Since time immemorial, a film without an antagonist has remained incomplete. The villain has always drawn applause with his devilish avatar or chilling dialogues, in recent times, the negative character has seen a transformation. More and more filmmakers are now looking for handsome villains and the latest to hit the ‘evil’ stands of Sandalwood is good-looking hunk Thaarak Ponnappa.
Hailing from Coorg, this stylish actor will be making his debut and will be seen facing off Manoranjan in Nanda Kishore’s upcoming directorial, a remake of Tamil-hit Velaiyilla Pattathari (VIP) made under Rockline Productions. Thaarak Ponnappa
The actor, all of six feet and two inches, has entered the second schedule of shooting today. He says there is a new trend of good-looking villains in Kannada industry. “I feel good to be part of it,” says the model-turned-actor.
According to him, there is a thrill in playing the antagonist and he is confident he can carry the evil side very well. “My role model is Sonu Sood and I aspire to make a mark in a similar way in Kannada industry,” says the 25-year-old who completed his MTech before entering the industry.
On choosing acting as a career, having spent so many years on academics, Thaarak says that it his passion for films that made him take that decision. “I did my education as a backup,” he says.
Having done his research into what goes into playing an antagonist, the budding talent has gone for a personality makeover and has worked out for a six-pack. “Before entering the industry, I was modelling for four years,” he says.
“I was fit even before entering the industry.”
Getting to debut with a Nanda Kishore film, Thaarak is confident that he has caught a dream start.
“If we are good at what we do, then things will come and fall in our lap,” he says.
“I want give my best and hopefully it will work out for me.”
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Entertainment> Kannada / by A Sharadhaa / Express News Service / January 10th, 2017
Cycle Pure Agarbathies, certified carbon neutral agarbathi manufacturers, took another step forward in their commitment towards development of sports in the country by associating with Joshna Chinappa, a leading young squash player from Chennai.
Joshna is one of the two players representing India at JP Morgan tournament of champions in New York from January 14 to 19. This will be the 20 edition of the tournament of champions in Grand Central Terminus.
The 30-year-old Joshna reached a career-high world ranking of world no. 10 in July 2016. She was the first Indian to win the British Squash Championship title in 2003 in the under 19 Category and was also the youngest Indian women’s national champion. At the 2014 Commonwealth Games, she along with Dipika Pallikal Karthik, won the squash doubles gold medal, making it India’s first ever Commonwealth Games gold medal in the sport. Currently, Joshna is ranked at 13 in the international arena.
Thanking Cycle Pure Agarbathies for its support, Joshna Chinappa said, “It is an absolute pleasure to be a part of a prestigious brand like Cycle Pure Agarbathies, who have been doing so much towards shaping the careers of youngsters like me. We sportsmen thrive on passion and I’m thankful to the brand for believing in me and fuelling my passion for squash. I am very grateful to the Cycle brand for their support and hope to do well in 2017 in preparation for the 2018 Commonwealth and Asian Games.”
Arjun Ranga, Managing Director, Cycle Pure Agarbathies, said, “We at Cycle Pure Agarbathies have a rich legacy of nurturing sporting talent. We have always tried to foster a sense of respect, reverence and adulation through our innovative products and this association with the squash prodigy Joshna Chinappa is a logical manifestation of our vision. We also believe in supporting and providing reasons to pray, and what could be better than praying for her win. We wish Joshna all the very best,” added Arjun Ranga.
source: http://www.citytoday.news / Home> Mysore / by CT Bureau / January 15th, 2017
by Mandetira N. Subramani, President, VeKare Ex-Servicemen Trust, MysoreM N Subramani
Most of the Ex-Servicemen of yore, who joined the British Indian Armed Forces during early 1940s, and participated in World War-II, are no more. However, there are still numerous widows of World War-II veterans, around 70 odd years of age, living in Mysore and Kodagu region, who narrate their helplessness and pathetic stories.
It was customary for men of yesteryears to marry a life partner who is younger to them by 10 to 15 years. It is quite but natural that most of such wives become widows and may live for 10 to 15 years, or even longer, after the demise of their husbands. Trends have changed. The present day men don’t mind marrying a life partner elder to him by 3-5 years and the educated ladies consider it as out of fashion and a mismatch to marry men who are 3 or 4 years elder to them.
Reverting to the subject of helplessness of widows of World War-II veterans, a gentleman barged into my office a few days ago with a complaint that his 76-year-old mother, living in a remote village called Kiggal, near Murnad, Kodagu (erstwhile Coorg), is not being granted defence family pension even after a lapse of 12 years after the demise of his father, due to some vague reasons projected by the Army’s EME Record Office, Secunderabad. The hapless widow happened to be one Mrs. Kaveriamma, widow of a World War-II veteran, Naib Subedar Ballachanda Nanjappa Ayyappa.
Mrs. Kaveriamma & late Nb Sub B.N. Ayyappa.
I being not only an Ex-Serviceman myself but also a son of a World War-II veteran who served in the Corps of EME and died unsung and unheard 22 years ago, decided to help the Late Nb Sub Ballachanda N.Ayyappa’s widow Kaveriamma with whatever little bit of knowledge and expertise I had gained during the course of taking up the cause of Ex-Servicemen and widows of Ex-Servicemen since the past 22 years after I quit the Armed Forces.
I believe in “seeing is believing.” Hence, I told late Naib Sub B.N. Ayyappa’s son, Ganapathy, that I wished to see his mother Kaveriamma personally, without doubting his (Ganapathy’s) version of the pathetic story of his mother. Without a second thought, Ganapathy informed me that his 76-year-old mother has been suffering from all sorts of old age ailments and that if I wished to see her, I would have to visit his ancestral Ballachanda House in Kiggal village in Coorg, which is well over 150 kms from Mysore. He also suggested that I could accompany him the following day itself to his village to see his mother. Though there was a clash of opinions between my mind and heart regarding his suggestion, I decided to listen to my heart, which is always weaker than the mind. The widow’s old age and ill health became a priority over my next day’s assignments and engagements all of which I had to abort.
It was indeed a huge expedition on the next day. It took almost nearly three-and-a-half- hours to reach the 100-year-old ancestral house of late Nb Sub Ayyappa in his village, which resembled a bit of British architecture. However, it took me waiting for nearly two hours to get the audience of the grand-old-lady, as she took time to wake up from her sleep, get ready and come out of her bedroom with the support of her son. B.A. Kaveriamma, widow of late Nb Sub B.N. Ayyappa.
During the waiting period, in Kaveriamma’s house, I had to perforce spend my time speaking to an 87-year-grand-old gentleman, who was resting in his easy chair. I was amused when he kept showing extra attention and courtesies to me than what I really deserved. This grand-old-gentleman, however, kept firing some uncomfortable questions to me such as, when did I join the Armed Force? When did I quit? Why did I quit? What was the last rank held by me? What I have been doing after quitting the forces etc… etc… as if I were put in a witness box for some crime committed by joining the Armed Forces! If someone around my age had asked me those questions, I would have blown my trumpet about my life in the Armed Forces, my last rank held as equivalent to one of those one star or two stars rank etc. But, I held back, because, in my subconscious mind I saw something very special in him that made me to tell him only the truth, including the last rank held by me, that is, Sergeant in the Indian Air Force.
While answering all the questions fired at me by this grand-old-gentleman, I was also looking at the walls of the huge verandah to deter him from firing anymore questions. However, I found some old photographs of late Naib Sub Ayyappa’s father, who was a Sub-Inspector of Police during the British regime, hung on the wall. Among the numerable old photographs on the walls, I also noticed a certificate framed and hung in a remote corner, which I could not read because of the size of the certificate, and my failing eye sight. I was compelled to remove the framed certificate and read it just out of curiosity. To my surprise, it was a citation of a gallantry award, that is, “Mention in Dispatches” awarded to Flight Gunner Sgt. Ballachanda N. Medappa.
Ex-Warrant Officer B.N. Medappa, M-In-D
I became very curious and asked Ganapathy as to who this Flight Gunner was ? Ganapathy pointed out at the grand-old- gentleman who was sitting on the same easy chair busy reading a Kannada daily Mysooru Mitra and said, “he is my father Nb Sub Ayyappa’s younger brother Ex-Warrant Officer of the Indian Air Force.” I realised that he is really an ‘Ex-Air Warrior,’ a term commonly referred to all Ex-Air Force personnel of late. I too sometimes proudly call myself as an Ex-Air Warrior to my advantage but it proved to be otherwise all the time with my retired rank ‘Ex-Sergeant.’
In the meantime, the widow of Nb Sub Ayyappa managed to come up to the verandah with the support of her son. As per the customs of the Coorgs’, I touched her feet to seek her blessings, and took a few photographs of her from my worn camera. After speaking to her for a few minutes I casually told her that I would try to resolve her defence family pension issue, at which she nodded her head casually, without any anxiety or hope of receiving it in the near future. I understood that she was fed up of trying for her defence family pension for the past 12 years.
On our way back to Mysore from Coorg after having met the widow, my thoughts were more on the unassuming Ex-Air Warrior I met that day than the problem of the widow of World War- II veteran Ayyappa. I tried to make a guess as to how many such great war heroes were still living or dead, unheard and unsung, among the tiny Kodava Community besides the number of General Officers this tiny Coorg District has produced till date. I even started calling up all my fauji friends, as if there was an impending war.
All armed forces veterans who served three decades ago know that there was a separate Coorg regiment, which largely included people from non-Kodava backgrounds while the Kodavas themselves served in different other regiments; this is in keeping with the Army’s non-bias policy. Field Marshal Kodandera Cariappa of the Rajput regiment and General Kodandera Thimayya of the Kumaon regiment are the most distinguished Army men among the Kodavas. Other illustrious Kodavas from all ranks lead from the front in their own way, not only during wars but also in war-like situations and counter insurgencies.
Lt. Gen. Apparanda Aiyappa is best remembered for his contributions towards the Corps of Signals and towards Bharat Electronics Limited. There were several war heroes as well such as Nadikerianda Bheemaiah, a JCO who was the first among Coorgs to be awarded the Vir Chakra for conspicuous bravery in J&K Operations during 1947, and Air Marshal Cheppudira D. Subia, a daring fighter pilot, was awarded the Vir Chakra during 1950 for his courageous and relentless attacks on the enemy targets which has largely contributed to the successful capture of Garais in Jammu & Kashmir.
Squadron Leader Ajjamada B. Devayya (known as the ‘wings of fire’), a fighter pilot of rare acumen, was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra after the 1965 Indo-Pak War, posthumously. Lt. Col. Ganapathi Puttichanda Somaiah (then known as the ‘Major who kept his cool’) was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for his conspicuous bravery of fighting against the militants under odd condition while deployed in Sri Lanka as part of Indian Peace Keeping Force.
Lt. Col. Anjaparavanda Ganapathy was decorated with Vir Chakra for his valour during the 1965 war. Maj. Gen. Kuppanda Nanjappa and Colonel Mandettira Ravi were decorated with Vir Chakra for their valiant display of courage and gallantry in the face of the enemy on land during the 1971 Indo-Pak war. Sqn. Ldr. Mandepanda Ganapathy was awarded Vir Chakra for shooting down one of the first Pakistani Sabre Jets, which intruded into Indian air space during the 1971 war.
Wg. Cdr. Ballachanda Karumbaya is another war hero to be decorated with the Vir Chakra for displaying his gallantry in the air during the 1971 war. The youngest among the above said war heroes is the then Capt. Baleyanda M. Cariappa to be decorated with Vir Chakra on 21st June 1999 for displaying repeated acts of valour, bold leadership, unparalleled courage, leading from the front and devotion beyond the call of duty in the face of the enemy.
Kodagu being one of the smallest districts across India, today boasts of the highest density of devoted, daring, dedicated, disciplined and duty-bound gentlemen soldier officers, with many adorning the highest echelons of the defence services in India.
At any given point of time, till 1980, the number of persons serving the forces far exceeded the proportion of any other set of people from any other region in India. The contribution of Coorg to the cause of the nation has been phenomenal and Armed Forces Martyrs from Kodagu District are innumerable.
The appended list of Army General Officers the tiny District of Kodagu [population 5 lakh and population of Kodavas is about 1.3 lakh] has produced over the last 65 years is testimony to the fact that the District is a cradle of mighty Generals:
1. Field Marshal Kodandera M. Cariappa, OBE; 2. General Kodandera S. Thimayya, DSO; 3. Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Apparanda C. Aiyappa PVSM, MBE; 4. Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Biddanda C. Nanda PVSM, AVSM, ADG; 5. Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Codanda N. Somanna PVSM; 6. Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Bittianda K. Bopanna PVSM, AVSM, VSM; 7. Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Ballachanda K. Chengappa; 8. Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Guddanda C. Somanna; 9. Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Kongetira M. Chengappa; 10. Maj. Gen. (Retd) Kotera C. Bheemaiah; 11. Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Codanda K. Karumbaya SM; 12. Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Cheppudira I. Jay Appachu AVSM; 13. Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Somaiyanda K. Kariappa AVSM, YSM; 14. Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Madaiyanda M. Belliappa AVSM, VSM; 15. Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Bovverianda M. Aiyanna; 16. Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Bachamanda A. Cariappa; 17. Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Moovera C. Nanjappa AVSM, VSM; 18. Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Kuppanda P. Nanjappa AVSM, VrC; 19. Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Kelapanda B. Swaraj; 20. Maj. Gen. Kodandera Arjun Muthanna; 21. Maj. Gen. Paruvangada M. Cariappa VSM.
Courtesy: Star of Mysore
source: http://www.exservicemen.in / Ex-servicemen India / Home> India> News> Views, Articles / by M N Subramani / October 19th, 2012
”There is a need to instill the spirit of vishwa manava in children,” said MLC M C Nanaiah.
Speaking at the annual day of Karumbaiah Academy for Learning and Sports, he said that, of the 600 crore population in the world, 100 crore suffer from hunger. India’s population is 110 crore. Of which 30 crore people struggle to make their ends meet. Educational institutions should try to bring those kids who have been denied of opportunities to the mainstream of the society.”
“We should provide suitable platform to bring out the hidden talents in children. The talent in the child is a lesson. Education helps in bringing the talent out. Society provides opportunity for children who have been denied of the opportunities,” he added.
Owing to political interference, several persons have been denied of opportunities. Some educational institutions have made their ground a commercial complex, which will deny sports facilities to the students, he lamented.
The greenery in Kodagu should be preserved. The 30 acre land of KALS should be used for raising plants and trees, he suggested. KALS Chief Ashwini Nachappa said “State government had sanctioned Rs 2 crore for laying astro turf in Kodagu through Ashwini Foundation. The work will commence at the earliest.”
KALS Managing Trustee Datta Karumbaiah presided. Principal Gowramma proposed a vote of thanks. The stage programme was followed by cultural programmes by the students. Students presented Suggi kunitha, Nandi dhwaja, Kolata, Yakshagana. All the 410 students took part in the cultural programme and came to the stage at once which gave the feeling of ‘Kinnara loka.’
The dance ballet of Lord Krishna, environment destruction attracted the attention of all. Danseus Maya Rao of Bangalore also gave a performance for an hour on the occasion.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / DHNS / Gonikoppa- January 10th, 2010
Kodagu is known to produce world class sportspersons in the field of hockey, tennis, badminton and athletics over the years and teenager Leelavathi is the latest addition.
Leelavthi, daughter of Mallamada Jaya and Vani couple, is the resident of Bekkesodlur village in South Kodagu.
In the Under -18 age group Leelavathi was the lone player representing the state in Indian team that won the Bronze medal in the just concluded Asia cup. Eight nations took part in the U-18 tournament including China, Japan, Thailand, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and Chinese Taipei.
Leelavthi , First degree student at Field Marshal Carippa (FMC) college is undergoing training at Sports Authority of India (SAI), centre in Madikeri. Leelavthi scored the first goal in the tournament opener which the team won by 4-0. She also played a major role in India’s bronze medal victory against South Korea.
Leelavathi aspires to represent the senior Indian team in future and owes her success to the contribution from family members, trainers at School and SAI centre.
Renowned cartoonist Nala Ponnappa, known for his offbeat tongue-in-cheek humour, is the ‘Coorg Person of the Year-2016’.
Nadikerianda Subbayya Ponnappa, whose cartoons appear in The Times of India, Bengaluru edition, was selected ‘Coorg Person of the Year’ in a poll conducted by www.coorgtourisminfo.com, Kodagu’s first news portal, promoted by senior journalist P.T. Bopanna.
Ponnappa’s first cartoons appeared in Chicago in 1972 where he was studying for a Master’s degree in Architecture. He began cartooning as a hobby by contributing his cartoons to college magazines.
The cartoons of the Coorg-born Pune-based cartoonist also appears in The Sunday Mid-Day, The Economic and Political Weekly and The Economic Times. His works have also appeared in the International Business Times.
Born in 1948, his early education was in Mangalore and Pune. He graduated in Architecture from the Madras University with a first class. He had an eleven-year stint from 1970 to 1981 as an architect in Chennai, Delhi and Lagos, before he turned into a cartoonist. He settled down in Bengaluru in 1982 and began his career as a freelance cartoonist.
His works have also been published in the Penguin Book of Indian Cartoonists and The Third World Book of Cartoonists from Germany.
He was awarded the First prize by the epd-Entwicklungspolitik publication, in a competition held at Frankfurt to commemorate the 50th year of India’s Independence.
Ponnappa was a member on the world jury of an international cartoon competition on Humankind and Energy held in Hanover, Germany in September 2000. At a competition held in Germany, one of Ponnappa’s cartoons, which depicted the German language being deeply influenced by the English language, was selected to be put up as a poster by the German Cartoonist Association.
He has also won prizes of excellence at cartooning competitions held in Korea and Romania. He was the only Indian to be invited to attend the Kyoto International Cartoonist Conference in 2002 where he was also presented the jury award for his cartoon on ‘Remembering 9/11’.
Among the many awards he has received is also the State Rajyotsava Award in 2007.
He has also written plays and acted on stage. His hobbies include drawing, music, photography and travelling. Ponnappa splits his time between Pune, where he works and resides, and his hometown Coorg.
Ponnappa is the grandson of Nadikerianda Chinnappa, the compiler of the Pattole Palome, a book on Kodava culture, folksongs and traditions.
Among the others who were nominated for this year’s ‘Coorg Person of the Year’ include 77-year-old Boverianda C. Uthaiah compiler of the Kodava-Kodava-Kannada-English dictionary which is due for release shortly.
Last year, the ‘Coorg Person of the Year’ title was given to athlete M.R. Poovamma.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / December 31st, 2016
Tennis: Bopanna is hoping for a successful 2017 season with new partner
Rohan Bopanna partnered a number of different players in 2016 like Florin Mergea, Denis Istomin, Jean-Julien Rojer, Nicolas Mahut, Leander Paes (in Davis Cup and Olympics), Frederik Nielsen, Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan, Daniel Nestor, and Treat Huey.
Though he ended the year on a positive note by reaching the Semi-finals of the Paris Masters, Bopanna commences the 2017 season at the Chennai Open partnering Jeevan and then joins forces with Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay for the season.
Admitting that the change of partners hampered his 2016 campaign, Bopanna is hoping to change things around in the new campaign. “After Wimbledon, he (Florin) was playing with Horea Tecau and I was consistently looking for a partner for different tournaments. It’s not easy to play with different partners and that was the main reason (for bad results),” Bopanna said.
“It’s a dream to win a Grand Slam, hopefully it (new partnership) will make a difference. I have always liked the way he plays the game. I have played numerous times against him. He is a solid player who serves and stays at the back, just like Florin. He has won one Grand Slam before. He has experience of playing at high level, so it’s a good chance for me to do well,” added Bopanna.
“This (partnership with Cuevas) also gives me a chance to play on the deuce court having played on the ad-court for some time with Florin,” said Bopanna who is presently ranked number 28 in the World Doubles Rankings.
source: http://www.tennisworldusa.org / Tennis World Magazine / Home> News / by Akshay Kohli / January 04th, 2017
A scene from the play ‘Mithuna’, the Kannada version of Kodava play ‘Baduk,’ staged by Rangabhoomi Prathishtana, Kodagu, as part of ‘Kadamba Rangaavali’ at Kalamandira last evening. Seen are Anitha Cariappa as Thangachi & Addanda Cariappa as Changappajja.
Mysuru :
The jam-packed audience at Kalamandira here last evening was sent down the memory lane of marital bliss during the staging of the play ‘Mithuna’, the Kannada version of Kodava play ‘Baduk’ by Rangabhoomi Prathishtana, Kodagu, as part of ‘Kadamba Rangaavali’ organised by Kadamba Ranga Vedike.
The play was literally a song of matrimony tune for the evening of one’s life and was excellently portrayed by Addanda Cariappa as Changappajja and Anitha Cariappa as Thangachi, both as an octogenarian couple with a long 62 years of married life.
The actors effectively conveyed the bond of matrimony after passing through various ups and downs.
The couple relentlessly waiting for the arrival of their son Major General Ganesh and Kakamada Ajith essaying the role of Chubra who frequently gets scolded by Chengappajja has added a twist to the play.
The elderly couple in every dialogue has asked all married couple to sink their trivial differences and not to recall bad memories so as to lead a pleasant life. The couple’s silly arguments followed by a compromise with each showering love and compassion on the other was well appreciated by the audience.
Once in Kodagu a torrential rain accompanied by gale brings down fully-grown trees and Chengappajja on seeing that gets upset very badly and passes away. Thangachi tries to come out of grief and continues her journey of life, thus bringing the end of the play.
Kadamba Rangaavali will feature staging of the play ‘Berilladavaru’ today at 7 pm at Kalamandira and ‘Seetha Charitha’ tomorrow at 7 pm at Vanaranga.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / January 03rd, 2017
Kodava elders hope the festival of Kailpodh will encourage the community’s youth to enter international sporting events
Image credit: Shawn Sebastian and Tejaswi Dantuluri
Deep in the sanctum of his 150-year-old ancestral home, Lokesh Achappa is surrounded by weapons. Dressed in a Kupya, the traditional Coorgi outfit of knee-length black overcoat, a gold and maroon sash with an ornate, carved silver dagger tucked in its folds, Achappa prays to an array of weapons: an antique double-barrel, a .22 mm rifle, traditional daggers and swords, all garlanded with flowers and smeared with sandalwood paste.
Once the ritual is complete, he steps out of the house, and a series of thundering gun shots reverberate across the valley.
Coorg, a district in Karnataka famous for its coffee, is home to the Kodavas, a martial hill tribe with a population of less than six lakh. Historically, the community has shared a deep connection with its weapons. Valiant guerrilla fighters and agriculturists, the Kodavas once defended territories with locally made bow-and-arrows. With the advent of firearms, guns became central to Kondava life. Weapons appear frequently in important social customs: births and deaths in the Kodava tribe are announced with gunfire, every newborn touches a bow and arrow, as initiation into the tribe. At the annual harvest festival of Puttari, one of the most important events on the Kodavas festival calendar, everyone in the valley opens fire.
Weapons are also celebrated at Kailpodh, the annual Kodavas (or Coorgi) festival in the first week of September which marks the end of hardships for the agrarian community – once the paddy has been transplanted. During the festival, Kodavas clean and worship weapons to express their gratitude for the protection they have offered.
“The period is a time for jubilation when distant families get together,” local resident Ashik Appanna explained.
Image credit: Shawn Sebastian and Tejaswi Dantuluri
With the tightening of gun regulation laws, the ban on hunting, and due to large-scale migration of younger generation Coorgis, many have predicted that the Kodava weapon culture will disappear altogether. Elders of the Kodava community are hoping that festivals like Kailpodh will encourage young Kodavas to return to their traditional shooting skills.
Gun Rights and Regulations
In 1861, the British administrators granted Kodavas an exemption from the Arms Act, for their support to the East India Company in administrative and military affairs.
“Gun ownership is a birthright for us,” said Appanna Bacharinanyanda, an 80-year-old retired lecturer who exhibits antique Kodava weapons and utensils in his front yard every Kailpodh.
Bacharinanyanda says the Kodavas never “misuse” guns. He expresses a deep apprehension over the government’s attempts at over-regulating weapons: “These days authorities have started demanding bribes to grant us the exemption certificate, which is completely unacceptable.”
With the Wildlife Protection Act of 1971, hunting has been prohibited in India. The legislation came as a big blow to the Kodavas, for whom hunting was an integral part of life and survival.
Naveen Bidappa, a young Kodava lawyer, pointed to a photograph in his house of a man named Tiger Thimmaiah. In the picture, Thimmaiah stood next to a tiger he had killed and then tied to a tree.
“He shot 12 tigers, hence the name,” smiled Bidappa.
Since tigers posed the biggest menace for livestock, tiger hunters were once highly venerated figures in the Kodavas society.
“Narimangala (tiger-marriage) was a big tradition in the olden days,” he said. “The tiger hunter was married to the tiger he killed, and villagers would offer them gifts and cash as a mark of respect.”
Changing relevance of gun culture
In early September, scores of Kodava youth assembled at a school ground at the Coorgi village of Chettali. Each carried a gun.
Bidappa, a 70-year-old elder from the community, walked into the ground filled with curious onlookers, and shot a coconut hung several yards away to inaugurate the annual shooting competition that coincides with Kailpodh. He hit the bulls-eye with a single shot.
“Shooting skills are in our blood,” he said, shrugging at the crowd’s deafening cheers.
Over the last few years, shooting competitions that were once limited to households have turned into larger events, with an increasing number of shooting enthusiasts showing up from all over Coorg.
“Our aim is to prepare and pass down shooting skills to the younger generation,” Bidappa said.
Over the next five years, local shooting competition organisers plan to develop a shooting range in the village to groom young shooters, and train them for national shooting competitions.
“Festivals such as Kailpodh have found a new meaning in changing circumstances,” he said.
A Kodava shooting competition. Credit: Shawn Sebastian and Tejasvi Dantuluri
Fifteen-year-old Lakshan Ayyappa is a widely recognised face at Kodavas shooting competitions. He is the great-grandson of Tiger Thimmaiah, but has also established himself as an ace shooter in his own right – he has won more local competition prizes than he can remember.
“My target is to make it for 2020 Tokyo Olympics,” he said. Ayyappa first learnt to shoot at the age of five. He was taught by his mother.
“Whenever I see a new gun, I discuss it with my dad,” he said. “I know everything about its make, calibre, range, the cartridges used. I feel by the time we are born, we are already half trained.”
Like in Punjab, it is usual for Kodava households to send a member of their family to join the military. Many attribute this to early affinity Kodava youngsters develop with weapons.
Credit: Shawn Sebastian and Tejasvi Dantuluri
Shooting is not a male sport in the Kodavas tribe. Kodava women traditionally kept guns to protect their families when the men left for hunting and battle. Everyone from septuagenarian grandmothers to 16-year-old girls participate in local shooting competitions.
Credit: Shawn Sebastian and Tejasvi Dantuluri
Shooting is not a male sport in the Kodavas tribe. Kodava women traditionally kept guns to protect their families when the men left for hunting and battle. Everyone from septuagenarian grandmothers to 16-year-old girls participate in local shooting competitions.
Credit: Shawn Sebastian and Tejasvi Dantuluri
Several modern-day sports like shooting and archery have been born of indigenous communities across the world. In India, the attempts at unearthing such indigenous talents have been poor.
A few notable exceptions are people like Laxmirani Manji, from the Santhal tribe in Jharkhand who represented India in archery at the 2016 Rio Olymipcs, and Limba Ram of Ahari tribe in Rajasthan, an Arjuna awardee archer who represented India at three Olympics. If they are given enough support and attention, many modern-day Tiger Thimmaiahs might emerge from Coorg.
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source: http://www.scroll.in / Scroll.in / Home> Magazine> After the News / Point & Shoot
Looking ahead: Ashwini Ponnappa and N. Sikki Reddy are looking to take it match by match as they chart their course in the big league in the doubles.
Ashwini Ponnappa and N. Sikki Reddy, who will play for Bengaluru Blasters, look to the ongoing Premier Badminton League (though they feature only in the mixed doubles event as there is no women’s doubles) as a huge learning curve.
Their first target will be to break into the elite group in women’s doubles after finishing runner-up in the recent Welsh International Challenge and picking up a bronze at the Irish Grand Prix.
Ashwini says they will take it match by match as they chart their course in the big league.
“PBL is a major platform with so many Olympians. Anyone can pick up a few new things to improve their game,” says Ashwini.
“Personally, I am very keen to focus on fitness and be more consistent,” she said.
“It is only a question of how quickly we understand each other in the next few tournaments. It will be a different experience for me compared to the partnership with the more experienced Jwala,” said the 27-year-old Ashwini.
“It’s been only a month since we began training together and I am happy at the way Sikki has been responding, especially in mastering how to rotate in simulated match situations. We have a very good doubles coach (Tan Kim Her),” says Ashwini.
“I always believe that everything happens for a reason. So also my split with Jwala, and it is time now to look ahead. I am confident Sikki and will be a formidable force in women’s doubles,” she said.
On her part, Sikki, fresh from the Brazilian and Russian Grand Prix titles and finishing runner-up in the Scottish Grand Prix partnering Pranaav Chopra in mixed doubles, is excited about playing with Ashwini.
“Unlike many seniors, she is a very sweet person always pushing me to be better. The best part is she tries to make me feel comfortable.
“Breaking into the top-15 in mixed doubles in such a short span is a huge morale-booster. These are the kind of results which can change your perception and confidence level,” said Sikki, who shot into the limelight after losing to Saina Nehwal in the 2008 Pune Commonwealth Youth Games final.
A serious knee injury, however, forced her to focus only on doubles.
“I don’t want to talk big, but yes there was some pressure initially as I stepped into the shoes of the formidable Jwala. She is a fabulous player and, like me, a left-hander,” Sikki said.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sport> Premier Badminton League – Other Sports / by V.V. Subrahmanyam / Hyderabad – January 02nd, 2017
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