Sanjay Saini, assistant public relations officer, has won this year’s National Award for Excellence in Journalism.
Saini, former correspondent of Dainik Bhaksar in Mandi, will get 2019 National Award under the rural journalism category jointly with Raj Chengappa, former Editor-in-Chief of The Tribune and currently Group Editorial Director of India Today.
Saini said the award would be given at a function being held on National Press Day on November 16 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
The other recipients includes Gulab Kothari, Chairman of Rajasthan Patrika, a leading newspaper of Rajasthan. — TNS
source: http://www.tribuneindia.com / The Tribune / Home> Himachal / November 09th, 2019
Army Training Command General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Lt Gen P C Thimayya visited the under-construction General K S Thimayya Museum in Madikeri on Saturday.
Army Training Command General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Lt Gen P C Thimaya visited General K S Thimayya Museum, which is under construction, in Madikeri on Saturday.
Sunny Side, the residence of late General K S Thimayya is being converted into a museum.
Speaking on the occasion, Lt Gen Thimaya said, “Converting a house to a museum is a challenging job.”
Field Marshal Cariappa and General Thimayya Forum convener Major B A Nanjappa explained about the work.
He appealed to Lt Gen Thimmayya to make efforts to hand over the uniform, war equipment of General Thimmayya to the museum.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS Madikeri / November 09th, 2019
‘Bhoomi Puja’ was performed at Balugodu Hockey Grounds in Virajpet yesterday under the aegis of Federation of Kodava Samajas for the construction of the most-desired stadium at an estimated cost of Rs. 5 crore.
Launching the work, Federation President K. Vishnu Cariappa said that the previous Government had sanctioned Rs. 5 crore for the construction of the stadium which is likely to be completed by March end next. He sought full co-operation from members and office-bearers of the Federation and the people for coming out with a full-fledged stadium.
The monthly meeting of the Federation was also held at its premises in Balugodu. A decision was taken to increase membership for the Federation. Vice-President M.T. Nanaiah, Joint Secretary K.S. Uthappa, Secretary V.S. Poovaiah, former President M.D. Belliappa and others were present.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / November 09th, 2019
This pretty model-turned actress, Sanah Thimmayyah will be making her Sandalwood debut opposite Darshan in Odeya.
From the beautiful land of Coorg, which has given numerous talents and versatile personalities, comes another pretty damsel who makes her acting debut alongside Challenging Star Darshan in his next titled Odeya directed by M D Sridhar. Model turned actress Sanah Thimmayyah, who plays the role of a painter on her debut speaks to Bengaluru Chronicle, sharing her journey so far and how she bagged her dream project and all the excitement behind it and much more.
Born in Virajpet, Sanah says she is brought up in Mysuru where she did her education until graduation in commerce from Vidyashram College. “This is when I took up modelling too.
After winning a contest in modelling, I started working for the renowned Prasad Bidappa for couple of years while I was still pursuing my studies. Thereafter, my interest in jewellery designing brought me to Bengaluru. In fact, I was always crazy about movies like a typical movie buff, but with no proper guidance I was in two minds as to whether to take up acting as my career or not,” says Sanah Thimmayyah.
Eventually, Sanah explains that her love for acting drew her to theatres, which she started off with Avinash Daniel Film School from where she learnt the basics of acting and kept auditioning for several projects including commercials.
“Though I did a couple of commercials, I was striving hard for bigger and better opportunities. At this juncture, my mother, who happens to be a good friend of Darshan sir’s mother told her about my acting interest. It was she who asked me to attend the audition for the lead role in the film Odeya, for which the makers were in search of a new face and someone who could perform as well, and thus my dream turned into reality,” Sanah says.
Further, the debutant reveals that when she was told about her selection, she was over the moon and was literally ‘blank’ till she realised that it was actually happening in reality. “I could not realise what was happening for the first few days and I would just follow the instructions. The entire first schedule was more or less the same for me. And, it could not have been better with my debut under Sandesh Productions which has given several great films. I am ever grateful to the entire team of Odeya, for all their efforts and cooperation,” Sanah adds.
About Darshan, the actress shares that the challenging star is a great human being and a dedicated artiste, who is always down to earth despite being such a great star actor. “He has an amazing personality who is so special to work with. He is great both on and off screen, which is what makes him a great person. His dedication at work and humble nature is what inspired me when working alongside him,” the actress says.
While she has been listening to a few scripts for her next, she concludes sharing on how she had a wonderful time shooting for her debut venture where she along with the entire team would wait to have lunch with Darshan sir in his caravan.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Entertainment> Sandalwood / by ShashiPrasad SM, Deccan Chronicle / November 06th, 2019
A portion of Nalknad Palace in Kodagu district collapsed a few weeks ago following torrential rains. | Photo Credit: M.T. Shiva Kumar
There is no sign of restoration work being taken up by the ASI.
Nalknad Palace, at the foot of the dense Tadiandamol, the highest peak in Kodagu district, once stood as a symbol of elegance, architecture and style. Today, it is crying for protection.
The two-storeyed building with historical significance, which is also known as Naalnaad Aramane, was built between 1792 and 1794 AD to commemorate the victory of Haleri king Dodda Veera Rajendra over Tipu Sultan. It has precious murals, pillars, various wooden carvings, dark rooms [or hiding rooms], secret passages, bathrooms and galleries of the 18th and 19th centuries.
A portion of the palace collapsed a few weeks ago following torrential rains. There is no sign of restoration works being undertaken, according to sources in the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). An ASI source said repair work can be taken up only after the rains subside fully. As such, the chance of miscreants damaging the precious artefacts and structures at the palace is high, as the lone caretaker leaves after closing time (6 p.m.).
Hiding place
According to the ASI, Dodda Veera Rajendra decided to construct the palace at Yavakapadi at the foot of Tadiandamol as the place was thickly wooded. Although he won a battle against Tipu, he was still under the threat of enemy troupes. The legendary ruler saw the need for constructing an elegant structure with safety features in the dense forest area to use as a hiding place. Thus, Nalknad Palace was built, according to a history lecturer in Hunsur.
A sign put up outside the palace gives brief details of the building, including that Dodda Veera Rajendra built it to protect his family from enemies.
He married again in 1796 to Mahadevamma at the same palace and lived there until she died in 1807. An elegant wedding mantap, constructed for his marriage, still exists there and is the cynosure of all eyes arriving at the palace.
It was also the hiding place and last residence of Chikka Veera Rajendra before he surrendered to the British in 1834 AD.
The palace was a rendezvous point for miscreants till a few years ago, before the ASI took it under its wing. Later, the palace was restored. Unfortunately, irreparable damage has been caused to the murals and paintings on the walls, according to ASI sources.
The Haleri kings might have left precious artefacts at the palace when they deposed to the British. Sources say the artefacts might have been shifted elsewhere or stolen.
According to the visitor register, footfall at the palace is sometimes nil and at other times reasonable.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by M. T. Shiva Kumar / Mandya – November 04th, 2019
The Centre has decided to continue the British-era rule of exempting Kodavas and Jamma land holders in Kodagu district from obtaining licence for firearms such as pistols, revolvers and double-barrelled shotguns. The exemption has been given for 10 years, till 2029.
Kodavas worship weapons and guns are part and parcel of every festival and ceremony — be it birth or death — and the decision has been taken considering the cultural and religious sensitivities of the community. “Those who have been given the exemption are every person of Kodagu by race and every Jamma land tenure holder in Kodagu,” according to a Home Ministry notification.
Kodavas are the only community in India who are exempted from obtaining arms licences. “The arms or ammunition carried or possessed by any person being from Kodagu by race and every Jamma tenure holder in Kodagu and herein exempted while residing or travelling outside the district of Kodagu shall not exceed one rifle with 100 rounds of ammunition for the same and one smooth bore breech or muzzle-loading gun with 500 cartridges or the equivalent in leaden shot and gunpowder,” the notification said citing conditions of the exemption.
Case in High Court
Kodavas have been getting the exemption of obtaining arms licence since the British era and the Centre has provided exemption in the rules issued under the Arms Act, officials said. However, Captain (Retd.) Yaladalu K. Chethan, son of Yaladalu D. Keshavananda filed a Writ Petition in the Karnataka High Court on Jan. 8, 2018.
Chethan questioned the exemption granted by the Government of India to a certain class of people in the district in obtaining licence to possess firearms under Section 3 and 4 of the Indian Arms Act, 1959.
In his petition, (WP No. 1386/2018), Chethan, a resident of R.T. Nagar in Bengaluru, claimed that the continuation of the exemption, granted to some class of persons by the British Government in pre-Independent India in furtherance of their divide-and-rule policy, was unconstitutional, as it was based on irrational, fictitious and discriminatory grounds, such as race and ancestral land tenure.
Centre’s stand
Responding to the notice issued by the High Court, the advocate representing the Centre had informed the Court that a committee had been constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs to review the Arms Act, including notification granting exemption to people of Kodagu. After receiving comments from all stakeholders, the Centre has now extended the exemption for 10 years.
Bengaluru Kodava Samaja, Akhila Kodava Samaja and Federation of Kodava Samajas backed the move to convince the Home Ministry on retaining and extending the exemption. Prominent persons from Kodagu in New Delhi and Bengaluru including Machimanda Thamoo Cariappa, Maneyappanda Pavan Ganapathy, Palecanda Nanju Nanjappa, Ithichanda M. Devaiah, Annalamada Sunil Achaiah, Mukkatira T. Nanaiah and Maletira Dhyan Chinnappa played a key role and also worked to retain this provision.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / November 02nd, 2019
Tributes were paid at Guddemane Appaiah Gowda Memorial in Old Fort, Madikeri, on Friday.
The 182nd commemoration day of freedom fighter and martyr Subedar Guddemane Appaiah Gowda was jointly organised by district administration, Department of Kannada and Culture and Guddemane Appaiah Gowda Memorial Monitoring Committee, in Madikeri on Friday.
Dignitaries paid floral tributes to the statue of Appaiah Gowda at Field Marshal Cariappa Circle. Later, a silent procession was taken out till Old Fort.
Tributes were also paid at Subedar Guddemane Appaiah Gowda memorial, where he was hanged. Women sang ‘Lavani’ songs depicting the life and achievements of Appaiah Gowda.
District Congress Committee President K K Manjunath said that Guddemane Appaiah Gowda bravely fought against the British to save the people of Kodagu.
“Nobody can change history. One should not make efforts to misinterpret history. Instead, one should lead lives with peace and cordiality,” he added.
Advocate Vidyadhar said that more and more people need to know about the greatness of Appaiah Gowda, who laid down his life during the freedom struggle.
Karnataka Arebhashe and Literary Academy President Lakshminarayana Kajegadde said that a lesson on Guddemane Appaiah Gowda should be included in school curriculum. He fought against the British even before the Sepoy Mutiny, he added.
MLA K G Bopaiah, MLC Veena Achaiah, Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy, Superintendent of Police Dr Suman D Pennekar and others were present.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> States> Mangaluru / by DH News Service, Madikeri / November 01st, 2019
Indian and European bees are the most sought after while stingless bees are slowly catching our attention for its medicinal properties.
(Photo | Meghana Sastry, EPS)
Your favourite mango will definitely become dearer if not extinct, if we don’t act now. Pollinators, which include bees, need a major protection boost.
There are 2,00,000 pollinators of which honeybees are the most sought after, why?
There’s a popular saying ‘as busy as a bee’. That term comes from the fact that honey bees are the only species who identify a flower and make multiple visits to the same flower until they get all the nectar and pollen out of it. They are the best pollinators and work in the most methodical fashion. From identifying to communicating and dividing work. Their social structure is fascinating and one that we can learn a lot from. There are 20,000 types of bee species of which the ones mentioned below are the most popular types in India. Indian and European bees are the most sought after while stingless bees are slowly catching our attention for its medicinal properties.
Common Name Scientific Name Natural Nesting Site Honey Yield
(KG)
____________________________________________________________
Indian Bees Apis Cerena Cavity, Termite Mounds, Tree Hollow etc. 8-10
European Bees Apis Mellifera Cavity 25-30
Rock Bees Apis Dorsata Tree Branches, Buildings etc 30-35
Dwarf Bees Apis Florea Twig in a bush <1
Himalayan Rock Bees Apis Laboriosa Underside of rock cliffs 40-45
Indian Stingless Bees/Dammer Bees Tetragonula Iridipennis Cavities, Hollows in tree trunks and walls <500 grams
_______________________________________________________
There’s been a lot of buzz about bees going extinct and people have been trying to find a way around it.
Here is a story from beekeepers who have found it very lucrative to harvest them.
There are multiple beekeepers like Apoorva - the bee man of India and organisations like the University of Agricultural Sciences in GKVK, Bangalore who conduct workshops and help people understand the importance of bees, train them on beekeeping and provide them with bee boxes.
Apoorva visits his bee farm in Bidadi regularly to check the health of the bees. He is a mechanical engineer but a beekeeper by profession. He found his passion for bees even before he graduated and took it up soon after. He’s been working on bees for over 10 years and works closely with farmers across the country. He travels, meets farmers, trains them, gives them bee boxes, follows up with them on the progress and reviews the health of the bees regularly. He also helps them sell their produce. While Apoorva works with a lot of people across the country, this is a story close to home where he’s been working with flood victims in Coorg.
He is involved in multiple activities such as honey production, bee breeding, manufacturing beekeeping equipment, selling honey and beehive by-products, mainly wax. His company’s annual turnover is over 2 crores. He has both Indian and Italian bees.
He initially collected bees from hives and then started breeding them in his apiary during the natural division season of bees. He also buys colonies from farmers when they multiply. This bee farm is near a cornfield which is rich in pollen. It is important to understand your demography he says. Having bee flora next to an apiary is very beneficial to harvest more honey and keep bees in good health. He harvests Indian bees in forests and hilly regions and also promotes only Indian bees to farmers as it’s easier since most of them cannot handle migratory beekeeping.
European bees which in India are Italian bees requires 4-7 migrations in a year for which, he travels around 1,200 kms pollinating thousands of acres in North Karnataka mainly Sunflowers, Til, Niger, Coconuts, Arecanuts, Banana, Avacado, Litchi and more. Honey yielding fields for Italian bees are Sunflowers, Eucalyptus, Til and Niger. He has more than 200 colonies now and will split them to make about 800 during the breeding season. A farmer keeps anywhere between 4-25 boxes. He needs about 3 boxes per acre and has to distance each colony by at least 10 feet.
Bee Harvesting has helped Coorg flood victims make a livelihood
Vijay Panduranga talks about the effects of the flood and the rehabilitation work in Coorg.
After the floods in 2018 that hit Coorg, a lot of farmers lost their land in turn livelihood and haven’t received much relief from the government. There were rescue operations but then not much is being done on the rehabilitation front.
With paltry compensation from the govt. Coorg flood victims are finding solace in the new beekeeping venture. Nectar flow is an initiative/program started by a few local people, spearheaded by Retd. Brigadier Devaiah to help provide a steady income to people interested in beekeeping. People have seen returns in the 1st few months. They say that the money that comes in lets them breathe. While beekeeping in an age-old tradition in Coorg, the methods are ancient. Devaiah was on the lookout for someone with a scientific approach to help them and that’s when he found Apoorva and sought help. Apoorva readily agreed and continues to work closely with the farmers. He has helped the farmers understand the species better, eventually getting them better yields. At Coorg, each farmer makes a minimum of 5 kgs of honey per year and each box sells at Rs. 600/- per kg. They also make money by selling colonies at Rs. 1,500/- per colony. Farmers produce about 2-3 kgs of beeswax per year which is approximately Rs. 350/ kg
Farmers from the North East, Chhattisgarh, Coorg and other parts of India find it difficult to sell the honey and wax that they produce. Apoorva helps them by buying the whole lot from them, filters them further if there’s moisture and sells them as and when he gets enquires. Honey is labeled as per the flowering season such as litchi, cardamom, clover, mustard, chilli, etc., the honey tastes different too.
The by-products such as beeswax, royal jelly and bees venom are other sources of income and, used in pharmaceuticals and beauty products.
The below-mentioned statistics are only an example of how bee pollination increases the yield anywhere between15% – 80%. These are scientifically proven numbers in ideal conditions (these are underestimated values).
Estimated global economic value of pollination is 217 billion USD in 2005
_______________________________________________
Crop Increase in yield per acre (%) Increase in yield per acre Income generation by pollination per acre
_______________________________________________
Coffee 15% 5 Bags 15,000/-
Aracanut 25% 2 Quintals 64,000/-
Coconut 20% 3,000 nuts 36,000/-
Banana 20% 5 Quintals 10,000/-
Watermelon 80% 4 Tonnes 20,000/-
___________________________________________
Farmers tell us their personal stories of how beekeeping has helped increase their yield with pollination in crops such as coffee, fruits and spices. They also make a good livelihood but extracting honey and wax. What they make is pure and unadulterated making the quality far more superior than the ones available off the shelves at supermarkets.
This is what a bee box looks like. This is one bee colony. They come on top to feed. There are multiple wooden frames inside quoted with wax, which help them construct combs.
Every bee box has an opening at the bottom which allows the bees to move in and out of it, to go out and collect nectar and pollen. Some farmers who have these bee boxes are also given out on rent for pollination to seed producers or other farmers who are in need of pollination.
Naganna (Saachi) Kalappa lives 3 kms away from the main Madhapur town in Somwarpet Taluk. He has been harvesting bees for 18-20 years. Bees were available in abundance then as the ecology was healthy and rich, and filled with plants that the bees needed to survive. However, the species has seen a massive decline in numbers as the human population has been increasing and trees are being cut down for personal benefits such as planting silver oak trees as it yields timber and in a short span of time. Since the decline in numbers, they now need to procure boxes and up their skills and knowledge. After adopting this scientific method, he has benefited as his crops are multiplying. He is making enough money to take care of the needs of his family. He also says I request people to stop destroying forests and help in sustaining them and grow trees that are required for agriculture instead of timber to improve the ecology.
Thammaiah CB (Dolly) lives 7 kilometers away from the main Madhapur town in Somwarpet taluk in the Coorg district. This part of Coorg witnessed the worst of nature’s fury in 2018. While he has been harvesting Indian Apis Cerena Bees in boxes he also harvests stingless bees in pots. The quantity of honey is way lesser than what is produced by other bees however, the quality is far more superior as it has a lot of medicinal properties and is sold at a much higher rate.
Thammaiah’s mother tends to her garden every day. She says it isn’t enough if you just harvest bees and have a coffee estate, it is very important to understand what kind of flowers and fruits attract them and cultivate them in your garden. This helps in increasing pollination and nectar production.
Fruit especially those with seeds are good pollinators.
Plants that one should cultivate to yield better results
Nectar: Plants such as Avocado, Litchi, Hibiscus etc.
Pollination: Plants such as Sunflower, Sesame, Mustard, Coriander, Niger, Coconut and more (bees are attracted to vibrant colours such as yellow and blue)
She also makes beeswax at home which is another income generator. She says that it is not a very laborious process and demonstrates. You first break the comb into a utensil with enough water and let it boil.
You let it boil until it reaches the required consistency.
You then squeeze out all the excess water and use the residue to make wax cakes.
This is the final product.
Apoorva pays regular visits to all the farmers across the country and conducts a health check.
It is very important to taste it as well. Every house he goes to gives him honey to taste. He jokes and says I am glad I don’t have diabetes. If I did, for the amount of honey I consume, I would be in a lot of trouble.
Bose Mandanna is the fourth generation coffee grower. He moved back to Coorg 53 years ago after completing a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics. He talks of how he has seen farming change in the years to come. Back in the day farming was done in a very environmentally friendly way. Over a period of time, when they found pests taking over the plantation, they used some chemicals to deal with the pest issue. However, they soon realised that they were not only harming humans but also the bees and other pollinators in the environment. These chemicals known as weed killers have cancer-causing properties. On realising this, they decided to go back to organic farming. However, a lot of farmers have been affected by this chemical especially in Punjab as they are one of the largest agriculturists, and the Punjab mail is popularly called the cancer express as a lot of them are coming to Bombay for treatment. Also to note the groundwater gets affected by these chemicals. People are saying that there are bee-friendly pesticides available. He jokes and says “there are all chemicals and they cannot be friendly, they might not kill you but make you unconscious”. Please avoid chemicals and use bio controlled agents.
White Stem Borer Problem: These pests are known to attack the coffee plants and wreak havock hence they wrap the plants with white cloths to avoid this menace. There is a mild chemical in it but it only
touches the trunk of the plant and does not reach the coffee flower thereby not harming humans or bees.
May 20th is International Bees Day. UAS in GKVK conducted a 2 day class for people interested in beekeeping. Urban beekeeping is also becoming popular as people from the cities have started showing
interest.
The staff showed them how to identify and dig out for a beehive as they can build hives anywhere. This has to be done with caution so as to not break the hive.
You then mildly sedate the bees with some smoke by burning dry cotton cloth and get the comb out
Once you get the comb out, you tie them tightly to a frame but not so tight that they break.
Students learn to tie the comb to the frame.
While they learn to make honey, a student observes the comb.
Santosh from the faculty shows the class how to peel the comb before you can put it into a vessel to churn honey. The peeling has to be very fine.
These are the machines in which you put the combs in to extract honey. These machines are also made by Apoorva and sold to the farmers. There is a particular way the combs have to be kept and then manually churned.
A small community of farmers can only do so much, the government needs to step up and help take this initiative forward, make this bigger and reach more people.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Specials / by Meghana Sastry / Express News Service / October 28th, 2019
Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy has directed the assistant director of land records to shift the government offices from the Old Fort to the new building of Zilla Panchayat, before October 31, as per the court orders.
The Madikeri Fort, also known as Old Fort.
The orders by the deputy commissioner have come in the wake of the High Court direction towards taking up renovation work of the historic establishment. The work will be carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Annies Kanmani Joy said that the district administration had promised the Department of Archaeology of handing over the old building by October end.
As there are government offices inside the Old Fort, the department could not carry out the restoration work of the building. Also, there were demands to shift the government offices to the newly built Zilla Panchayat building.
As per the directions issued by the High Court, officials from the ASI visited the fort premises and inspected the condition of the Old Fort building.
The team of officials also furnished a report to the court, on the probable steps towards the repair of the building. Following the same, the officials from various government departments had agreed to vacate their offices.
While the repair work was going on in January, the roof of the palace in the Fort premises had suddenly collapsed.
The walls of the palace are discoloured and the soldiers’ quarters have totally collapsed.
The leaking roof of the main building was covered with plastic sheets as a temporary measure.
Glorious history
Mudduraja, a ruler of Haleri dynasty, had built the fort in the 17th century.
Tipu Sultan rebuilt the fort using stones later.
The fort was acquired by Dodda Veera Rajendra in 1790 and later came under the rule of British in 1834.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by Adithya K A / DH News Service, Madikeri / October 23rd, 2019
– The 33-year old achieved a career-high ranking of world number 10 in 2016.
– Chinappa will face 42nd-ranked Haley Mendez of USA in the first round followed by either Mariam Metwally (27) or Ho Tze-Lok of Hong Kong.
– The Chennai-based player, who has been spearheading India’s challenge in international events for more than a decade, wants to carry on at least till the 2022 Commonwealth and Asian Games.
in the World Championship in Cairo.
Chennai:
India’s leading female squash player Joshna Chinappa is working harder than ever as the world number 12 aims to break back into the top-10 of PSA rankings, starting with a good showing in the World Championship in Cairo.
The 33-year old, who achieved a career-high ranking of world number 10 in 2016, will be competing at the World Championship starting on Thursday.
“I am looking forward to competing at the World Championship. I would like to break back into top-10 this season, better my career-high rank of 10 and take it from there,” Chinappa told PTI in an interaction.
Chinappa will face 42nd-ranked Haley Mendez of USA in the first round followed by either Mariam Metwally (27) or Ho Tze-Lok of Hong Kong. In the pre-quarters, the Indian could face world number 2 Nour El Sherbini of Egypt.
“Right now, I am seeded 12 in the tournament. I have a couple of tough first and second-round matches. I have the current world No 2 in my pre-quarter, so, right now, I am just looking forward to taking it match by match,” she said.
Chinappa said she is also looking forward to representing her country in the upcoming SAF Games starting in December.
“After the World Championships I will go to the UK to train for few weeks. We have been informed that we have SAF Games coming up. And hopefully I can be part of the Indian team that plays there in Nepal.”
Indian players have been training without a full-time coach ever since Egyptian Achraf Karargui left on a bitter note ahead of the Commonwealth Games last year.
Talking about the standard of Indian squash presently, Chinappa, who won her 17th national title in June, said the competition at the domestic level has got a lot stronger.
“I have been playing nationals for a long time, the competition has gotten me a lot stronger especially in the last few years. You have Sunayna (Kuruvilla), Tanvi Khanna, and a bunch of other girls who have improved a lot and they are playing in the professional tour.”
The Chennai-based player, who has been spearheading India’s challenge in international events for more than a decade, wants to carry on at least till the 2022 Commonwealth and Asian Games.
“At the back of my mind, I still have the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games in 2022, that I would like to compete in and win medals for India there. Yeah… that is what motivates me, and exciting times in squash and I really hope to do more for the game,” Chinappa added.
source: http://www.firstpost.com / FirstPost / Home> Latest News> Sports News / by Press Trust of India / October 24th, 2019
WELCOME. If you like what you see "SUBSCRIBE via EMAIL" to receive FREE regular UPDATES.
Read More »
