Category Archives: Women/Girls (wef. Sept 03rd, 2022)

It was the most rewarding journey: Shubra on becoming a certified yoga instructor

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Actor Shubra Aiyappa went off the grid for a month to achieve her wellness dreams.

Shubra Aiyappa receives her certificate after a month of rigorous training

Actor Shubra Aiyappa recently decided to become a certified yoga instructor. Sharing her motivation around this step, she says, “I’ve been practising yoga for a few years now. The benefits of the practice drove me to go deep into it. This was definitely the most rewarding and transformative journey of my life.”

Despite the benefits, becoming a yoga instructor wasn’t an easy stint for the Thimayya & Thimayya (2022)actor. To work on her yoga practice, Aiyappa decided to cut off from the world for a month to join a yoga school in Mysuru. “We weren’t allowed to have our phones except for an hour during the day,” the 33-year-old actor shares, adding, “For the first few days, I couldn’t take this rigorous routine. I had some breakdowns and I kept asking why I chose to do this to myself. But, as time went on, I got used to it.”

In addition to the challenges at the school, Aiyappa admits she was terrified to put her acting on hold for a month. “There’s always an itch which makes you feel you’re missing a call or a scene that can change your life — It was really difficult for me to let that go. I was afraid I’d become irrelevant if I wasn’t active on social media. But that’s never the case. It was all about setting boundaries. I even put a film I’m currently doing on hold for this course,” the Prathinidhi (2014) actor quips.

The actor, now a certified yoga instructor, is happy to impart knowledge about the mind-and-body practice to her family and friends. Ask if she’s ready to take it professionally, she shares, “Teaching it professionally is not on the cards yet. I’ve always wanted to do something in the wellness space. While I don’t know how I’d execute it, I have some ongoing plans,” she signs off.

source: hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home / by Aayushi Parekh / March 06th, 2024

At 79, Padma Shri Ummathat Ki Rani is busy pushing for a Kodava ‘lipi’

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Rani’s entire career has been dedicated to preserving and promoting the folk dance form, Ummathat, of the Kodava tradition.

Rani Machaiah (seated) was felicitated at a function in Madikeri on Thursday, 26 January. (Supplied)

The news came as mellifluous as the song that accompanies Ummathat, the traditional dance form of Kodagu.

Rani Machaiah — better known as Ummathat Ki Rani  — was at her home in Madikeri when she received the news of the nation honouring her with Padma Shri.

Congratulatory calls have been flooding her from relatives, friends, well-wishers, and most importantly, from her large number of students since Wednesday, 25 January.

“A train of thoughts crossed my mind,” the 79-year-old shared her experience with South First. “I have worked for around 50 years, promoting this traditional dance form.”

She has been leading Ummathat since 1984 and she had trained over 10,000 students.

Rani recalled taking her students to different states to showcase the dance form. “Ummathat is performed by a troupe of 20 — two will be singing and the other eighteen will dance to narrate a story,” she explained.

“This dance form is similar to the traditional ones of every other state,” she added.

Creating masters

Rani doesn’t dance anymore. But she still teaches students to master the art form. She had trained several batches of students.

Padma Shri Rani Machaiah. (Supplied)

“Once they get married, they leave and a new batch joins. Girls of any age can join the troupe,” Rani said.

Her students had performed in Lakshadweep, Goa, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Mizoram, Odisha, Punjab, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and several places across Karnataka.

“We get invitations from various places and institutions from all over the country and we perform our traditional Ummathat there,” Rani, who has dedicated herself to preserving and promoting the traditional dance form, said.

Rani was born in 1943 in Siddapura in the Kodagu district. Her husband, the late Machaiah, was an advocate, who passed away when she was 65.

Her son, Sathish Machaiah, 55, is a software engineer in Bengaluru. Rani’s daughter, Saritha Devaiah, is a homemaker in Kodagu. Her husband Devaiah owns a plantation.

When asked about her inspiration to take up Ummathat, Rani said it was personal interest.

Now, a lipi

Rani is the chairperson of Kaveri Kalavrunda Sangha, an organisation she founded. She is the recipient of the Rajyotsava Award and many other honours.

She was a former president of Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy and at present, she is encouraging groups of Kodavas working on designing a lipi — alphabet or script — for the Kodava language to preserve its literature since the language doesn’t have a lipi now (traditionally, Kodavas use the Thirke script, which is an abugida).

“It will look somewhat similar to Kannada and it will have phonetics and extra words that are used in the Kodava language in Kannada lipi,” Rani said.

source: http://www.thesouthfirst.com / South First / Home> States / by Bellie Thomas / January 27th, 2023

Home Minister Calls On Family Of Beheaded Girl In Kodagu

Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Women/Girls (wef. Sept 03rd, 2022)

Compensation will be paid to deceased Meena’s parents after poll code ends

Madikeri:

Days after U.S. Meena, a 16-year-old minor girl, who was brutally beheaded by a man at Mutlu village in Somwarpet taluk of Kodagu district, Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwar visited the residence of the victim yesterday and consoled her parents.

Meena, an SSLC student of Surlabbi Government High School, was brutally beheaded by 33-year-old Prakash, the  man who was said to be engaged with the girl in the morning of May 9. The SSLC results were declared the same day and she had passed  the exam but unfortunately was killed the same evening. Her mother Janaki too sustained injuries in the assault and was treated at a Hospital in Mysuru.

Speaking to presspersons, Dr. Parameshwar said that preliminary investigation suggests that the girl was killed as the accused got furious over postponement of marriage on the grounds that the girl was a minor.

Maintaining that the Government would not tolerate such brutal acts and has taken the case seriously, he said that a Special Court will be established for speedy trial and the accused will be punished as per Law.

Pointing out that a Special Public Prosecutor too would be appointed for ensuring that the culprit gets the harshest punishment, Dr. Parameshwar said that the girl’s family would be paid compensation by the Government once the Model Code of Conduct for the LS polls comes to an end.

Replying to BJP leader and former CM Jagadish Shettar’s assertion that Law and Order has collapsed in the State with murders and other heinous acts occurring across Karnataka, the Home Minister said the Congress Government does not need a certificate from Shettar.

Noting that crimes were on the rise during the previous BJP Government too, he said the people would themselves give certificate to the Government.

Replying to a question on investigation into Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna’s sleaze videos and pen drives, Dr. Parameshwar, who seemed upset at the question, said that it is not correct to speak about the case here.

Madikeri MLA Dr. Manthar Gowda, Kodagu SP K. Ramarajan, ASP Sundarraj and others were present.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News> Top Stories /May 17th, 2024

Unnathi sprinting to master bigger hurdles

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The 18-year-old from Karnataka is making giant strides on the big circuit.

Karnataka’s Unnathi Aiyappa is headed to the World Athletics U20 Championships to be held in Lima, Peru in August after qualifying in both the women’s 100m hurdles and 200m events. Credit: PTI Photo

Bengaluru:

Unnathi Aiyappa is in the midst of a transitional period. It is a phase where every decision the teen athlete makes in the present is to help her leapfrog towards cementing future goals. Her recent results are a testimony to this. 

After having already qualified for the women’s World Athletics Under-20 Championships 100m hurdles to be held in Lima (Peru) from August 27-31, the 18-year-old from Karnataka breached the qualification mark for the 200m race as well by winning the gold at the National Senior Federation Cup in Bhubaneswar on Monday with a personal best timing of 23.85 seconds.

Less than a month ago, the youngster had finished with a bronze medal in the 100m hurdles at the Asian U-20 Athletics Championships in Dubai.

“Our main goal is to get Unnathi to become a 400m hurdler,” says father and coach BP Aiyappa. “Whatever we are doing now with the 100m hurdles and 200m is a preparation towards that goal,” he adds. 

Speaking about the races over the last few days, Unnathi, who ran a mistake-laden semifinal where she was slow off the blocks and in the curve, focussed on overcoming the flaws in the final where she was chasing time more than the gold. The ‘unexpected win was extra special, says the girl from Kodagu as she beat seasoned sprinter Srabani Nanda in a photo finish for her first medal at a senior meet. 

“We will get her to compete in four more events before the World Juniors and based on the progress in both the events (200m and 100m hurdles), my idea is to enter in only one event in Lima. I don’t want to put too much load on her body as a junior and she will focus on these two disciplines for another year-and-a-half. We will completely switch to 400m hurdles only after that,” explained Aiyappa. 

“The 400m hurdles has a rhythm to it which is addictive. But 400m is just going all out. It’s boring,” says the daughter of Olympian Pramila Aiyappa. 

If fine-tuning her running skills or blazing the tracks is her primary vocation, the teen is part of a growing brigade of Indian women athletes who enjoy upping the fashion quotient while competing or off it.

“I recently learnt how to braid my hair. I wore some eye-liner and lipstick and did some nail art for the first-time while racing in Dubai and here. It is important to look pretty when you win. No?!,” reasons Unnathi, who takes inspiration from USA’s sprint star Sha’Carri Richardson. 

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Sports> Other Sports / by Hita Prakash / May 15th, 2024

HCL National Squash Championship: Abhay Singh, Velavan Senthilkumar, Joshna Chinappa clinch gold

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Chennai :

Abhay Singh and Velavan Senthilkumar clinched a gold medal in the men’s doubles category with a commanding 2-0 victory in the HCL Nationals Doubles Championship here on Wednesday (May 15).

In the women’s doubles category, Pooja Arthi and Rathika Seelan secured the top spot with a thrilling 2-1 win. Abhay Singh teamed up with Joshna Chinappa to clinch gold in the mixed doubles category.

The HCL Nationals Doubles Championship, a collaborative effort between HCL and the Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI), concluded with resounding success at the Indian Squash Academy in Chennai from May 13th to May 15th, 2024.

Marking a significant milestone in India’s squash history, this event, part of the HCL Squash Podium Program, revived the Doubles Squash Championship after a hiatus of 17 years.

The winners were honoured by esteemed dignitaries, including Chief Guest Dr Atulya Misra, the Additional Chief Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Government, and Thulasimathi Murugesan, the gold medalist from the Asian Para Games 2022, who graced the finale ceremony as the guest of honour.

India’s recent success in doubles squash on the international stage, particularly at the Asian Games, served as a catalyst for HCL to reintroduce the Doubles Squash Championship. This initiative aimed to inject renewed enthusiasm into the sport and provide a platform for emerging talents to showcase their skills in doubles play.

Rajat Chandolia, AVP and Head of Brand at HCL, expressed delight at the enthusiastic participation of squash players in the championship. He congratulated all the winners and participants, highlighting HCL’s commitment to supporting Indian players and elevating squash to new heights through initiatives like the Squash Podium Program.

Cyrus Poncha, Secretary General of SRFI, hailed the resurgence of doubles squash in India, attributing it to the collaborative efforts of SRFI and HCL. He stressed upon the significance of nurturing talented players and expressed confidence in the bright future of Indian squash.

“I am truly excited to see the renaissance of doubles squash in India, thanks to the mutual efforts of SRFI and HCL. It was truly thrilling to see the clashes between the double pairs. I believe that Indian Squash has a bright future and the stars of tomorrow will emerge from these events. Our association with HCL has been monumental for the sport and our combined efforts will continue to nurture talented players,” said Poncha.

Abhay Singh, who emerged victorious in both the men’s and mixed doubles categories, expressed his gratitude to HCL and SRFI for organising the championship. Looking ahead, he expressed determination to excel at the Asian Doubles Championship in Malaysia.

Abhay Singh, said, “I have always been interested in playing in the doubles category. I thank HCL and SRFI for organising this championship after a long time in India. I have played with Velavan in Commonwealth but this was my first time playing doubles with Joshna. It is such an honour to team up with her. I was sure that I would win in both categories but now it’s time to win gold at the Asian Doubles Championship in Malaysia.”

The championship showcased gripping matches, including the finals contested by pairs such as Abhay Singh & Velavan Senthilkumar, Rahul Baitha & Suraj Chand in the men’s category, Pooja Arthi & Rathika Seelan, and Janet Vidhi & Nirupama Dubey in the women’s category, and Abhay Singh & Joshna Chinappa, and Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu & Rathika Seelan in the mixed doubles category.

The HCL National Doubles Championship not only celebrated sporting excellence but also marked a significant step forward in the resurgence of doubles squash in India, promising an exciting future for the sport and its talented athletes.

Its game time – play now!

source: http://www.mykhel.com / MyKhel.com / Home> MyKhel Sports / by MyKhel Team / May 15th, 2024

Varsha Bollamma’s interactive Tamil-English film Iruvam selected for Cannes Film Festival

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The innovative, interactive film has been selected as part of the Let’s Spook Cannes event. The film stars Varsha Bollamma in the lead role.

Varsha Bollamma-starrer Iruvam has been developed by ManMar Games.

The bilingual film Iruvam, made in both Tamil and English, has been selected as one of the four entries worldwide for the Let’s Spook Cannes event as part of the Cannes Film Festival . The film, which sees Varsha Bollamma as the lead, is innovative because it’s interactive.

Varsha excited for Cannes

Industry tracker Ramesh Bala made the announcement of the film’s selection on his X (formerly Twitter), writing, “.@Manmargames innovative project @iruvam_ManMar has been officially selected for the prestigious Cannes International Film Festival’s “Let’s Spook Cannes” event. A Landmark Indian Entry in the World’s Premier Film Festival #Iruvam starring @VarshaBollamma.” An excited Varsha re-tweeted the post, writing, “Super super super excited for this one!!! Eeeeeeeeepppp!!!!”

About Iruvam

Iruvam is an interactive film that blurs the line between film and gaming. The innovative full motion video (FMV) will offer a narrative where the viewers’ choices will impact the film’s storylines and the outcome, which will offer numerous endings. The description sounds similar to Netflix’s Black Mirror: Bandersnatch. Directed by Manoj Annadurai, who is known for the independent English film Get Happy, the film will feature Sidhu Kumaresan, Shanmathi and Bala Guru.The film will be unveiled at Cannes between May 17-20 and will be subsequently released on a mobile platform.

Upcoming work

Varsha was recently seen in the Telugu film Ooru Peru Bhairavakona with Sundeep Kishan and is yet to announce her upcoming projects. The actor, who debuted with the 2015 film Sathuran got fame when she starred in Vijay Sethupathi and Trisha’s 2018 film 96. She debuted in Malayalam the same year with Kalyanam. In 2020 she debuted in Telugu with Choosi Choodangaane, which also starred Shiva Kandukuri, and in Kannada with Mane Number 13 the same year. She has since acted in films like Jaanu, Middle Class Melodies and Akka Kuruvi.

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / by HT Entertainment Desk / May 08th, 2024

A.B. Malathi Alankaliya

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Obituary

A.B. Malathi Alankaliya (67), a poet, writer, retired employee of State Bank of Mysore (SBM) and a resident of Bhargavi Nagar, passed away in the early hours of today in city.

A native of Somwarpet in Kodagu, she leaves behind her husband K.R. Bhandari, a retired Bank official, son Canara Bank Officer Oshan and a host of relatives and friends. Malathi is the younger sister of senior writer and poet of Kodagu Shivadevi Avaneeshchandra.

Last rites were held at Muktidhama in Vijayanagar 4th Stage in Mysuru today.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore/ Home> Obiturary / April 30th, 2024

Madikeri Director’s Film ‘Kandeelu’ Earns Prestigious Selection at 29th Kolkata Film Festival

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HIGHLIGHTS

Madikeri:

Yashoda Prakash, a distinguished filmmaker hailing from Madikeri, has achieved a remarkable feat as her Kannada film ‘Kandeelu’ secures a coveted spot at the 29th Kolkata Film Festival, scheduled to take place from December 5 to 12. Yashoda, the sole woman director from the district, has not only etched her name in the local film industry but has also brought recognition to Madikeri on a national platform.

‘Kandeelu’ stands out as the only Kannada film chosen to compete among films in various Indian languages during this year’s festival. Yashoda Prakash, a resident of Madikeri, has previously directed and produced numerous films, including three in Kodava and five in Kannada. Her active involvement in the industry has yielded several quality productions.

The storyline of ‘Kandeelu’ unfolds in a village, weaving a narrative around the life of a farmer and his family. Inspired by real-life stories, the film delves into the significance of life amidst myriad challenges across different phases. Yashoda expresses confidence that the movie will be well-received at the film festival, anticipating appreciation for its portrayal of life’s complexities and nuances.

As the only female director representing Madikeri, Yashoda Prakash has not only elevated the cinematic landscape of the region but has also become a trailblazer, showcasing the richness of storytelling and filmmaking from this part of Karnataka. The selection of ‘Kandeelu’ for the Kolkata Film Festival adds another feather to Yashoda’s cap, and she hopes to clinch victory in this prestigious competition.

source: http://www.thehansindia.com / The Hans India / Home> Entertainment / by Coovercolly Indresh / November 18th, 2023

Kodagu girl wins Nat’l Abacus Title

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Madikeri:

A Kodagu girl has won a national level abacus championship in Delhi.

Kodandera Nushkka, 6, the daughter of Kavya and Vikram Kuttaiah is the winner.

She won the championship in a contest in which 3,200 children from across India had participated. She is being trained at Brainobrain Madikeri centre, which is headed by Mapangada Kavitha Karumbaiah.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> City News> Mysuru News / August 26th, 2024

Preparing for third Olympics at 34, Ashwini Ponnappa in no mood to slow down

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The badminton star says that she is grateful to have an opportunity to aim for an Olympic gold at this point in her career.

Team game: Ashwini said that the partnership with Tanisha has been exciting. | Photo Credit: RITU RAJ KONWAR

Ashwini Ponnappa has been around for a long while now but the 34-year-old has no plans of slowing down. Preparing for her third Olympics in a sport as demanding as badminton can be gruelling. To do so in doubles, with a partner almost 15 years younger, is unheard of. Ashwini isn’t bothered.

Ashwini missed the Tokyo Olympics but with Tanisha Crasto, is currently the highest-ranked Indian women’s doubles pair in the world and on top of the race to the World Tour Finals.

Having burst into the limelight after winning a historic gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in front of home crowds (with Jwala Gutta) for her maiden senior international title, it’s been an eventful career for Ashwini.

“I think having the CWG in India was the biggest game-changer because there was media and public attention on all sports, not just one or two. And winning in front of the home crowd put doubles in the spotlight because till then, it used to only be about singles. People started viewing doubles as a specialised event after that,” she acknowledged.

“It’s been quite a journey, having started alongside Jwala who was already an established player then and well-known on the national and international scene as a specialised doubles player. I think I got lucky because partnering with her meant that I got to play in the big league at a very young age. I have had different partners along the way and now am with someone who is 14 years younger – I never would have thought back then that something like this would happen. But it’s been an exciting journey since we got together,” she added.

Challenges

The longevity has not been without challenges but a bout of dengue in 2016 triggered a complete turnaround in her training ethos and methods.

“Even though I have had physical ups and downs, I have always been motivated. Being physically fit is most essential to be playing at this level but being mentally motivated is equally important. You cannot have one without the other. That’s something I am very stubborn about – I will not listen to just anyone, I am very fussy about my training.

“I have been training with Deckline Leitao since 2016 and that’s been a game-changer. As you get older, your approach to physical fitness is very critical. It also means that if my coach says back off or slow down, I will listen. When you are younger, you can have the hardest workouts throughout the year. But as you get older, it is important to know when to back off and not keep pushing” she explained.

And while they are equal partners on the court, Ashwini admits it took time to build an understanding with Tanisha. “It’s definitely evolved because initially there was a barrier because of the fact that I am super senior and she is up and coming, the comfort level did take time to get to and, to be honest, there is still a lot of space for improvement but it’s work in progress. I don’t think there is any other pair with this level of age gap on the circuit.

“It’s nice to play with someone who has got a really long way ahead of her. I love her enthusiasm and the curiosity of going for big tournaments,” she admitted.

The senior pro in her does come rear up occasionally, she laughed but insisted she tries to avoid being a nag.

“I don’t think there is pressure of being a senior but I just end up being kind of a mentor. It’s not like I go out and try to be a senior or didi as Tanisha calls me – I don’t want to be – but I end up being one because of what I have seen over the years and can’t help but guide here and there when you see certain things. Fortunately, she has been open enough to listen to me giving her advice now and then,” she said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sport> Other Sprots / by Uthara Ganesan / April 19th, 2024