Monthly Archives: August 2013

Tata Starbucks builds war chest for expansion to take on Cafe Coffee Day, Barista Lavazza, Costa Coffee

Coffee News

(The cafe chain joint venture…)
(The cafe chain joint venture…)

Mumbai :

Tata Starbucks plans to open around 100 Starbucks cafes in the country by next year to match up to established rivals and is building a war chest for expansion by more than trebling its authorised capital to Rs 220 crore.

The 50-50 joint venture between US cafe chain Starbucks Coffee Company and Tata Global Beverages will increase its authorised share capital from Rs 70 crore by creating additional 150 million equity shares of Rs 10 each, amounting to Rs 150 crore, the unlisted firm said in a board resolution filed last week with the Registrar of Companies.

While Tata Starbucks said it does not release financial information or future store count, its spokesperson said the company is committed to India. “The joint venture will invest over time, based on the demands of the business and the requirements of our customers, to build a strong presence in the market,” the spokesperson said.

The US coffee chain has already signed two dozen properties, including in the suburbs of Mumbai and Bangalore, a real estate official aware with Starbucks’ expansion plans said.

Starbucks is displaying an urgency to scale up at a time when most quick-service restaurant operators including Jubilant Foods and McDonalds have reported slowing sales growth in the country due to a consumer slowdown.

Experts say Starbucks has been very selective in opening stores in the country.

“Starbucks has been opening stores only at locations where the catchment area can value its premium positioning,” Ruchi Sally, director at boutique retail consultancy Elargir Solutions, said. “For them, the key strategy is return on investment from their stores and not just scale at the moment.”

Starbucks, which entered the Indian market in October last, currently operates 18 stores in the country.

In comparison, rival Cafe Coffee Day has more than 1,500 stores while Barista Lavazza and Costa Coffee has more than 100 stores each. The Indian cafe market is estimated at $230 million, or about 1,400 crore, and is expected to grow about 13-14% a year over the next five years. Globally, most cafe consumers are attuned to a takeaway culture, which helps retailers add margins with very little cost.

In India, however, many office-goers and students go to cafe to relax and spend hours on coffee and snacks. Also, real estate costs are high in India, making it important for retailers that average price realisation per square feet of space.

Starbucks in India seems to have done well on the profitability front. During Tata Global Beverages’ quarterly performance presentation earlier this month, the company said Starbucks stores are already making cash profit. In a shopping mall in Mumbai the average monthly business of a Starbucks outlet is double the combined sales of two other coffee chains on the premises, an official of the mall operator said.

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz had last year said that he expected India to be one of the top five markets for Starbucks. “India represents one of the most significant opportunities that we have in all of Starbucks. India should be one of the largest markets in the world for Starbucks. I would say one of the top five over time,” he had said in an exclusive interaction with ET late last year.

source: http://www.articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com / The Economic Times / Home> News> News by Industry> Services / by Sagar Malviya, ET Bureau / August 19th, 2013

Attitude towards doubles needs to change: Jwala and Ashwini

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Sports

New Delhi:

Top Indian shuttlers Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa Wednesday said the doubles event is not being taken seriously by the administrators of the sport and the focus is on singles.

India’s singles shuttlers are doing brilliantly on the international circuit with eight of them figuring among the men’s top-50 while Saina Nehwal and P.V. Sindhu are forces to reckon with in women’s singles.

However, the standard of doubles has really gone down with no Indian in the top-25 of either men’s, women’s or mixed category.

“Ashwini and I were performing well against the top players in the world. But since then, there has been no consistency. Doubles is not taken seriously and the attitude needs to change from the administration and the system. They need to understand that doubles is also an integral part of the sport and not just singles and it needs to be taken seriously by everyone,” said Jwala, who is icon player of the Krrish Delhi Smashers in the Indian Badminton League (IBL).

“Despite winning the Commonwealth Games gold (2010) and the World Championship bronze (2011), when no one expected anything from us, we hardly got any sponsorship and had to struggle for it. It becomes quite difficult then,” added Jwala.

Women’s doubles was also given the snub at the IBL where another men’s singles event replaced the former, drawing criticism from several doubles shuttlers.

The 23-year-old Ashwini also reiterated Jwala’s sentiments.

“I think people need to understand that doubles is also an important category. You have three doubles events when there are only two for singles. There needs to be more focus on doubles players as they also need motivation which I do not think is coming from all sectors of the sport,” said Ashwini, who is icon player of the Pune Pistons.

Both Jwala and Ashwini have said that they will be resuming their successful partnership later this year.

IANS
source: http://www.zeenews.india.com / Zee News / Home> Sports> Indian Badminton League 2013 / Wednesday – August 13th, 2013

Vinay, Meghana win 800m titles

Sports

JagrithiKF22aug2013
Bengaluru:

Vinay N of Yuva, Bangalore and Meghana KR of DAA, Mysore claimed the U-20 800M gold on the opening day of the three-day 25th State junior athletics championship at the Nehru stadium in Shimoga on Saturday. Vinay won the event in 1:57.00 with Barthama Purrataju of DYSS, Bangalore and Rakesh of Yuva coming home in that order.

In girls, Meghana and team-mate Priyanka V made it a 1-2 for DAA, Mysore with the former taking the gold in 2:26.06 seconds. Gowtham G of Alva’s set the only meet record of the day in the U-18 discus event. The youngster took the gold in a new mark of 48.56 metres.

In the U-18 800 metres, Ashwin MJ of DYSS, Bangalore topped the podium in a time of 2:02.06 seconds with team-mate Pruthwi taking the silver in 2:02.08seconds.

In the corresponding girls event, Uma Bhagyalakshmi of Dakshina Kannada won the event in 2:27.07 seconds with Shrikala of SAI, Bangalore and Sowmya of Alva’s finishing behind the leader

Results Boys : U-20: 800M: 1. Vinay.N (Yuva, B’lore); 2. Barthama Purrataju (DYSS); 3. Rakesh (Yuva); T: 1:57:00; 4x400M relay: 1. Alva’s; 2. DYSS, B’lore; 3. Yuva, B’lore; T: 3:25.1s; Javelin: 1. Girish KM (Shimoga); 2. Naveen A (Mysore); 3. Manjunath M (Dharwad); D: 53.45m U U-1 18 8: : 8 80 00 0M M: : 1. Ashwin M.J. (DYSS); 2. Pruthwi GL (DYSS); 3. Sudarshan (Alva’s); T: 2:02.06s; H Hi ig gh h j ju um mp p: : 1. Jessee Sandesh (B’lore GSJ); 2. Durgesh (Udupi); 3. Pramod SS (Shimoga); H: 1.95m; D Di is sc cu us s: : 1. Gowtham .G (Alva’s); 2. Vivek Adiga (Alva’s); 3. Umesh Kumar (Alva’s): D: 48.56m U U-1 16 6: : 1 10 00 00 0M M: : 1. Prakash (Alva’s); 2. Dimpu Kariyappa (Ashwini SC); 3. Satya Sheelun (DK); T: 2:44:06; High jump: 1. Preran .M (BSC); 2. Abhiram Natarajan (BSC); 3. Ranjit (Alva’s); H: 1.71m; Discus: 1. Sharath Babu (Alva’s); 2. Masood Ahmed (DAA, Hassan); 3. Stephen (DAA, Karwar); D: 37.50m Girls : U-20: 800M: 1. Meghana KR (DAA, Mysore); 2. Priyanka .V (DAA, Mysore); 3. Yeshaswini. K (DYSS, Mysore); T: 2:26:06s; High jump: 1. Shilparani KH (SDM, Ujire); 2; Ramya P (SDM, Ujire); 3. Bimbitha KU (Shimoga); H: 1.49m; Shotput: 1. Nisha (Alva’s); 2. Jyothi Panase (Dharwad); 3. Punya Shree (Alva’s); D: 10.89m; 4x400M relay: 1. DYSS, Mysore; 2. Alva’s; 3. Yuva, B’lore; T: 4:01.6s; Javelin: 1. Deeksha (Alva’s); 2. Priyanka B (Alva’s); 3. Akshatha S (SDM, Ujire); D: 30.14m U-18: 800M: 1. Uma Bhagyalakshmi (Dakshina Kannada); 2. Shrikala (SAI, B’lore) 3. Sowmya K. (Alva’s) T: 2:27:07s; High jump: 1. Jismi Thomas (Mudabidare); 2. Cahitra (Mudabidare); 3, P.K Tejaswi (B’lore); H: 1.45m; Javelin: 1. Chethana AD (Alva’s); 2. Harshika (DYSS, Mysore); 3. Jagrithi Poonacha (ASF, Kodagu) D: 30.73m; Discus: 1. Priyanka JS (DK); 2.
Likitha KU (Alva’s); 3. Ranjana Bhadri (DAA, Dharwad); D: 33.79m U-16: 1000M: 1. Megha (DAA, Mysore); 2. Sahana (DK, Mangalore); 3. Jayalakshmi (Alva’s); T: 3:17:06s; Discus: 1.Niveditha. Savanth (DAA, Karwar); 2. Manasa SK (DAA. Chikmaglur); 3. Khyathi Achutha (DAA, Udupi); D: 33.69m; Javelin: 1. Kannika .M (Alva’s); 2. Vaibhavi Bhandari (UK); 3. Varsha TK (Haveri); D: 21.47m

Junior badminton tourney

The all-India junior ranking badminton tournament will be held from August 5 at the K. Raheja Stadium in Bengaluru. The tournament will begin with qualifying rounds on Aug. 5 & 6 with the main draw beginning on Aug. 7.

DYSS, Mandya girls win

DYSS, Mandya girls outplayed Viveks SC 29-15 in the State junior basketball tournament for the Sosale Trophy at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium (Outdoor) courts on Saturday .
Results: Boys: 1. Mangalore BC 48 (Sowkin Shetty 13) bt Young Nationals, Mysore 24 (Jitendar 18). HT 26-10; Bagalkot BC 41 (Ajay 25) bt Durgans, Chitradurga 16. HT 20 9; Merchants, Davanagere 41 (David 16) bt CJC 11. HT 16-2; Greens Davanagere 38 (Udaykumar 12) bt Kanaka Kolar 25 (Abhi 11). HT 1012; YFBC, Kolar 51 (Janardhan 20) bt KS Hegde 38 (Aditya 17). HT 19-18; VNS BC 28 (Kaustuba 7) bt Vasanthnagar BC 24 (Prem 8). HT 13-14; Appaiah BC 35 (Ajit 10) bt Protec Challengers, Mysore 28 (Krishna 10). HT 19-17 Girls: DYSS, Mandya 29 (Varshitha 8) bt Viveks SC 15 (Kajal 8). HT 235; Merchants, Davanagere 33 (Greeshma 13) bt YMMA 25 (Kartiki 10). HT 17-5; Sports School, Vidyanagar 45 (Baby Bai 26) bt Rajmahal BC 23(Aishwarya 17). HT 16-8.

Tennis tournament from Aug.15

CRS Trust will conduct a men’s 50K prize-money tennis tournament from August 15-24 at the St. John’s Medical College Sports Complex, Koramangala. Last date for entries is Aug 13. For more information call Cherian Thomas 9945-020070; K.Suresh 9980-098-644; Manu Bajpai 9916-534-878.

Naveen claims 9-Ball crown

The in-form K.S. Naveen Kumar pulled off a shocking 9-6 victory over Suman S. to win the 9-Ball Pool State-ranking tournament at the KSBA Hall on Saturday . Suman started off strongly for a 3-1 lead and then 5-3 before Naveen launched a fightback to make it 6-all. Naveen then sealed his superiority racing away to 9-6.

Results: Final: K.S.Naveen Kumar bt Suman.S 9­6; Semifinals: Suman bt Ninad Pise 8-0; Naveen bt Sunil Sharma 8­7; 3&4 placings:N Pise bt Sunil S 6­3; 5-8 placings: M.Prabhakar bt Michael Rebello 5­3; Sean Davis bt Pramod Kumar Jain 5­4; S Davis bt Prabhakar 5­3; Pramod bt Rebello 5­3 Ranking:1. K.S.Naveen Kumar; 2. S.Suman; 3. Ninad Pise; 4. Sunil Sharma; 5. Sean Davis; 6. M.Prabhakar; 7. Pramod Kumar Jain; 8. Michael Rebello

Suraj, Anisha emerge fastest athletes

Anisha of Brigade School and Suraj R of St Joseph’s PU College topped the show in the girls and boys’ U-18 100 metres in the 6th Bangalore School Olympics organised by the Youngsters Sports Promoters Trust at the Sree Kanteerava stadium on Saturday .

Results (winners only) Boys U-18: 100M: 1. Suraj R. (St. Joseph’s Indian PU College) T: 11.5s; High jump: 1. Ravi Teja D.S. (St. Joseph’s PUC) 1.75m; D Di is sc cu us s t th hr ro ow w: : 1. Bushan Sundar Raj (Bishop Cotton Boys’ School) D: 29.64m; 4 40 00 0M M: : 1. David Charles (St. Joseph’s PUC) 3:50.9s; 4 40 00 0M M: : 1. Aftab M.Shaikh (JIRS) T: 53.84s U U-1 16 6: : 8 80 00 0M M: : 1. Praveen Kumar (Maxmuller PS) T: 2:10.7s; High J Ju um mp p: : 1. Pavan Bhat (DPS, East) H: 1.47m; 1 10 00 0M M: : 1. Praveen Kumar (Indiranagar HS) T: 11.3s U U-1 14 4: : 8 80 00 0M M: : 1. Mayuka Naik (Delhi Public School, South) T: 2:23.5s.

Big win for Little Flower school

Little Flower Public School recorded a 65-run victory over Venus International School in the KSCA Cup U-16 inter-school tournament, on Saturday. Batting first, the Little Fower lads put up a strong total of 171 in 28.3 overs with Abhishek T.M. (44) and Yash (30) starring with the bat while Pavan came up eith the best bowling figures for Venus bagging 5-17.

In reply, Venus were only able to manage 106 in 27 overs with Chirag and Navneeth scalping four wickets each.

Soumya crowned champ

Soumya Swaminathan registered a comfortable win over Monnisha GK with black pieces to lift the 40th National Women Challengers Chess championship here today. The Pune girl, who is supported by Lakshya-FLAME, needed a win in the 11th and final round today to ensure the title and she achieved her goal after 33 moves when her opponent resigned.

Soumya finished with 9 points from 11 rounds. “This tournament turned out to be a fantastic outing for me. I managed to win my last three matches and ensure the title,” said Soumya, who registered seven victories and played out two draws in the competition.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Sports> Other Sports / by DC Correspondent / August 04th, 2013

An Inside Look at India’s Coffee Growers

About Kodagu / Coorg, Coffee News, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg), Nature

Coffee’s rich history in India

There is a world of spice growing alongside the coffee plantations in Coorg, and it is indeed a site worth seeing.
There is a world of spice growing alongside the coffee plantations in Coorg, and it is indeed a site worth seeing.

Cruising at an altitude of 35,000 feet, on a flight back to the U.S., I knew I had left a part of me in Madikeri, Coorg, India. I have never experienced the raw beauty of nature the way I did on this trip. I can go on about this for hours, but I will let the photographs speak for themselves. Get yourself a nice cup of steaming coffee, it is going to be a long post.

Click here for the Inside Look at India’s Coffee Growers (Slideshow)
http://www.thedailymeal.com/inside-look-indias-coffee-growers-slideshow

Supposedly, Turkish law in the late 1400s made it legal for a woman to divorce her husband if he failed to provide her with her daily quota of coffee. I’m not sure of the authenticity of this, but coffee has always been a serious beverage, which you do not want to mess up with. Perfect ripened beans are processed, dried, and then roasted at perfect temperatures to give us the cup of bliss that we enjoy every morning. (In my case, multiple cups of bliss.)

It was in the 17th century that coffee came to India, when Bababudan smuggled eight beans and planted it in the hills of Chikmagalur, Karnataka. Now, thanks to the British who helped cultivation of coffee in South India, both coffee Arabica and coffee Robusta are cultivated in Coorg. The rainforest provides a perfect canopy to grown coffee in shade. There is a world of spice growing alongside the coffee plantations in Coorg, and it is indeed a site worth seeing… pepper creeper embracing the tall redwood and silver oak, almost like green pillars towering the sky with cardamom bushes alongside. Picture this… and it is pouring because it is the monsoons, probably the wrong time to visit a rain forest. For me, there would have been no better time than this…
I managed to take some pictures between the long bouts of rain, but the picture of the wet rain forest that I carry in my memories could not be captured from a lens and is truly priceless. I cannot say I did justice to the beauty of this place; you have to see it to believe it.

Among all the different types of coffee I tasted there, “bella coffee,” or coffee made with jaggery, was indeed the best and I am not sure how many cups or gallons I had; my father-in-law was my partner in crime, looking at the rain pouring, the cloud playing hide and seek to reveal the rich mountains… and a cup of coffee. What more can anyone ask for?

Simi J. enjoys cooking and celebrating the pleasure that food brings to our lives.Visit Simi at Turmeric N’ Spice. http://www.turmericnspice.com/

source: http://www.thedailymeal.com / Home> Drink / by Simi, Special Contributor / August 14th, 2013

Auto Raja celebrates 50 days

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg

Sandalwood movie Auto Raja, which has Ganesh, Bhamaa and Deepika Kamaiah in the lead roles, has completed 50 days at the box office. The film team will celebrate the success of the movie on August 11, at Gnana Jyothi Auditorium of Central College in Bangalore.
AutoRajaKF21aug2013

Actor Ganesh, who has played the role of an auto rickshaw driver in the movie, stars along with actors Mamath Rawat, Dileep Raj, Dharma, Arun Sagar and Yathiraj in the film. While San Visions has produced the movie, V Harikrishna has composed the film’s music. Director Uday Mehta, who has maintained that the movie is dedicated to late Kannada actor Shankar Nag, has organized for the actors of the film to perform during their celebrations.

Meanwhile, Ganesh will be seen in the upcoming movie Sakkare, which has Deepa Sannidhi in the lead role. The audio of the movie was recently released. The film also has Ananth Nag, Anu Prabhakar and Vinaya Prasad in the lead roles.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Entertainment> Regional> Kannada / by Vinay Lokesh, TNN / August 08th, 2013

In the right direction

Education, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All

British Deputy High Commissioner, Chennai, Mike Nithavrianakis presenting the scholarship to Natasha Bopaiah. P.M.Belliappa looks on. / Photo: V. Ganesan / The Hindu

British Deputy High Commissioner, Chennai, Mike Nithavrianakis presenting the scholarship to Natasha Bopaiah. P.M.Belliappa looks on. / Photo: V. Ganesan / The Hindu


Pemananda Monappa Scholarship helps deserving students pursue higher studies abroad

A twenty-year-old law graduate from Coorg has won The Pemanda Monappa Scholarship this year. Natasha Bopaiah, a graduate from Symbiosis Law School (Pune) will be leaving for Cambridge University this September to pursue her Masters degree. The scholarship is being offered by the Pemanda Monappa Trust and has funded four students in the last four years. Offered by P.M. Belliappa in the name of his late father, the scholarship, is awarded to Indian citizens who have completed a first degree at a recognised university in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala or Tamil Nadu, have been admitted to graduate studies in Cambridge, and have demonstrated financial need. It covers university tuition fees, college fees and allowances paid to scholars for living expenses in Cambridge. “I hope she returns home after her studies to contribute to society in a manner resembling what my father did many years ago,” Belliappa said at an event recently, where the scholarship letter was handed over to Natasha by Mike Nithavrianakis, British Deputy High Commissioner.

Natasha, a gold-medallist from Symbiosis, will be pursuing a degree in corporate and environment law at the University. “I would like to focus on issues such as the impact of climate change on human beings and also on farmers in particular,” she said, “Initially, I will be working on litigations but I hope to eventually handle politics.”

N. Ravi, Director, The Hindu Group of Publications Ltd., said “People from Coorg, though small in number are high achievers. There are so many names you can quote in the field of sports and academics. So it comes as no surprise that the scholarship, this year, goes to Natasha, who hails from there.” While Leela Samson, chairman of Sangeet Natak Akademi and Central Board of Film Certification, who presided over the event added, “Everything we have to offer the world is influenced by who we are. And they are unmistakably Indian… The wise explore and accept each new idea in their merit and with the holistic learning that Natasha will go through in another country will help her discover her strengths and weaknesses.”

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Anusha Parthasarthy / Chennai – August 08th, 2013

Nicaragua launches new Coffee Trail

Coffee News, World Opinion

The Nicaragua Tourist Board has launched the Coffee Trail, a new tourist route that will give visitors an authentic experience of the northern region of the country.

The Coffee Trail covers five regional departments – Estelí, Jinotega, Madriz, Matagalpa, and Nueva Segovia – and aims to show visitors the diverse culture, food, scenery and tourism products of this area.

Visitors following the route will travel through several coffee and tobacco plantations and stay in charming rural hotels or guest farmhouses where they can take part in everyday activities. They can hike through nature reserves, visit picturesque villages and towns, and see how the locals produce beautiful handicrafts made of marble, clay or tusa (corn skin). The local gastronomy is another main attraction, including several corn-based dishes.

In Matagalpa, travellers can find out more about the history of tobacco and coffee production in the area at the National Coffee Museum. The department of Jinotega is the country’s main producer of coffee, renowned for its quality. In Estelí, visitors can choose amongst several natural parks – Cerro Tisey-La Estanzuela, Miraflores-Moropolente, Canta-Gallo, and La Patasta – to enjoy beautiful scenery. Madriz is famous for its ‘rosquillas’, or typical doughnuts, perfect to accompany a good cup of coffee. Nueva Segovia is known for its colonial and revolutionary history, and the typical handicrafts made by the local indigenous community.

The Coffee Trail offers visitors a combination of indigenous traditions, history, lush natural landscapes and a rich biodiversity, together with the warmest welcome from the locals, to provide an authentic experience of Northern Nicaragua.

source: http://www.incentivetravel.co.uk / ITCM / Home> News> Venues & Events / Monday – July 29th, 2013

Hoping for a bagful of medals

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Sports

Pune:

The picturesque Balewadi Sports Complex looked resplendent against the Baner Hillock, washed clean by the steady drizzle since afternoon. Yet, some 50 odd fans braved the pitter-patter to gather at the warm up ground as Indian quartermiler MR Poovamma went through her drills on the eve of Asian Track and Field Championships, on Tuesday evening.

As the chief coach Bahadur Singh watched keenly from a distance, another coach, N. Ramesh was busy explaining to a group of people how much it depends on the young 400 metres runner to lift the sagging morale of Indian athletics after the doping scandal involving six top female runners threatened to break the backbone of the sport.

“With all top female 400 metres runners including Ashwini and Mandeep being banned for doping, some felt India’s supremacy in Asia in this event would be over,” said Ramesh.

“We were once again able to build a team from the scratch that would be hard to beat in Asia. If Poovamma is our best bet, then equally talented are girls like Nirmala and Anu Mariam Jose.”

Having established herself as the top quartermiler of the country, Poovamma is placed second in the Asian lists for the season with her 52.75 recorded at Fed Cup at Patiala. For the record, No. 1 Japanese Haruka Sugiura, 52.52, is not competing here.

Poovamma should be a strong contender for gold; she had swept the three legs of the Asian Grand Prix series this season. Yulia Rakhmanova of Kazakhstan is expected to be her closest challenger. Gone are the days when India returned home with 10 gold medals from the Asian meet like they did in 1985 in Jakarta.

India are no longer considered an athletics superpower in the continent and in the last meet in Kobe, they managed to win only one gold through triple jumper Mayookha Johny.

Yet, in the 20th edition of the Championship beginning here Wednesday, India, being represented by a record number of 107 athletes, are expected to win a handful of medals. While the hosts have the luxury of naming three participants in each of the 42 events, the fact that as many as 21 events won’t see Asia’s current toppers would also definitely help the athletes from the home country. For being the hosts, India can expect to finish second or third in the medals tally, which has been dominated by the Chinese athletes for nearly 30 years now.

In the next one week, several Indians are expected to finish on the podium — Vikas Gowda (men’s discus), Sudha Singh (women’s 3000m steeplechase), MR Poovamma (women’s 400m), Kumaravel Prem Kumar (men’s long jump), Tintu Luka (women’s 800m), Renjith Maheswary (men’s triple jump) and Krishna Poonia (women’s discus). While all these are gold medal prospects, the likes of Mayookha Johny (women’s long jump and triple jump) and Arpinder Singh (men’s triple jump) are among other medal prospects.

The winners of gold medals in this meet would have the advantage of getting direct qualification for the World Championship in Moscow. Gowda is the top performer of the season among the participants with Iran’s 2012 London Olympic silver medallist Ehsan Hadadi deciding to skip the event in view of the Moscow World Championships in August.

Gowda’s 65.82m effort in April is the season’s second best among Asians after Hadadi’s 66.98m.

In women’s 3000m steeplechase, Sudha Singh is the clear favourite after her 9:45.60 effort in the National Inter-State Championships in Chennai early last month, which is a national record.

In the absence of last edition winner Minori Hayakari of Japan, Sudha’s contest for gold medal is likely to be with Ruth Chebet of Bahrain.

Sudha, the reigning Asian Games gold medallist, had finished second behind Hayakari in the last Asian Championships in 2011 in Kobe.

Krishna Poonia, the Commonwealth Games gold medallist and India’s most famous female athlete would be taking the field without much practice.

“I suffered an injury and could hardly practice after the Chennai nationals. I have to rely more on experience,” she said.

source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph, Calcullta-India / Front Page> Sport> Story / by Jaydeep Basu / Wednesday – July 03rd,2013

Ktk CM gives Rs 1 lakh cheque to Ponnamma

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All, Sports

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today handed over Rs one lakh cheque to M N Ponnamma, who was part of the bronze-medal winning Indian junior world hockey team in Moenchengladbach, Germany.

“I would like to congratulate Ponnamma for her achievement. The government will extend all support to her and hope she would one day play for the Indian senior team,” Siddaramaiah told reporters after handing over the cash reward to Ponnamma at his official residence here.

Ponnamma, who hails from Ponnampet town in Kodagu district, thanked Siddaramaiah for supporting her. “I was very happy when the chief minister promised to extend all support to me.”

Ponnamma said she is focusing hard to come up with yet another sterling performance in next month’s Asia Cup to be played in Malaysia.

Ponnamma, who is a defender, played in all the matches of the world junior hockey tournament and scored the all important third goal in the quarterfinal against Spain, which India won 4-2.

She said her good performance in the last year’s nationals had earned her a place in the national team.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> PTI Stories> National> News / by Press Trust of India / Bangalore – August 14th, 2013

Jwala Gutta, Ashwini Ponnappa to renew partnership

Sports

India’s most successful doubles badminton pair Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa are set to renew their partnership in October.

The successful combination of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa, who won India’s first women’s doubles bronze medal at the 2011 World Championship, is all set to be back together.

Almost a year after they broke up following Jwala’s seven-month sabbatical from badminton in August last year, Ashwini and Jwala are in talks to pair up once again but both of them refused to divulge the details.

The duo confirmed on Tuesday that they will play together again.

“Yes, we have decided to partner again. We have done well together and we just thought of renewing the partnership once more,” Ashwini said.

Jwala Gutta (left) and Ashwini Ponnappa. File Pic
Jwala Gutta (left) and Ashwini Ponnappa. File Pic

Jwala reiterated the same point here at the unveiling of the Indian Badminton League (IBL) trophy.

“Yes, we decided to get back together. We have done well in the past. We won medals at the Commonwealth Games and then at the World Championships. It is hard to say when we will get back together because we need to discuss a lot of things as of now,” Jwala told IANS.

Asked what were the reasons for getting back together, Jwala said: “Well, there are many reasons. When the time is right, we will let you know. It is not just about the results but about a lot more. But the important thing is we are getting back together.”

Both the shuttlers, however, refused to divulge details of their future plans.

Ashwini and Jwala are India’s only doubles shuttlers to win a medal at the World Championships, where they clinched the bronze in London two years ago.

Discussing the partnership, Ashwini said: ” feel Jwala and I can get back together. Both of us think it would be good for us. We have done well in the past but I don’t want to talk much about it now.”

Following the London Olympics, Jwala had taken a break and Ashwini decided to pair up with Pradyna Gadre. The pair had some good wins and are currently the world number 26 combination in the world.

Jwala, who had been playing with Prajakta Sawant since April after the latter was named in the Indian squad following a court’s order.

Jwala and Ashwini had also won the Commonwealth Games gold medal at the Siri Fort stadium where they will lead Delhi Smashers and Pune Pistons in their inaugural match of the Indian Badminton League (IBL).

source: http://www.mid-day.com / Mid Day / Home> Sports / New Delhi – August 13th, 2013