Monthly Archives: April 2023

Karnataka polls: Weddings miss the “cheers” in Kodagu

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Liquor is a must for Kodava community weddings.

alcohol, prohibition, liquor
Image used for representational purpose only.

Madikeri :

The ban on liquor at private weddings and functions has left celebrations bereft of “cheers” in Kodagu.

The prohibition came into effect in view of the Karnataka assembly elections scheduled for May 10.

The ban on liquor has been imposed by the Excise Department on the orders of the State Election Commission.

While permission for serving liquor at private functions was granted during past elections, the same stands cancelled now.

Serving liquor at private functions including weddings is a common practice among the majority of people in Kodagu. Liquor is a must for Kodava community weddings.

During the previous elections, the Code of Conduct exempted the residents from serving liquor at weddings. But they had to shell out Rs 11,500 as a fee to the excise department. However, this was not the case this time.

“The order came from the State Election Commission”, confirmed district excise DC, Jagadish.

But many residents had taken permission from the excise department well in advance by paying the fee.

“The ban was imposed on April 11. The cash paid by several families for a liquor permit in view of weddings are being refunded”, Jagadish said.

Meanwhile, the Bengaluru Federation of the Kodava Samaj has submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission requesting to withdraw the ban imposed on serving liquor during private functions. The representatives of the federation met the Chief Electoral Officer, Manoj Kumar and explained about the custom of serving liquor during Kodava weddings. 

Many who have already purchased liquor in large quantities for functions are in a dilemma and hope that the Election Commission would pay heed to their demand.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Express News Service / April 16th, 2023

Gold in their golden years: Palekanda brothers return as champs

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The brothers are now looking forward to take part in the Master Games Championship in South Korea in May.

(From right) Belliappa, Machamma and Palekanda Bopaiah on an open jeep
(From right) Belliappa, Machamma and Palekanda Bopaiah on an open jeep

Madikeri :

The Palekanda brothers who landed at Kadanuru in Kodagu, went around an open jeep with Australian Master Games Championship medals dangling from their necks. Palekanda Bopaiah (95) and Belliappa (86) won two medals each.

While Bopaiah won gold in the 100-m race category and a silver in the javelin throw, Belliappa’s golden moment came in the 1500-m walking race and a bronze medal in the 100-m race. “My elder brother actually came first in the javelin throw. However, there were some technical problems, which could not be rectified despite our efforts to convince the jury,” said Belliappa. 

“It was tough to get through the registration process,” he said, “because the championship lacked authoritative representation from the nation. Fortunately, Mohan S, a scientist, from Chintamani of Chikkaballapur, helped us.” Mohan bagged a gold medal in the long jump in the 30-plus category. 

“Without Mohan, we would not have won these medals. He helped us with the documentation. We will never forget him,” he said. 

Meanwhile, 77-year-old Machamma also won a silver medal in the javelin throw.  The brothers are now looking forward to take part in the Master Games Championship in South Korea in May. However, they are worried about arranging finances. 

“Australian athletes are supported by their government. We hope that our government also supports us,” Belliappa said.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Prajna GR / Express News Service / March 18th, 2023

Nitin Kushalappa’s Book “Dakshin: South Indian Myths And Fables Retold” Launched

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Mysuru :

Mookonda Nitin Kushalappa’s English book “Dakshin: South Indian Myths and Fables Retold” was launched at Atta Galatta Bookstore auditorium in Bengaluru on April 2.

The event was attended by Maha Vir Chakra awardee Lt. Col. Puttichanda S. Ganapathi, IRS Officer Preeth Ganapathy, retired Superintendent of Police Mookonda K. Ganapathy, Col. Maddanda Uthappa, Ponnakachira Machaiah, retired Assistant Commissioner of Customs Muckatira Suresh and others.

This book, which was earlier released on Amazon on Feb.13, 2023, is already a bestseller in various book categories. Atta Galatta is located in Indiranagar and has a cafeteria with an auditorium attached to its bookstore.

Presenting the slide show to the audience along with his wife Deepthi, Nitin spoke of the 15 stories in his collection, the regions and sources they came from, the illustrations and the rhymes that support the stories.

Lt. Col. P.S. Ganapathi, MVC, spoke of how he came to meet Nitin a few years ago and how they worked together on a previous book, ‘The Major Who Kept His Cool’ (Col. Ganapathi’s biography authored by Nitin).

Sanjeev Rajarao spoke of how he reaches out to Nitin for any information on Kodagu and Kodavas and how Nitin connects the dots.

Mrs. Leo, Nitin’s school teacher, Preeth Ganapathy, IRS, Bayavanda Monnappa, COO of BHive, Mookonda K. Ganapathy and Vishwanath also spoke. Nitin’s mother Mookonda Pushpa Poonacha spoke about the importance of folklore.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / April 07th, 2023

Now, all vehicles have to pay to enter Nagarahole forests in Kodagu

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Tourists park by the waterfalls on the Bhagamandala-Karike Road and litter the area with plastic and liquor waste.

A forest checkpost at Karike in Kodagu district ​
A forest checkpost at Karike in Kodagu district ​

Madikeri :

Not just inter-state, now even intra- and inter-district vehicles will have to pay an entry fee at the forest gates of Nagarahole in Kodagu. The forest department took this step to put an end to the rampant dumping of garbage and littering in forest areas in the district. 

Kodagu Chief Conservator of Forests Murthy BNN pointed out that it had become a herculean task for the department to control littering and dumping of garbage in forest fringes. “But after we introduced strict checking and entry fee at Nagarahole Gate, the dumping of huge quantities of waste materials brought from Kerala into Kodagu forests has been controlled,” he said. 

Entry fee will also now be collected at Makutta Gate in South Kodagu where garbage was being dumped from Kerala and surrounding areas. To prevent unauthorised parking and littering, the forest department is conducting regular vigil in forest areas that lead to popular tourist spots. 

Tourists park by the waterfalls on the Bhagamandala-Karike Road and litter the area with plastic and liquor waste. “This is causing an adverse effect on the wildlife and the department is conducting stringent checks to control this,” he said.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Express News Service / April 15th, 2023

New zip line facility in Madikeri, India

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Raja’s Seat, a historic viewing point in southern India that is popular with tourists, has had a new zip line installed.

The zip line, said by the Hindu Bureau to be 310m in length, was inaugurated by deputy commissioner of Kodagu, BC Sateesha, and additional superintendent of Kodagu District Police, KS Sundar Raj, who both took a ride on the new attraction. 

Mr Sateesha urged the local authorities to “pay adequate attention to safety aspects and obtain a certificate from General Thimayya National Academy of Adventure.” He also emphasised to the Horticulture Department officials that “full compliance of the guidelines issued by the Academy for practice of adventure sports” should be achieved.

The zip line facility is being operated in partnership with a “private player” from the city of Bengaluru for the next five years.

source: http://www.intergameonline.com / iNTERGAME / Home> Coin-Op> Pay-to-Pay / by Joey Howey / April 13th, 2023

Dr Ramachandra Kamath receives best paper award

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Madikeri : 

Dr Ramachandra Kamath, professor and head, department of community medicine, Kodagu Institute of Medical Sciences and visiting faculty, Edward & Cynthia Institute of Public Health received the Dr R N Roy best paper award from Dr C V Ananda Bose, Governor of West Bengal recently.

Dr Kamath received the award for his paper titled, ‘Assessment of health status and impact of pollution from thermal power plant on health of population and environment around the plant in Udupi district Karnataka’ published in Indian Journal of Public Health of the year 2022, Vol. 66, Issue 2.

source: http://www.daijiworld.com / DaijiWorld.com / Home> Karnataka / by Media Release / April 12th, 2023

Karnataka assembly elections: Ajjikuttira S Ponnanna is Congress candidate

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Karnataka assembly elections: Ajjikuttira S Ponnanna is Congress candidate
Ajjikuttira S Ponnanna

Madikeri : 

Ajjikuttira S Ponnanna said he seeks a change in Virajpet constituency in Kodagu this time. He spoke to STOI after his name was finalized by Congress as its candidate to contest from Virajpet constituency.


Though the BJP candidate’s name has not been announced, it is presumed that sitting MLA and former speaker KG Bopaiah will again be given ticket to contest in Virajpet.


Ponnanna is an high court advocate and has served as the principal government advocate. He said: “I have formed a trust in the name of my late father and mother that is supporting needy students and poor financially”.


He said that he had contacted most of the voters in the constituency and had support of local Congress leaders.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> City News> Mysuru News / by G Gajendra / TNN / March 26th, 2023

Kodava Family Cup Hockey Festival-2023: Kuppanda Team Trounces 3-Time Champion Kulletira

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Kundyolanda family to host 24th edition hockey tournament next year

Madikeri:

The grand 23rd edition of Appachettolanda Kodava Hockey Festival came to a close last evening with the Kuppanda team emerging victorious. Earlier champions Kulletira team had to be satisfied with the runner’s up place. The Nellamakkada team stood third and the Palanganda team came fourth.

The Kuppanda family team beat three-time champion Kulletira team by a margin of 4-2 goals in the penalty shoot-out and the Kuppanda family became the champion for the first time. The Kulletira family had won the tournaments in 1998, 1999 and 2002.  The penalty shoot-out was necessitated as both Kuppanda and Kulletira teams scored one goal each during the stipulated match timings. While Kuppanda Somaiah scored the first goal for his team in the 16th minute of the game, the crowd erupted in joy. But the Kuppanda team’s jubilation was short-lived as Kulletira Avinash equalised the score for his team in the 22nd minute.

The Kuppanda team scored four goals in the penalty shoot-out while the Kulletira team could score only two goals. The winning team received Rs. 3 lakh cash purse and a trophy while the runner’s up team got Rs. 2 lakh cash purse and a trophy. The winners also got a rolling trophy given by the Kodava Hockey Academy.

The 24th edition of the family hockey tournament is planned in 2024 and the Kundyolanda family will play host.

More than 3,000 hockey talents from the Kodava community participated in the Appachettolanda Kodava Hockey Festival that was held at General Thimayya Stadium at Napoklu from Mar. 18 to Apr. 9 and in all, 336 families took part, a record of sorts.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News> Sports / April 10th, 2023

Son gets ticket from Congress, while his father is a JD(S) candidate

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Mantar Gowda remained with the Congress, while his father A. Manju was hopping from one party to another.

The Congress has chosen Mantar Gowda, son of former Minister A. Manju, for the Madikeri seat in Kodagu district. Interestingly, Mr. Manju is the JD(S) candidate for Arkalgud seat in Hassan district.

In 2021, when the elections for the Legislative Council from local bodies were held, Dr. Mantar Gowda had contested in Kodagu district on the Congress ticket and lost. Then, his father was with the BJP.

Dr. Mantar Gowda started his career in Congress. He worked as the president of the Hassan district Youth Congress.

His father was a Minister in the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government. He quit the party after suffering defeat in the 2018 Assembly elections and contested for Hassan Lok Sabha seat in 2019 on the BJP ticket.

Again, he left the BJP due to differences within the party. He was hoping to rejoin the Congress. However, the party did not assure him the ticket to contest for Arkalgud seat, forcing him to join the JD(S).

Even as his father was moving from one party to another, Dr. Mantar Gowda, a radiologist, remained with the Congress. He got a chance to contest in the council polls. And, now he has an opportunity in the Assembly polls.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India / by The Hindu Bureau / April 06th, 2023

Office-Bearers Of Karnataka Rajya Kattadha Karmikara Kendra Sangha

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The following are the new office- bearers of Karnataka Rajya Kattadha Karmikara Kendra Sangha:

Venugopal, Ballari (State Vice-President), K. Shivakumar, Mysuru (State General Secretary- Administration), B. Chandrappa, Davanagere (State Secretary), Anthony Johnson, Mysuru (State Secretary), Nagaraju, Chitradurga (State Convenor), Dr. M. Mogannachar, Mysuru (Treasurer).

State Directors:

Hoovaiah (Kodagu), Lokesh Kumar (Hassan), Puttamadaiah (Mysuru), Ramesh (Haveri).

State Executive Committee members:

Ankanna, Ravi Kumar, Rajesh, Jogi, Parashuram.

District Presidents:

Shivakumar (Hassan), Mylarappa (Chitradurga), B.R. Basavaraju (Davanagere), Santhosh Kumar (Shivamogga), Veerendra (Kodagu), Suresh (Vijayanagar), D.L. Kumarachari (Chamarajanagar), Anjinappa (Tumakuru), Ramappa (Gadag), Jilanimakandara (Hubbali and Dharwad), Shivaswamy (Bengaluru Rural), Gurupada Danannanavar (Belagavi), Krishnachari (Haveri), Anjinaiah (Ballari) and Shivanna (Mysuru).

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> In Briefs / April 08th, 2023