forward, and contribute,” Murthy said, and added, “The fund is our way of expressing our gratitude to our teachers and other staff members.”
The fund is reflective of the strong bond that exists between the school’s former students and staff in all ranks including those worked as lab assistants, attendants etc. “We thought we should provide an opportunity for ex-students to express their gratitude and affection towards the teachers and others,” said CN Kumar, a Cottonian from the 1970 batch, Nilekani’s classmate.
Kumar runs a startup consultancy called Advantage Offshore Knowledge Services, and serves on the Thimayya Memorial Trust.
In addition to annual cash rewards to retired staffers, the fund —which Kumar hopes will grow to at least Rs 5 crore — will meet expenses arising out of medical emergencies of retired staffers and the education needs of their children. Contributions to the trust are eligible for income tax exemption.
The school, which is an old Bengaluru landmark, has produced many stalwarts including former chief of naval staff Admiral Vijay Singh Shekhawat, nuclear scientist Raja Ramanna and cricketer Brijesh Patel.
On Saturday, the Trust gave away Rs 1 lakh each to retired staffers Iqbal Ahmed (NCC commandant), Channappa Gowda (Kannad Novea teacher) Antony (pantry helper) and J Martin (lab assistant).
source: http://www.economictimes.indiatimes.com / The Economic Times / ET Home> News> Company> Corporate Trends / by K R Balasubramanyam, ET Bureau / November 23rd, 2015
Former Law Minister M.C. Nanaiah enjoying a ‘JUMBO’ ride sitting on the tusk of an elephant at the Aane Utsava held at Dubare Elephant Camp in Kodagu yesterday.
Kushalnagar :
Former Minister M.C. Nanaiah has urged the Government to release Rs. 100 crore for overall development of Kodagu district.
Speaking after inaugurating the 61st wildlife month and elephant day celebrations at Dubare Elephant Camp, near Kushalnagar yesterday, Nanaiah asked the State Government to take Cauvery River cleaning on the lines of Ganga River cleaning taken up by the Prime Minister.
Urging the Government to announce a special package for Kodagu, Nanaiah stressed on the need for initiating appropriate measures for ending man-animal conflict across Malnad region, which has seen an alarming rise over the past few years.
Calling for installation of solar fencing and construction of trenches in order to prevent elephant intrusions into farm lands and human habitats, he urged the Government to move the Supreme Court for taming wild elephants, which are causing havoc across Malnad region.
The former Minister then urged the government work towards conservation of Western Ghats, preservation of forest wealth and water bodies. He also urged the Govt. to regularise the services of Dubare Elephant Camp Mahouts who have been serving for years.
Karnataka Forest Industries Development Corporation Chairman T. Eshwar, in his address, said that the Corporation has sent a proposal to the Government on setting up a mega Bamboo Industry at Kushalnagar at a cost of Rs. 100 crore. Madikeri Division DFO Yedukondalu called upon the involvement of everyone in putting an end to man- elephant conflict.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Monday – November 16th, 2015
The Kodava Sahitya Academy and Arebhashe Samskriti Mathu Sahitya Academy will urge the Ministry of Home Affairs to continue the exemption to possess firearms under Section 3 and 4 of the Indian Arms Act.
At a meeting convened on Wednesday, to collect public opinion on the issue, the Kodava Sahitya Academy president B S Thammaiah said that a delegation under the leadership of MP Prathap Simha would be taken to Delhi to impress upon the Home Ministry.
“The public should give their opinion on exemption to possess firearms in writing. All the written opinions will be compiled and submitted to the Central government,” he said.
Arebhashe Samskriti Haagu Sahitya Academy President Kolyada Girish said, “There are several burning issues in Kodagu. Now, the issue of exemption to possess firearms has appeared. We are not ready to lose the exemption given to us.”
Napoklu Kodava Samaja President Uthappa demanded, “Exemption to possess firearms by every person of Coorg race and every Jamma holder should be continued.”
P J Ayyappa said the circular issued by the British rules mentions the term ‘Coorg race.’ There is a need to define the term ‘race’ to make the officials and the government understand, he insisted.
Kudukuli Bharath said, “All the traditional dwellers of Kodagu come under Coorg by race. I had availed exemption to possess firearms way back in 1976.
“The exemption is not restricted to Kodavas alone. It is related to all the traditional dwellers of Kodagu. We have to protect our rights.”
Kodagu Gowda Vidya Sangha member and Advocate Dayanand concurred, “The exemption to possess firearms has been given to ‘gallant people of Coorg’, according to a circular issued by the British Commissioner Cubbon in 1861. The circular does not mention one community alone.
“The ‘Coorg race’ is not restricted to one caste or creed alone. The circular on Coorg race has been misunderstood by the officials. The exemption enjoyed by the traditional dwellers of Kodagu prior to 1976 should be continued.”
Codava Makkada Coota President Bolajjeera Ayyappa said, “Coorg, by race, is only Kodava community. There is no need to create confusion in this regard.”
List of communities
Kodava Bhashikara Sangha District President Sara Changappa said, “When K G Bopaiah was the Speaker of the Assembly, the State government had submitted a list of communities that come under ‘Coorg by race’ to the Kodagu deputy commissioner. The list includes all the traditional dwellers of Kodagu.”
Advocate Yaladaalu Manoj Bopaiah said, “The exemption given by the British regime is continued by the Central government through a circular. The exemption is not a legislation passed in the Parliament. In case the government feels that the exemption will create discrimination among communities, then it will be withdrawn. The right is not bestowed on a particular community. Instead, it is given to the residents of a geographical area. There is a need to convince the government that the exemption has been availed by the Codavas, Arebhashe Gowdas and other community members in the district.”
Legislators K G Bopaiah and Appachu Ranjan should impress upon the Home Ministry through Union Minister for Law Sadananda Gowda, he said and added, “As we do not have time, we have to act swiftly.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / DHNS, Madideri – October 15th, 2015
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