This highway is lined with several retaining walls, including the Rs 7.5 crore retaining wall behind DC Office that also faced the threat of collapse and is currently being strengthened.
Residents living below the retaining wall are relocating to relief camps after large cracks appeared in the structure, raising fears of a possible collapse.Photo | Special Arrangement
Madikeri :
The first landslide-prone spot on the Mangaluru-Madikeri NH275 that caved in during the 2018 floods is once again under threat, with the multi-crore retaining wall at the site developing major cracks. Residents living right below the wall have been asked to shift to a relief center in Madikeri.
Permanent relief work across the Mangaluru-Madikeri National Highway, which has become vulnerable to landslides and road slips, has remained a distant dream from 2018. While crores of funds have been sanctioned for temporary relief works, the National Highway faces the threat of collapse and poses a risk to commuters every monsoon season.
This highway is lined with several retaining walls, including the Rs 7.5 crore retaining wall behind DC Office that also faced the threat of collapse and is currently being strengthened.
Another retaining wall on this road is located about 4 km from Madikeri city centre and was sanctioned after a major landslide on the road in 2018. Thousands of sandbags were then lined across this vulnerable spot and crores of funds were released for the establishment of the retaining wall.
After over five years of project sanction, the retaining wall recorded was completed in 2023. Nevertheless, just two years after its completion, massive cracks have developed on the retaining wall that faces the threat of collapse.
Following the development of cracks, Madikeri taluk tahashildar visited the spot and requested the families residing below the retaining wall to shift to a relief centre.
Meanwhile, the locals voiced against the authorities for poor quality work and urged them to take action against the concerned contractor. DC Venkat Raja visited the spot and inspected the retaining wall.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Karnataka / by Express News Service / July 31st, 2025
More than 95 lakh tourists visited the hilly district of Kodagu during the last two and a half years.
According to information provided by officials of the Tourism Department at a recent meeting of the Kodagu District Tourism Development Committee, the district had recorded 43.69 lakh tourists in 2023 and 45.72 lakh in 2024.
Sharing these numbers, Anita Bhaskar, Deputy Director of Tourism, Madikeri, said that Kodagu accounted for 23 out of the 778 tourist destinations identified under the Karnataka Tourism Policy 2020-26.
The tourist destinations in Kodagu included Raja Seat, Madikeri Fort, Abbey Falls, Mandalpatti, Harangi Reservoir, Mallalli Falls, Iruppu Falls, Dubare, Chikkahole, General Thimmayya Museum, and Nagarhole National Park among others.
A request had been made to shift the Talacauvery-Bhagamandala temples from the list of tourist sites to the list of spiritual destinations, the official said.
A total of 2,300 homestays in Kodagu district had been registered online and certified. This is in addition to the 150 hotels and resorts operational in the district, out of which 53 are officially registered on the Tourism Department’s portal.
Mandalpatti
The scenic peaks of Mandalpatti have been selected for development through Public Private Partnership (PPP) under the One District One Destination scheme.
The Galibeedu Gram Panchayat had approved the infrastructure development at Mandalpatti with an allocation of ₹50 lakh. However, as Mandalpatti falls under the Forest Department, cooperation of the Department has been sought for the repair of roads and other related works, the official said.
Referring to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s announcement on development of water sports and adventure tourism in his Budget speech of 2024-25 , the official said that Harangi reservoir will be open for such activities under Jungle Lodges and Resorts (JLR), while rafting licenses had been granted for Dubare in Kushalnagar and Barpuhole in Ponnampet.
Ms. Bhaskar said that the Tourism Department had sought approval from the Lake Development Authority to float tenders for rafting, kayaking, canoeing, wind surfing, jet skiing, and water zorbing at Honnamana Kere, a tourist destination in Somwarpet taluk of Kodagu district, which already has attractions like hills and caves.
Children’s mini train
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner of Kodagu Venkat Raja, who presided over the meeting, said steps will be taken to start a children’s mini train at Raja Seat after receiving a report from the engineers of South Western Railways.
He said that engineers from the Railways had already inspected the site and gathered details with regard to the proposal to start a children’s mini train.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / July 31st, 2025
Agriculture Department officials conducting an inspection of the fertilizer stocks in Kodagu on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
There is no shortage of fertilizers in Kodagu, and farmers in the district need not worry about the availability of fertilizers, stated Chandrashekar, Joint Director of Agriculture, Kodagu, in a press release.
The official stated that 90,444 MT of fertilizers have been made available to farmers in the district, and 60,126 MT have already been distributed. The remaining 30,318 MT are currently in stock, and they include 5,855 MT of urea, 1,643 MT of DAP, 5,526 MT of MOP, 16,250 MT of NPK Complex, and 1,043 MT of SSP.
The Joint Director said farmers are engaged in agricultural activities, with the sowing of paddy and maize crops in full progress in the district, in view of good rainfall. Out of the total sowing target of 30,525 hectares, sowing or transplantation has been completed so far in 5,864 hectares.
This year, it was estimated that 88,677 MT of fertilizers were required for agriculture, horticulture and coffee crops in Kodagu. Various manufacturing companies supplied 54,520 MT of fertilizers as of July 28.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / July 29th, 2025
Torrential rains continued to lash Kodagu district, triggering landslides, overflowing rivers, and widespread panic among residents. The worst affected is the Shaktinagar area near Madikeri, where more than 60 families have been forced to vacate their homes due to fear of landslides.
The relentless downpour has caused rivers, streams, and rivulets across the district to swell beyond danger levels. In Shaktinagar of Mekeri village, located on a vulnerable hill slope, the threat of soil erosion has left residents in deep anxiety. Authorities have covered the vulnerable area with tarpaulin sheets in an attempt to prevent further damage.
District officials have stepped up vigilance across Kodagu as the current weather situation draws parallels to the devastating floods of 2018. Powerful winds accompanying the rain have uprooted hundreds of trees and electric poles, further worsening the situation.
In a related incident, a massive tree fell on a moving car in Bajegundi village, Somwarpet taluk. The driver, Charan, had a miraculous escape with no injuries reported.
Meanwhile, water has been discharged from the Harangi reservoir into the Harangi and Cauvery rivers, which are now flowing dangerously over their banks. In Kushalnagar taluk’s Hudugur area, coffee plantations and paddy fields have already been submerged, and fears are growing that homes in low-lying areas could soon be inundated.
Several roads across the district have been affected. A large tree fell across the Madikeri–Somwarpet highway, bringing traffic to a standstill for over an hour. In Ponampet taluk, many low-lying areas are submerged, and the Balyamandur–Harihara road has been rendered impassable.
The district administration, along with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), has been placed on high alert, closely monitoring the situation. Residents have been advised to avoid unnecessary travel and to remain vigilant as rain and strong winds are expected to continue.
source: http://www.daijiworld.com / Daijiworld.com / Home> Karnataka / by Daijiworld Media Network – Kodagu / July 27th, 2025
Harangi reservoir outflow increased to 25,000 cusecs owing to heavy rain in the catchment area, say irrigation officials; IMD issues orange alert for Kodagu district.
A house damaged due to incessant rain at Kurchi village of Srimangala Hobli in Kodagu district on Sunday. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The hilly district of Kodagu continued to be battered by incessant rains, with widespread damage to property reported during the last 48 hours.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast more rains for the district and issued an orange alert.
There were incidents of telephone and electricity poles being uprooted and collapsing onto residential buildings, vehicles, or blocking roads and disrupting traffic movement on Sunday.
A portion of the Anganwadi centre in Harduru village in Somwarpet was damaged when a giant tree collapsed in the early hours of Sunday due to heavy rains and a gale that lashed the region.
A family in Madegodu village in Shanivarsanthe was shifted from their house as its walls developed major cracks. A portion of the house also collapsed, and the authorities who took stock of the situation declared the building unfit for occupation due to the imminent threat of complete collapse. The family was shifted to a room behind the house.
Similar reports have emerged from Emmemadu in Napoklu, Uluguli in Suntikoppa, Hoskote, Sampaje, Guddehosur in Kushalnagar and other places. In Surlabbhi village, heavy rains and gales damaged the tiled roof of the local higher primary school.
In Koodumangaluru village, Kushalnagar, a family of two was relocated as their house was damaged due to incessant rains, and the walls were on the verge of collapse when the officials visited to assess the rain damage.
Residents of Biligeri in Somawarpet were shifted to a relief centre as the water level in a local water body was steadily increasing, threatening to maroon the village.
Meanwhile, the Irrigation Department announced that outflow from the Harangi reservoir has been increased to 25,000 cusecs due to heavy rains in the catchment area of the river. Officials from the Revenue Department visited the area near the dam to take stock of the security. This is because the Yadavanadu bridge has submerged due to an increase in outflow from the dam. The public has been advised against venturing close to the dam, and the approach roads have been barricaded as a security and safety measure.
In Kanive village, Kushalnagar, the suspension bridge across Cauvery river was in danger of being submerged. Hence, the officials have erected barricades to prevent people from using it. Similarly, tourists were restricted from visiting the Rameshwara temple due to the surge in water level of the river.
Meanwhile, the Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC) said that damage to electricity poles and interruptions to power supply were reported at many places due to multiple incidents of tree falls. However, efforts were on to restore power, and the staff were working on a war-footing to restore normalcy, it added.
The district has received a cumulative rainfall of 89.11 mm during the 24-hour period ending 8.30 a.m. on Sunday. Some of the places which recorded very heavy rains include Napoklu (80.2 mm), Bhagamandala (117.2 mm), Ammati (91.5 mm), Shanthalli (238 mm), Hudikeri (191.8 mm), Srimangala (166 mm), Ponnampet (60 mm) among others.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / July 27th, 2025
Bringing the rich and rustic Kodava food to our palates, Chef Smitha Kuttayya impressed our hearts and tummies at Golconda Pavilion, ITC Kohenur.
Lush green landscapes, ethereal waterfalls, and aromatic coffee plantations… wouldn’t you like to be in Coorg every single day? Well, a delicious fragment of Kodava culture presented itself on our plates at the Kodava Food Festival in Golconda Pavilion, ITC Kohenur. Chef Smitha Kuttayya, who looked stunning in her Kodagu-style saree, treated us to what was no less than a delightful feast right from the hills of her beloved homeland. She told CE, “The unique distribution of flavours and the use of local ingredients such as kachampuli, a local vinegar, is what makes Kodava cuisine stand out.”
Chef Smitha Kuttayya
We started off with the Balekai Barthad, plantains marinated in kachampuli, shallow-fried and coated with rice flour. This dish was simply superb, with the right amount of sourness, crisp and texture. Its non-vegetarian counterpart, Meen Barthad, where the fish was marinated in kachampuli, chillies, and salt, was just as irresistible, with everyone going back for more. The Bollary Barthad, shallow-fried cucumber with spices and green chillies, was moderately spicy yet soothing. The Nallamalu Erchi and Koli Barthad — lamb and chicken fry respectively — stood out. The lamb, with subtle hints of cinnamon and cardamom, took you on a flavour ride. “Traditional Kodava cooking uses minimal oil for meat, relying on the lard instead. We also don’t favour overly spicy food, and because of our proximity to Kerala, we love using coconut; almost every dish has it,” Chef Smitha explained with a chuckle.
All the dishes were plated so professionally, but Chef Smitha revealed that this is the effect of modernity; traditional Kodava cuisine draws from its warrior culture, which prioritises bulk cooking for sustenance and togetherness. But then there are commonalities too — a staple loved across the southern states, the dosa appeared in its Kodava avatar: Neer Dosa. We had two versions: one filled with veg poriyal, the other with prawns marinated in kachampuli. Though quite full, we were treated to more of that famed Kodava hospitality.
Chef Smitha brought out Otti (Kodava-style akki roti) and Kadambuttu (steamed rice balls) served with six curries. The Kootu, a mixed vegetable stew, matched the rainy Hyderabad mood perfectly, while the Kaad Mange, a tangy seasonal mango gravy, became an instant favourite. The spicy Meen Curry melted in the mouth, but the Koli Kanni, a chicken curry rich with coconut, cardamom, cloves, and pepper, stole the show. But no Kodava meal is complete without Pandi Curry or pork curry. While the other curries paired well with the Otti, the Pandi Curry was perfect with the Kadambuttu; the grainy rice balls with soft, flavourful pork created a textural celebration in the mouth. Among the vegetarian curries, the Baimbale Curry, made with tender fermented bamboo, burnt onions, and roasted rice, was the winner.
Now, both Hyderabadis and Kodavas love their rice, and so we had Erchi Pulav, a coconut-based lamb pulav which brought back the flavours of the hills, especially when paired with Mango Pachadi. The Vegetable Pulav was just as good. The spiciest dish was the Onkkerchi, or dry-shredded pork, due to the generous use of bird’s eye chilli.
It left us craving something sweet and so we had Thambuttu, mashed ripe bananas blended with roasted rice flour. With a generous drizzle of ghee, this dish was traditional perfection. “A woman is central in the Kodava household. During Puthari, our harvest festival, we make Thambuttu and offer it first to the married daughters, praying for their well-being,” shared Chef Smitha. The meal concluded with Kaskase Payasa, a delicious poppy seed kheer that was so good, it was hard to stop at one helping.
We were 800 km away from Coorg that day, but after tucking into that delightful spread, we felt miles closer to the hills.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Hyderabad / by Nitika Krishna (headline edited) / July 19th, 2025
Over 1300 families in the panchayat no longer need to travel 10 kilometres for cremation services, said the former Panchayat Development Officer Srinivas.
The mobile crematorium being used across Hosuru grama panchayat (Photo | Special arrangement)
Madikeri :
While births are celebrated, deaths cause not only grief but also stress as relatives, especially from underprivileged communities, struggle to give their loved ones a decent goodbye. However, a unique initiative has give solace to tribal residents of Hosuru grama panchayat in Kodagu.
This has become a model panchayat in the district for introducing the first mobile crematorium enabling smooth final rites of the departed.
“In Hosur Gram Panchayat, a majority of the population lives in modest line houses, often without access to land or essential facilities to perform the last rites of deceased family members. This lack of resources, particularly the absence of a cremation ground, caused not only emotional stress but also led to tensions between different communities over the use of limited space,” explained Srinivas MD, the former Panchayat Development Officer of Hosuru GP who envisioned the concept of a mobile crematorium. Srinivas is currently serving as Assistant Director of Ponnampet Taluk Panchayat.
Realizing the urgent need for a decent crematorium, Srinivas alongside other panchayat officers approached the Lions Club of Gonikoppal seeking their support. A mobile crematorium unit worth Rs 10 lakh was donated to the panchayat by the Lions Club. “This was in 2023 and I approached the then DC and obtained approval for 50 cents of land to serve as a designated cremation site. Further, utilizing Rs 5 lakh from the 15th Finance Commission grant, the infrastructure to manage and maintain the unit was established,” he recalled.
To ensure that the project was implemented in a structured and sustainable way, a dedicated committee to oversee the operation of the unit was formed even as a WhatsApp group to manage service requests efficiently was created.
“This digital coordination allowed timely deployment of the unit and maintained transparency in operations. As a result of these well-coordinated efforts of the panchayat, over 1300 families in the panchayat no longer need to travel 10 kilometres to Virajpet or Gonikoppal towns for cremation services. Particularly for daily wage workers residing in line houses, the nearby availability of the cremation facility has proven to be a great relief. Over 60 cremations have been respectfully carried out directly at the homes of the deceased using the mobile unit. The service has also been extended to neighbouring villages upon request,” he explained. He hopes that this model is adapted by all the Grama Panchayats to ensure a better society.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Karnataka / by Express News Service / April 10th, 2025
The Suttur Mutt has deeply condoled the passing of K.B. Ganapathy, Founder-Editor of Star of Mysore and Mysuru Mithra. In his condolence message, Suttur Seer Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Swamiji recalled that Ganapathy was originally an Advocate who practised at the Karnataka High Court and Civil Courts.
“Driven by a deep interest in journalism, Ganapathy left his legal profession and worked for The Free Press Journal and The Indian Express for several years. He later founded the English eveninger Star of Mysore in 1978 and the Kannada morning daily Mysuru Mithra in 1980, becoming the Founder-Editor of both newspapers. These publications quickly gained popularity for their in-depth reporting on local issues affecting Mysuru and surrounding districts, the Swamiji added.
“Ganapathy wrote thought- provoking editorials and book reviews, often highlighting social shortcomings. He also served the society in many capacities — as a Member of the Karnataka Media Academy, President of Mysuru District Journalists Association, Chairman of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (BVB) and Vice-President of Kodava Samaja. He actively participated in relief efforts through Mysuru Nagaraikara Vedike, extending help to Tsunami victims in Tamil Nadu and others affected by natural disasters,” the Seer said.
Sri Deshikendra Swamiji further noted that Ganapathy authored four books in Kannada — ‘Adarshavadi’, ‘Kodagina Mele Shilubeya Neralu’, ‘Choomantra’ and ‘Shivajiya Khadga’ — and seven in English. “His book ‘Life and Times’, which reflects on life, literature, religion, spiritualism and personalities, stands out as a significant work. His recent book ‘The Hidden Life of a Yogi’ was released during the 9th edition of the Mysuru Literature Festival-2025. His popular Abracadabra column in Star of Mysore and its translated versions in Mysuru Mithra were widely read and appreciated. He received numerous accolades, including the Rajyotsava Award and an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Mysore,” the Seer added.
“His demise is a great loss to society and the field of journalism. May the Almighty grant strength to his family, relatives and well-wishers to bear this loss. We pray for his soul to rest in peace,” the Seer said.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News> Top Stories / July 14th, 2025
K.B. Ganapathy served as the Chairman of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (BVB), Mysuru Kendra. He has also served as its Vice-Chairman; Former Vice-President of Kodava Samaja, Mysuru; Former Vice-President of Mysore District Journalists Association (MDJA) and Member of Karnataka Patrika Akademi 1993-1995.
Fund raising
1. Funds were raised for the victims of the Kargil war in 1999.
2. Funds for the Gujarat earthquake in 2001 were raised by collecting about Rs. 12 lakh with the help of Rotary Mysore.
3. Collected Rs. 3.80 lakh as relief funds in association with Rotary Mysore for the earthquake victims of Latur district in Maharashtra in 2003.
4. Star of Mysore collected Rs. 74 lakh from various organisations and handed it over to the Mysore Citizens Forum (MCF) to be distributed to those who lost their lands and homes in the Tsunami that struck Tamil Nadu in 2004.
5. Star of Mysore has been giving monthly financial help to the nursing home being run by Little Sisters of the Poor and the rehabilitation centre for the mentally challenged being maintained by Mother Teresa Mission Charities in Bannimantap, and also presenting Rs. 10,000 annually to Deena Bandhu Charitable Trust to be distributed among talented children.
6. Star of Mysore also collected Rs. 7.5 lakh for successful surgery for a hearing-impaired child for a Cochlear implant.
7. Among other services, the company instituted the ‘Star of Mysore Silver Jubilee Endowment Medal’ at the University of Mysore. The gold medal is awarded to the candidate who has passed the MA Exam in Journalism by securing the highest marks in the entire course (in all the papers). The candidate, however, must have studied in the English Medium.
DEVELOPMENT OF SCHOOLS
1. Adoption of Government Kannada-Urdu High School in HUDCO Colony in Bannimantap and constructing separate toilets for boys, girls and teachers at the school and compound for the school.
2. As a patron of Kodagu Model School in Vidyashankara Layout, which is a lower-middle-class area, Ganapathy personally raised over Rs. 40 lakh donations and also contributed substantially to its development.
3. Star of Mysore has raised money to build infrastructure for other schools, too.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News> Top Stories / July 13th, 2025
and Publisher of STAR OF MYSORE & MYSURU MITHRA Newspapers
Dr. Kalyatanda B. Ganapathy, the former Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) and Editor-in-Chief of Star of Mysore English Evening Daily and Mysuru Mithra Kannada Morning Daily of Mysuru, published by Academy Newspapers Pvt. Ltd., Bannimantap, Mysuru, passed away at the age of 85 in Mysuru today (July 13, 2025).
Mysuru city’s largest circulated and popular evening newspaper, Star of Mysore, was founded by K.B. Ganapathy and late C.P. Chinnappa in 1978. The Kannada morning regional newspaper Mysuru Mithra, a sister concern of Star of Mysore, was founded in 1980 and is equally popular, covering five districts — Mysuru, Mandya, Hassan, Chamarajanagar and Kodagu.
K.B. Ganapathy with C.P. Chinnappa, with whom he established Academy Press in 1975 and launched Star of Mysore in 1978.
Born on 27.12.1939 to K.A. Bopaiah and K.B. Muthavva (Baby) in Coorg (Kodagu), K.B. Ganapathy is the second of the four siblings. A native of Kunjila (Kakkabbe) village in North Kodagu, his father was a school teacher belonging to the Kalyatanda family, a Kodava clan.
Ganapathy was a Bachelor of Arts and Law and had a Diploma in Journalism from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (BVB), Bombay. He practised as an advocate at the Karnataka High Court and the Civil Courts in Bengaluru from 1961 to 1964.
After being a trainee-junior lawyer for four years at a senior advocate’s office in Bengaluru, he wanted to pursue journalism, which he was inclined towards. So he moved to Bombay to study journalism at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.
After he got his diploma, he interviewed with T.J.S. George, the doyen of journalism, who was then the Assistant Editor of Free Press Journal, who gave Ganapathy his first job as a Sub-Editor.
Ganapathy worked as a Journalist (Reporter and Sub-Editor) in Free Press Journal and Indian Express, Bombay, till 1970 and then established his advertising agency, ‘Sunbeam Advertising’, Pune, in 1970.
A star was born
After marriage, in 1976, he shifted to Mysuru because his wife K.K. Devamma (Ralie Ganapathy) was a Government College lecturer, and his family members were living in Mysuru. Soon, he ventured to do what he always loved — Journalism. Thus, in 1978, Star of Mysore was born.
Today, 48 years later, Star of Mysore, an evening English newspaper of Mysuru city, with a population of about a million, is the largest circulated newspaper with over a lakh readership. Two years after establishing Star of Mysore, in 1980, Ganapathy recognised the importance of journalism in the local language and started a local Kannada morning paper called Mysuru Mithra.
K.B. Ganapathy in his chamber at Star of Mysore office.
Today, this Kannada paper has gone from being a local paper to a regional paper covering five districts with a readership of over 2.5 lakh.
Even though in the 1970s Mysuru had many newspapers, Star of Mysore stood out for its factual reports and in-depth coverage. To add, Ganapathy wrote two columns every other day called Abracadabra and Hocus-Pocus, which helped popularise the paper.
These columns were enlightening, informative, risque and soon captured the attention and imagination of Mysureans. Ganapathy, after 48 years, continued to write his column. His last two Abracadabras were on the global conflict — ‘Pondering over wars and warmongers of the world!’ published on June 19 and ‘A miracle in Jerusalem’ on June 21, 2025.
Three Wordsmiths: R.K. Narayan and N. Ram insisted that K.B. Ganapathy sit in the middle flanked by these patron giants of the literary world
Attention to reportage, visual appeal
It is noteworthy that Star of Mysore is probably the country’s only evening subscribed English newspaper. Ganapathy achieved this by building a strong distribution network while paying attention to reportage, an endeavour in which many national newspapers failed.
Ganapathy did three unique things in local journalism. First, he wanted the newspaper to stand out visually. To achieve this, he chose to print Star of Mysore in a unique size — Berliner. Even though this newspaper size costs more money to publish, he felt it was essential for recall. Today, Star of Mysore is the only Berliner- sized newspaper in the country.
The next was his approach to journalism and public participation. Before the term ‘citizen journalist’ was coined, Ganapathy in the 1980s encouraged Mysureans, be it teachers, students or industrialists, to write. Be it a letter to the editor or even articles, everyone was encouraged.
Even today, this tradition continues with columnists like Dr. Javeed Nayeem, Sadhguru, Devdutt Pattanaik, Dr. Balasubramaniam and Gouri Satya.
Many of the young journalists and writers of Star of Mysore from the 1980s-90s did not have a journalism degree, yet they were employed at Star of Mysore and Mysuru Mithra. Ganapathy felt that a ‘nose for news’, a ‘passion for storytelling’ and a ‘sense of journalistic purpose’ were more important than a degree in journalism.
Today, most of these ‘alumni’ of SOM and MM as the two newspapers are fondly abbreviated, are in senior positions in other national media houses.
Some of them are late Girish Nikam (Rajya Sabha TV), late Niranjan Nikam (Deccan Herald), Krishna Prasad (former Editor of Outlook Magazine), Chetan Krishnaswamy (Formerly with The Week Magazine), H.R. Ranganath (former editor of Kannada Prabha and now the Editor-in-Chief, Public TV), Manu Aiyappa (The Times of India), etc.
Shaking hands with a replica of noted cartoonist R.K. Laxman’s ‘The Common Man.’
Passion for journalism
In a way, with his passion for journalism, Ganapathy turned his two newspapers into a kind of school for journalism, producing more practising and successful journalists than the journalism schools in Mysuru.
Over the years, both newspapers have also patronised celebrated thinkers and writers such as T.J.S. George, Maneka Gandhi, Devdutt Pattanaik, Sadhguru, to name a few.
With his two newspapers, Ganapathy created awareness among the people of Mysuru city about the usefulness and impact of an influential local evening newspaper on the community.
When a citizen is in trouble due to poor service by various Government or quasi-Government agencies or the local bodies, Star of Mysore and Mysuru Mithra are their voice for justice. More importantly, he showed that local journalism could be influential and have an impact in creating a good city, as it brings awareness among the citizenry, who then hold their leaders accountable for the health of their city.
UoM Honorary Doctorate to Dr. K.B. Ganapathy.
Courage and determination
Speaking about Star of Mysore, late Union Minister H.N. Ananth Kumar had said, “If there is a torch-bearer in this part of the country that always stood for liberty and equality, it is Star of Mysore.” He then added, “Ganapathy always wages a silent war with the establishment and in the process, he and his family faced many threats and attacks. This is easier said than done. I salute his courage and determination.”
The combination of an entrepreneur-journalist is scarce, and Ganapathy has achieved a rare feat by being successful as both. Today, his newspapers have become household names, and with their online edition, they have truly become the conduit that connects Mysureans to Mysuru and Mysureans to their leaders.
No wonder late Ananth Kumar stated, “Star of Mysore is now addressed in the same breath as Mysore Pak and Mysooru Mallige. I have seen eveningers like Mid-Day in Mumbai and Bengaluru. But in this part of the country, Star of Mysore has earned its unique and respectful place in the hearts of its readers.”
Mysuru has been better off for having these two newspapers because using the two newspapers, Ganapathy took up numerous causes for the city of Mysuru and Mysureans, such as — Save Kukkarahalli Lake, Campaign against Chamalapura Power Plant, Campaign to Save Heritage buildings, Campaign for Tree Protection, Strived and succeeded in converting noted novelist R.K. Narayan’s house in Yadavagiri into a Museum, supporting Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP), an NGO, in its activities, to name a few.
Concern for Mysuru
Star of Mysore’s major article on Rare Materials Plant (RMP), the Uranium Unit of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Yelwal, which the local villagers called ‘Bomb Factory’, had brought the top official of Atomic Energy from Bombay to Mysuru to allay fears of the Mysureans.
This article was written by one Saketh Rajan (late), a young, intelligent student. The official held a press meet, assuring that there was no danger of ‘radiation leak’ or of any kind, and all measures for absolute safety and security are taken care of.
Only after this, other NGOs came on the scene demanding closure of this ‘bomb factory’ or revealing the safety measures taken in the event of accidents in the unit.
Star of Mysore and Mysuru Mithra head offices in Bannimantap.
Now, the company, Academy Newspapers Pvt. Ltd., under which the two newspapers are published, employs many people apart from providing part-time jobs and serving over 4 lakh Mysureans.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles> Top Stories / July 13th, 2025
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