The taluk is considered as an abode of talented sportspersons. But the lack of facilities has discouraged the growth of budding sports talents.

Somwarpet has produced some of the best sportspersons in state, national and international levels. It still lacks a state-of-the-art playground.

At present, the taluk has two playgrounds — one at the Government Pre-university College and another at Government Higher Primary School.

B P Govind, M P Ganesh, Arjun Halappa, S V Sunil and Vikram Kanth are some of the sportspersons who had their humbe beginnings, practising at these playgrounds. These two playgrounds are in a pathetic state and have become marshy fields.

In summer, children are trained in hockey and cricket at these playgrounds. The playgrounds are not suitable to hold large tournaments. In the past, organisers of various sports tournaments had repaired the ground in their own expenses.

The PU college ground was developed at a cost of Rs 6 lakh 25 years ago. The then Zilla Parishat president J A Karumbaiah and member N M Rajshekhar had laid the foundation stone stone for its construction work.

Despite spending lakh of rupees, the condition of the ground has not improved so far. The playground has an uneven terreain. Also, the pavillion’s construction is unscientific as it does not prevent sun rays properly.

Though turf laying work was taken up two years ago at the playground, the project has remained incomplete. It has added to the existing problems. Organising taluk- or district-level sports tournaments is almost impossible in this condition.

Moreover, there is no water supply to toilets in the stadium. Also, Garbage is being littered all around, creating an unhygienic atmosphere near the gallery. There are no takers for the gymnasium in the playground and equipment worth lakh of rupees are being wasted. Sportsperson Prashant said the playground needs AstroTurf facility. Also, a state-of-the-art gallery is the need of the hour, he added.

The Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports had forwarded a letter to the Public Works Department for identifying a 10-acre land for the construction of a 400-metre track, long ago. But the work has not yet been initiated so far.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / DHNS – Somwarpet, August 18th, 2016

Rohan Bopanna will partner with Leander Paes in men’s doubles and with Sania Mirza in mixed doubles at Rio Olympics.

Rohan Bopanna, 36

Event: Tennis (Men’s doubles and mixed doubles)

Event date: August 6

Qualifying Event: Qualified for Rio Olympics on account of 10th rank on the cutoff date of June 6

Records: Rohan Bopanna has participated in just one Olympics before this (2012) exited in the second round in men’s doubles.

Career highlights (in last two years): Won Madrid Masters 1000 event (2015), Runner-up at World Tour Finals (2015)

Bio: Rohan Bopanna is India’s mainstay in the men’s doubles department on tour with his Romanian partner Florin Mergea. Bopanna trained with Mahesh Bhupathi’s father – Bopanna’s partner at London Olympics (his only other Olympic participation) – and now travels full time with his own team and physios.

He finished in the top 10 of 2015 – a first in his career – and maintained his foothold in the top 20 for fifth time in six years.

source: http://www.indianexpress.com / Indian Express / Home> Express Sports> Sports / by Express Web Desk / July 19th, 2016

Bangalore :

As Goa gears up for the third edition of Force Gurkha RFC India, Karnataka has broken all records by sending the highest number of entries RFC India has received till date from a single state. This year, a total of six teams from Karnataka will be participating in the country’s toughest and first international off-road motorsport event. Of these, four teams are from Bangalore Off-road Drivers Association (BODA), one team is from Coorg based V5 Offroaders and another is from Mudhogs of Sakleshpur.

The six teams, represented by BODA’s Madhusudan Reddy, Lokesh Aradhya (co-driver Rohith KR), Vivek Kuriakosse (co-driver Ashok Kuriakose) and Pradeep Kumar (co-driver Prithviraj AC), Jagat Nanjappa (co-driver Chetan Chengappa) from V5 Offroaders and Narthan Byramudi (co-driver Satish Kumar) from Mudhogs, aim to overwhelm the rest of the competitors by their talent and team-spirit.

Organized by Delhi-based Cougar Motorsport Pvt. Ltd., Force Gurkha RFC India 2016 will be held in Goa from 22ndJuly to 29th July. It is the India Chapter of the iconic Rainforest Challenge of Malaysia.

The event is divided into four competitive legs – the Prologue, the Predator, the Terminator and the Twilight Zone – which are further segregated into 24 Special Stages. The team with the maximum points at the end of all the Special Stages is announced the winner of the competition and the top Indian driver of the event gets an automatic, free entry to the RFC Mother Event to be held in Malaysia at the end of the year.

This year Kannadigas seem to present the most versatile and flexible representation of the lot.

33 year old Rohith and 45 year old Vivek, both claim that they will be showcasing the most unique vehicle of all. “We are using 40 inch tyres, custom made axle and have made many modifications to give us that extra advantage,” said Vivek.

“We are using a suspension unlike any other, which will give us that power to weight ratio,” Rohith added.

Jagat Nanjappa, a 55 year old rallyist, has been a national champion nine times. He said, “RFC South India was fun but not as tedious as I expected it to be. I am looking forward for the tough and thrilling experience at the RFC India Mother Event in Goa”

“It’s my third time at RFC India, and me and my driver have an experience of both driving as well as navigating, which has given us high hope for a podium finish,” claims Rohith, who also won the ‘Jungleman Award’ in the first season of RFC India.

There are 25 teams in total participating this season, bringing in a range of competition to deal with.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> Sports> Racing / Aditi Sequeira / TNN / July 16th, 2016