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 Jan (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> Karnataka / by Bellie Thomas / January 27th, 2023
Two Police personnel from Kodagu have been selected for the Chief Minister’s Medal for their exemplary service in the Department.
They are Madikeri Division’s CID Forest Mobile Squad Sub-Inspector C.U. Savi and District Crime Detection Unit Head Constable M.N. Niranjan.
Savi has been serving in the Police Department since 13 years and has served at many places including Nanjangud and Bylakuppe and is presently serving in Madikeri Division. She is a native of Kolakeri.
M.N. Niranjan is a resident of Ashokapura in Madikeri and is serving in the Police Department since 22 years.
He had served in various Police Stations including Madikeri Rural Police Station and is presently serving at District Crime Detection Unit.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / April 03rd, 2023
With urbanisation and changing social structures, nuclear families, which were intrinsic in preserving tradition and rituals, have replaced joint families.
Women and a child don traditional attire at a Keri function
Madikeri:
With urbanisation and changing social structures, nuclear families, which were intrinsic in preserving tradition and rituals, have replaced joint families. To ensure their culture is not lost, various Kodava families in Kodagu district have joined together under one ‘keri’ (colony).
“The concept of ‘keri’ – synonymous with area or colony – started in Bengaluru among the Kodava community. The concept was adopted in the district too, with the first keri being formed 27 years ago,” says Kayapanda Shashi Somaiah, a resident of Madikeri.
As Kodava families started to move to cities from their native villages, the culture of the community was at stake. To prevent this, the keri concept was introduced in towns of Kodagu, including Madikeri, Virajpet and Ponnampet. “There are a total of 12 keris in Madikeri town. Cauvery Keri was among the first to be established in Madikeri. ‘Dechur Keri’ was established in 1998 and is one of the largest compared to other keris,” explains Madeyanda Ravi Kunjiappa, president of Dechur Keri.
He adds that this keri has over 300 members and an annual meeting is held after Puthari festival, which sees the coming together of all members.
Talking about the purpose of a keri, Shashi Somaiah explains, “For instance, if a death takes place in a Kodava family, members may not be acquainted with the rituals that need to be followed. That is when the keri becomes a second family of sorts.
Before relatives arrive from far off places, keri members who stay in the same area come together to help with the rituals.” Keris have a president and directors who are elected by the members once in three years. Emergency funds too are collected. Shashi says, “Death funds are handed over by the keri trust to family members.” The community also bonds over other matters during keri meetings.
“When people from the same community gather under one roof, talks pertaining to marriage also take place. There are instances where two people have been matched during keri functions,” says Ravi Kunjiappa.
Ravi adds, “During annual meetings, children who have achieved in academics or sports are recognised and felicitated. Similarly, elders who have achieved in government services or youngsters who have excelled in various fields will be felicitated and encouraged. Communities get to share their triumphs and trials.” Apart from being a support system, these keris also help in preserving Kodava culture. “The annual meeting becomes a platform for various cultural activities. Youngsters and children are required to take part in this cultural extravaganza. Children get trained by elders in ‘kolata’, ‘umathat’ and various other cultural activities,” says Ravi.
These skills are then put to test in the form of inter-keri competitions organised in each township once in three years. While inter-keri events have been organised in Madikeri six times, Virajpet town saw its first event this year. “Each keri takes turns to organise this function, which aims to unite Kodava families from different keris. The aim is to promote Kodava culture among the younger generation. This is the best way to teach our children about our traditions,” says Madanda Latha Somaiah, a member of Dechur keri.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Prajna GR, Express News Service / March 15th, 2020
Directed by Sanjay Sharma, Thimayya & Thimayya produced by Rajesh Sharma also features Anant Nag, Diganth, and Aindrita Ray.
A still from Thimayya & Thimayya
Shivarajkumar-starrer Vajrakaya (2015) marked model-turned-actor Shubra Aiyappa’s first step in the movies. After a long gap of seven years, she is back in Kannada cinema with Thimayya & Thimayya, which is set to release this week. “I had a film, titled John Seena, directed by Suni, which had me playing a unique role. Unfortunately, it did not take off,” says Shubra.
Directed by Sanjay Sharma, Thimayya & Thimayya produced by Rajesh Sharma also features Anant Nag, Diganth, and Aindrita Ray. When asked about the delay between her acting assignments, Shubra says, “When I entered the cinema, I didn’t have any formal training in acting. So I went to the New York Film Academy to do an acting course. Then, there was the pandemic, which gave people the feeling that I took a really long break. In fact, I did have some roles come my way, but I couldn’t really take them up. It was only Thimayya & Thimayya that excited me enough to get back to the cinema.”
Owing to the sabbatical, many might not know of Shubra’s passion for acting. “In my head, I’m an actor. But the sabbatical did not prove my acting capabilities. In fact, at NYFA, I topped the class. But practically, things didn’t work out the way I wanted them to. So when I got a call from makers of Thimayya & Thimayya, I was happy and excited,” says Shubra, who adds that she is optimistic and feels that everything happens for a reason.”This is my time. Hope people notice my performance in Thimayya & Thimayya, and it will be a good restart to my career.”
Talking about her role in Thimayya & Thimayya, the actor says that her character ‘Sowmya’ is similar to who she is. “When I got the narration from Sanjay Sharma, I felt the character was some. I am a very ambitious person. I am very organised. In the film, I play the hero’s backbone, mainly because he doesn’t have these attributes. It is my character that stabilises him and puts the character back on track. I play an important role in his journey.”
Talking about ad filmmaker-turned-director Sanjay Sharma, Shubra, who understands the world of modelling and advertising, says, “Sanjay understands the importance of the right work ethic, and the value of time. I felt he was a perfectionist, who never tolerated mediocrity. He ensured all the actors gave their best. It was nice to work with somebody like him. It was like going back to film school.
With Thimayya & Thimayya, Shubra also fulfilled one other dream and was dubbed for herself in the film. “I’m happy to have dubbed for Sowmya,” says Shubra, listing out the roles coming her way post her sabbatical.
Apart from the Rishi-starred Ramana Avatara, Shubra will also be seen in the Tamil film, Aganya. “The film is about a father-daughter relationship, and I am working with Aadukalam Naren on the project. I have 10 days of portions to shoot. Meanwhile, I hope Thimayya & Thimayya reminds people that Shubra exists, and more opportunities come my way,” she signs off.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Entertainment> Kannada / by Express News Service / November 22nd, 2022
Bommai inaugurates Appachattolanda Cup Kodava Hockey Festival at Napoklu
Madikeri:
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that Kodava Development Corporation, a long-pending demand of the people of the district, will be a reality soon.
“I will issue an order on the setting up of the Kodava Development Corporation at the earliest,” he said after inaugurating the Kodava family hockey tournament hosted by the Appachattolanda family at General Thimayya Stadium in Cheriyaparambu of Napoklu last evening.
“Kodavas are physically strong and protect the nation. The Government is committed to the welfare and growth of the Kodava community and the Kodava Community Development Corporation that will strive exclusively for the overall development of the unique Kodava community has been a long-pending demand from the community and steps would be taken to realise it,” he added.
Picture shows former Indian Team hockey coaches M.P. Ganesh and A.B. Subbaiah greeting the players.
Heaping praises on the concept of a family hockey tournament, the CM said that the concept is wonderful and unique and brings Kodava families under one roof. “Kodava families are well-knit families. At a time when relationships are waning, the tourney has helped bring together families. Families should be united and relationships should bring together the people,” he said. “This is a special tournament as it is organised by the Kodava families. These families enjoy a good relationship, and family bond and the heritage of the Kodava community is being promoted through the game of hockey. The culture, tradition, and practices of the Kodavas unite all. Their attire and food are special,” he added.
“It is happy to note that this tournament is going on for the last 23 years. Families must unite and relationships must prosper. This is the culture of India. This kind of tournament is not seen anywhere in the world. Hence, the State Government has released Rs. 1 crore for the tournament,” Bommai said.
The hockey festival is being held from Mar. 18 to Apr. 9 on three grounds and a record 336 families or teams have registered for it. This is the 23rd edition of the event which had a four-year break from 2018 onwards owing to natural calamities in the district followed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier, the tournament began with a grand procession. Besides this year’s participants, the family teams which have participated in the tournament in the previous years also took part in the procession. Heads of the family teams gave the green signal for the hockey festival by firing 23 rounds of gunshots in the air.
The idea of a family tournament to bring together different Kodava families was conceived by the late Pandanda Kuttappa, popular as Kuttani, and the first edition was held in 1997 and has since then grown into a major event. The first exhibition match was held between the 37th Coorg Field Regiment and Kodava Academy-11. The second exhibition match was held between Indian Junior Hockey team and Karnataka team consisting of Olympian players from Kodagu.
The CM was felicitated by handing over a silver hockey stick and silver ‘odikathi’ on the occasion. Bommai was dressed in Kodava attire, complete with ‘Kupiya-chele’, ‘peechekathi’ and ‘mandethuni’. Several cultural programmes were performed.
Minister S.T. Somashekar, MLAs K.G. Bopaiah, Appachu Ranjan, MP Pratap Simha, MLC Suja Kushalappa, former MLC Veena Achaiah, DC Dr. B.C. Satish, SP Ramarajan, ZP CEO Akash, ADC Nanjundegowda, CCF B. Niranjan Murthy, Kodava Hockey Academy Director Cheeyanda Satya, Hockey Festival Convener Appachattolanda Manu Muthappa, Appachattolanda family Pattedara Erappa, ex-Advocate General and Congress leader A.S. Ponnanna, Bangalore Kodava Samaja President M.T. Nanaiah, Padmashri Rani Machaiah, former hockey coaches M.P. Ganesh and A.B. Subbaiah were present.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / March 19th, 2023
On the occasion of International Women’s Day, Lopamudra Hospitals, Gonikoppal organized a special event to celebrate women.
The event was graced by three renowned women from the region, Dr Gowramma Paruvangada, Consultant OBG at PNM hospitals, with five decades of practice in mother and child care, Dr. Fathima Kariappa, President of IMA Virajpet and Consultant OBG at Virajpet Nursing Home, and Uzma Jabeen, Panchayat Development Officer, the youngest in the district of Kodagu.
The event was presided over by the Managing Directors, Capt. Madappa M. A. and Dr Amrit Nanaiah M.M., a Consultant Physician at the Hospital. Dr Soumya Ganesh Nanaiah the Director of the Lopamudra Drishti Eye Hospital, a Cataract and Refractive Surgeon was present. She also emceed the event. Dr Sonia Mandappa, Consultant OBG, and Dr Trupthi Uthappa, Consultant ENT, were also present.
Speaking of their varied experiences, the Chief Guests enlightened the gathering on a multitude of topics.
Dr. Gowramma Paruvangada spoke about her long-standing commitment to serve women from rural parts of the country and her willingness to contribute more to the society at large. Dr Fathima Kariappa reminisced about how the babies she helped deliver were today doctors at the very Lopamudra Hospitals. She also emphasized the importance of women empowerment in today’s society and the role of family as an institution. Uzma Jabeen highlighted various government schemes available for women and how they could avail the benefits by contacting her.
The event was a sequel to a ‘Women’s Health Camp’ that saw more than 100 women availing the benefits of a health package curated to check overall well-being of women.
On the event of International Women’s Day, the hospital unveiled its new logo and a toll-free number for quick response. The hospital can now be reached at 1800 8333653. They also inaugurated the B Scan recently installed at the eye hospital. The B Scan is the first to be installed in Kodagu district. It can be used to assess the posterior segment of the eye in cases of media opacities and can be useful in cases of advanced cataracts
Dr Ruth Adhlaka, a Consultant Physician at the hospital, gave the vote of thanks, acknowledging the importance of such events and the hospital’s commitment to serving and empowering women.
Every part of our country has traditional ‘power foods’ that are simple, healthy and practical. Maize, bajra, jowar, dozens of varieties of millets and many more of rice.
Varagu Millet Tomato Pulao. Many of India’s ‘power foods’ like bajra, jowar, maize and several varieties of millets are easier to cultivate than rice or wheat. (Photo courtesy Shradha Saraf)
Having visited Bihar after many years, I was on my way to Patna airport to catch the return flight to Bangalore. Like most Biharis the driver was a talker, and a good one. After depleting our views on the political scene in the country and Bihar in particular, we were still two hours from Patna. Murari asked if I had eaten.
“No.”
“Aap Litti kayenge?”
“Hahn, kayenge.”
Litti roasted over hot coals on a chill morning in January is a treat not to be missed. It is like a wheat bun filled with a sattu, onion and jeera stuffing and traditionally eaten with a favourful tomato-rich baigan bartha cooked in mustard oil. We finished off with adrak ki chai and re-joined the commotion on the road. The hearty breakfast for two cost Rs 60.
The car sped forward and my thoughts lingered in reverse gear, dwelling on the years I spent as a surgeon in a busy mission hospital in Mokama, a hundred kilometers from Patna. In the post-operative phase after any abdominal surgery when a patient asked, “Can I eat sattu?” you knew he was on his way to recovery.
In Bihar sattu (roasted and powdered channa) is considered essential to wellbeing. It is vital for all Biharis; for those who have lived and worked there too it is a thumbs-up favorite. I used to drink sattu instead of the mid-morning tea during my years there. It is high in protein, easily digested and has a cooling effect in summer months. Patient-attenders always bring dry sattu for their use. Mixed with water and some salt, and eaten with green chillis and raw onion, it is also a convenience-food that can be carried on long journeys.
Every part of our country has traditional ‘power foods’ that are simple, healthy and practical. Maize, bajra, jowar, dozens of varieties of millets and many more of rice. However, our palates have got used to the monotonous taste of white rice and chappatis made from polished wheat. Their blandness demands highly spiced gravies thick with grease. Much worse are the maida-based snacks, breads, buns and sugary or deep-fried foods. Maida is refined wheat flour with all its nutrients removed, providing only the calories. It should not have a place in any kitchen cupboard or should be purchased only if necessary, for occasional use. In my childhood days it was popularly known as ‘Merkin Podi’ meaning ‘American Powder.’
Healthy eating is now increasingly common among upper class but upper class is only a small fraction in a country of 140 crore people. Most Indians cannot afford the luxury of eating the right foods. They are the daily-wage-earning labour in factories, construction, agriculture, domestic and hotel work; vendors, autorickshaw and bus drivers; the safai karmacharis, well- diggers, potters, plumbers, cowherds; their old and their young. Their main concerns regarding food are the cost of food, appeasement of hunger, cooking time and expense, and taste.
Until the early 1990s, an average family was satisfied with grains, pulses and locally grown vegetables, with meat, eggs, milk and fruit used sparingly. In my career I have seen how those who ate the most basic but natural food rarely suffered from heart disease, diabetes, obesity or high blood pressure. These diseases affected those who could eat processed foods with their high content of sugar, salt, fat and chemical preservatives – namely the privileged classes.
With globalization, the floodgates of consumerism were opened and cheap, heavily processed food became affordable. It satisfied on all counts – Good to taste, economical, satiating and without the hassles or the expense of cooking. Result: A staggering number of our citizens belonging to all social strata began to suffer from the above ailments, plus others like recurring stomach disorders, reduced fertility, dental caries, anaemia and in children the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD.
It is disturbing to acknowledge that our country is in the grip of a huge nutritional dilemma. India’s future will be shaped as much by the health of our people as by education, job availability and a more just distribution of wealth.
Every problem comes with a remedy. Here are some which will go a long way in ensuring good health for all our citizens.
As it is with most problems, one must go to the basics.
Many of the ‘power foods’ like bajra, jowar, maize and several varieties of millets (the pearl, the finger and the foxtail millet, to name a few) are easier to cultivate than rice or wheat. They need little water. It is possible to harvest two crops a year and in the intervening months, vegetables can be grown in the fields, thus promoting crop rotation. We should be replacing rice and wheat cultivation with these grains in a nationwide project. Rice and wheat can be grown in judiciously chosen water catchment areas. Thus, we can conserve millions of tonnes of water every year and bring remarkable improvement in the nutritional status countrywide. Children will have stronger bones, teeth and muscle and will no longer suffer from anaemia.
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KAVERY NAMBISAN is an Indian surgeon and author of books like The Scent of Pepper, A Luxury Called Health: A Doctor’s Journey Through The Art, and Cherry Red, Cherry Black. Views expressed are personal.
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source: http://www.moneycontrol.com / Money Control / Home> News> Health & Fitness / by Kaveri Nambisan / March 05th, 2023
Ponnappa, 33-year-old former World Championship bronze medallist, has formed a new partnership in women’s doubles with 19-year-old Tanisha Crasto.
Ashwini Ponnappa along with her new partner Tanisha Crasto in Pune | Senior Badminton National Championships
Through the course of her career, Ashwini Ponnappa has been part of many firsts in women’s doubles for Indian badminton. Ponnappa and Jwala Gutta, became the first Indian women to win a badminton BWF World Championship medal (bronze in 2011). She has won gold, silver and bronze medals at the Commonwealth Games and also the women’s team bronze medal at the Incheon Asian Games in 2014. She has been part of Uber Cup bronze medal-winning squads.
But now the 33-year-old, a veteran of the sport in India, finds herself in the nascent stage of a women’s doubles partnership. In December, she made the decision to pair up with 19-year-old Tanisha Crasto for women’s doubles.
The change sees the once world No 10 women’s doubles player now find herself ranked 141 as a pair with Crasto, albeit they’ve played just two international competitions together – a quarterfinal finish at the Super 500 event in Indonesia in January, followed by a first round exit at the Thailand Open Super 300.
A third event was the quarterfinal finish at the 84th Senior National Championships, at the Balewadi Sports Complex in Pune on Sunday as they put up a good fight before losing against the in-form top-seed pairing of Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly.
It’s a long way back to the top, but in an interview with Scroll in Pune she asserted she’s looking forward to climbing back up the ladder, while also exploring a new role in commentary.
Excerpts from the interview:
How has the new partnership been working for you?
It’s good. Tanisha is young, she’s very energetic. It’s nice to play with that energy. We haven’t really had many tournaments together, we’ve played two and this is the third. But I’m excited to be here at the Nationals, it’s been a while since I played at this competition.
Earlier you had Jwala Gutta as a partner who was senior to you, then N Sikki Reddy who was not much dissimilar in terms of age. Now you have a partner who is 19. Are you also playing the role of mentor?
You could say that. I would say there’s a vast difference from when I started playing with Jwala to the youngsters now. They’ve all been playing international tournaments from when they were 17 or 18. They’ve all been there, done that. The doubles game has changed and the approach has changed. There’s not a lot of mentoring, she is good in mixed doubles and she’s done well there. Women’s doubles is a little different, but it’s good to have someone who moves into the net. She has that energy and speed on the court.
With age have you changed your approach to the game?
Of course. It’s inevitable for that to happen. I can’t be compared to a 19-year-old in terms of fitness and energy on court. I definitely have to be smarter on court towards the game in order to make sure that I can physically take the toll that badminton has on the body. I have to be very mindful of my training and how I approach the game.
Is it about the warmups and cooldowns getting longer now for you?
Yeah. Probably. But I’ve always been someone who had a longer duration for warmup. But cooldown definitely still needs to get better.
Recently we saw a different side to you – as a commentator. How was that experience?
I happened to be at the tournament and they asked me if I’d like to give it a shot. I felt no harm in doing that, although I feel that it’s not my cup of tea in terms of how I speak. I’d love to get better at it.
But I loved the experience. It was fun being on the other side of the TV. Watching players play you see things differently. You see patterns which you otherwise don’t look out for unless you’re getting ready for a match. That was interesting for me.
I sat for five matches during the Thailand Open, it was interesting for me to watch patterns match out of match. Like if one side was slower or faster, how players dealt with it. You understand that the player who is actually smarter on that day in dealing with the conditions has the upper hand. So that was very interesting that way.
Do you feel there were more expectations when you’re in the commentary box? Since people know here’s someone who has played at the highest level, is there an expectation for some insight which you’d not get otherwise?
Yeah, I am supposed to be the expert. The colour commentary part of it. It does get tricky because, that’s what I meant that it’s not my cup of tea. Not in a bad way, but being articulate about what I see, I’m not a journalist, I’m don’t have the lingo for it. So sometimes I feel, ‘what am I saying?’ Sometimes it’s so repetitive. But it was nice. Although I was a bit nervous, it was an enjoyable experience.
Is that something you’re looking to pursue later on?
Maybe later. Honestly, I don’t know. Right now, I’m definitely focusing on the game. But if I get these opportunities in between to commentate, I’ll definitely give it a shot.
What are the kind of things you and Tanisha have to do off-court just to get the chemistry going to gel on-court? And what are the targets?
This was our third tournament together. We’ve sent out entries for tournaments where we haven’t got an entry. But Tanisha will be playing in mixed doubles (with Ishaan Bhatnagar) in those tournaments. We haven’t had so much time in general to build the partnership because it is brand new, we just started. There’s still a long way to go, we still need that bonding time.
Is that, perhaps the target?
I would say the first target is to get an entry.
You mentioned the doubles game has changed. How?
Over the years the whole approach has changed. When Jwala and I were playing, we were kind of like the path-breakers in a way for doubles. There wasn’t a lot before us. Nobody we could look up to, nobody who had ever won. We had a lot of firsts together. But the game-changer has been that youngsters have been given a lot of exposure to tournaments. They’ve been playing tournaments since they are 17 – that was unheard of back then. We didn’t even have those tournaments in India.
Right now we have four international tournaments in India. You’re giving youngsters an opportunity to get that hunger at a very young age because you’re giving them a taste of what international badminton is. Also, everyone is going out, everyone is sponsored. That’s changed.
That’s why you see a lot of youngsters playing and taking it up. Otherwise, our generation, people in the past, they trained a lot, but never played tournaments. I wouldn’t say you didn’t have that talent back then, you just didn’t know. They were just training, they didn’t have the exposure, no push to go out. That has changed, and that’s why we see a rise in a lot of doubles players playing and doing well.
It’s because they’ve been pushed from a young age, getting out to participate, get that exposure, start training at a young age. These girls are 19. At that time, at 19, nobody was really encouraged to go out.
Yet you’ve remained relevant throughout this. What’s been the changes you’ve had to make in the way you approach the game to continue playing at the highest level?
I would say, I still need to get to the top. I have, in the past. But currently I’m starting from scratch. Ground zero. It’s challenging because you’ve been there and you’re coming back all the way down. It’s a reset.
source: http://www.scroll.in / Scroll.in / Home> Badminton / by Shahid Judge / February 27th, 2023
Can the upcoming Census 2021 and the Karnataka assembly polls bring the spotlight on the decades-old demand of the Kodavas?
Kodavas participate in cultural competitions organised as part of Kodava Namme at Balugodu near Virajpet in October 2017. Credit: DH File Photo
What is a common thread that runs through the following names: Field Marshal KM Cariappa, former Indian hockey team captain MP Ganesh, former Union minister CM Poonacha, sprinter Ashwini Nachappa, and actor Rashmika Mandanna? More than being celebrities in their chosen field of work and belonging to Karnataka, they all trace their origins back to Kodagu district, about 250 kms west of Bengaluru.
Kodavas are a group of people who have a distinct identity — a distinction that is no longer recognised by the State! For decades now the Kodavas have been demanding they be categorised as a distinct group, and two upcoming events could bring to the spotlight on the Kodavas’ cause: the delayed 2021 Census, and the Karnataka Assembly elections.
Unique Identity
The Kodavas were recognised as a distinct ethnic group, even during and much before the reign of the Lingayat rajas who ruled the Kodagu province since the sixteenth century AD. From 1947 till 1956, Kodagu was included in the list of Part C states along with Ajmere, Bilaspur, Bhopal, Tripura, Manipur, Delhi, Kutch, Himachal Pradesh, and Vindhya Pradesh. In 1956, on the recommendations of the States Reorganisation Commission, Kodagu merged with the then Mysore (now Karnataka) state as a separate district.
We do not have evidence as regards the Kodavas’ antecedents, and it is widely believed that they were migrants to the region during the third or fourth century AD. Little is known as to where they migrated from, and what made them settle down in the place they have done so. Going by their physiognomy, and compared with the other communities that inhabit the Kodagu district, the Kodavas are quite distinct and different in many ways.
Language, Religion, Customs
The language they speak, Kodava takk, is undoubtedly a Dravidian language in terms of its grammar and syntax, and is replete with words from the other Dravidian languages, besides words from Urdu, and Farsi.
Their religious practices, traditions, and customary laws too vary a great deal vis-à-vis the other religious groups and castes that are the Kodavas’ co-habitants. The Kodavas’ primary, and almost solitary, religious pursuit has been ancestor propitiation. Every Kodava okka (lineage) traces its descent from its Guru Karanava (common male ancestor) for whom they have a kaimada (shrine) in the vicinity of their ain mane (ancestral house).
The Kodavas do not have temples, nor do they solicit the services of any priests, Brahmin or otherwise, in any of their religious practices or rituals. Their marriages, births, naming ceremonies, deaths, etc, is officiated and performed by one of their own elders, and there is no place in these ceremonies for any Hindu rituals or recitations in Sanskrit or any other language.
In effect, they have no link whatsoever with the practices of the chathur varnas (Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra) nor do they have any caste affiliation or internal caste divisions among them, but for a miniscule subgroup known as Amma Kodavas who are, ideally, considered to be vegetarians and teetotallers.
Martial Tradition
The Kodavas have had a martial tradition and have been part of the armies of the Lingayat rajas and later of the British. From the time of the rajas, the Kodavas, along with some other communities, have been the beneficiaries of the lesser taxed jamma land tenure, which mandated that they offer their services to the palace for a few days every month. Details as regards these as also many other matters concerning living conditions and life in general vis-a-vis the rulers were notified as 53 decrees/orders by the penultimate raja of Kodagu, Lingarajendra Wodeyar, in the Hukumnama published in 1811. Jamma landholding conferred the right to possess firearms without licence. This practice is prevalent even today.
The 1941 Census came and went, with most of the Kodavas not realising that they had lost, unreasonably, their unique identity. More about that in Part II.
(MA Kalam, a social anthropologist, is Visiting Professor, Centre for Economic and Social Studies, Hyderabad. The author has been researching in Kodagu since the early 1970s.)
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author’s own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Opinion / by MA Kalam / February 23rd, 2023
The issues and problems affecting women in sports in the country came up for discussion with Olympian wrestler Vinesh Phogat focussing on sexual harassment faced by women sportspersons and badminton star Jwala Gutta pointing at the lack of a proper attitude towards female athletes.
Former sprinter and Olympian Ashwini Nachappa pointed at the need for change in the mindset of administrators and in the governance of sports.
All these issues were raised during the ‘Fight like a Woman – Guts, Grit and Glory’ session during the second edition of ABP’s ‘Ideas of India’ summit here.
Speaking on the occasion, Arjuna Awardee and Commonwealth gold winner, Vineesh Phogat opened up about her own struggles of sexual misconduct that goes unnoticed in the field of sports.
“Every day was an internal battle to not let powerful people break you with their antics and torture,” she said.
After playing at a senior position for several years, she added “I felt in a secure position to be able to speak about the issues so girls at the start of their career don’t face what I had to go through.”
Vinesh believed that “A clean-up of society is essential for women to flourish in sports and speak about sexual misconduct.”
Jwala Gutta, also spoke about her struggles in the #MeToo movement. �
“I was threatened where ultimately I had to knock on the doors of the High Court,” she said.
“Sports in our country is considered as a good hobby or habit for girls until you win a medal, and then suddenly you become ‘Bharat ki Beti’,” added Jwala, Arjuna Awardee and Commonwealth Games gold medal winner.
The panel was further enlightened by Nachappa, former international athlete and Arjuna Awardee, who spoke about the evolution in sports over the past few decades.
“I think the process of a complete overhaul of the sports federation has begun as we see a lot more women across the sports board,” she said.
In 2010, she started the ‘Clean Sports India Movement’ with 8-9 other sportspersons to speak about the issues in the federation.
The Indian hockey player, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam and the Pro Squash player and Arjuna Awardee and Commonwealth gold Winner, Joshna Chinappa also highlighted the positive change they witnessed.
“We have come a long way from when we started out,” they said.
Further commenting on the changes required in the sports administration in India, Nachappa said, “Its important that more professionals come into the management of sports, under an umbrella that is autonomous, which actually manages and holds federations accountable.”
Adding to this, Vinesh said, “If a sportsperson or professional leads the federation, it can create a positive impact on the industry as they understand the needs of an athlete and can even support them emotionally.”
A need for better coaches and support staff in the industry was also highlighted by the panel. “We need a good programme for coaches to overcome the lack of the same, only then we will be able make good athletes.”
The summit had an invigorating line-up of speakers with prominent figures from the world of business, politics, artists from the Hindi film industry, authors and other eminent sectors. The two-day event primarily addressed India’s stand as a burgeoning economy and global leader in shaping the future.
source: http://www.morungexpress.com / The Morung Express / Home> Sports / by IANS / February 25th, 2023
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