Nutrilite Coorg Escapade, India’s first trail run through hills, forests and waterfalls, conceptualised by Next Level Sports and Entertainment will be held on June 1 where running enthusiasts get a chance to test their mettle through hills, waterfalls, streams, coffee estates and the thick jungles of Coorg.
The Coorg Escapade, will be flagged off from Chelavara waterfalls. The trail is a scenic loop, which offers magnificent views of Coorg. The trail offers different elevations, making the run truly challenging. The lowest point is 950 metres and the highest is 1250 metres. The Run has three categories: 10Km Run, 2.5Km Fun Run and 10K Relay for corporates and families.
As part of this endeavour, the Coorg Escapade will not be using any plastic in the event, keep noise levels to a minimum, and no private vehicles will be allowed past the nearest town, Cheyandane. A shuttle service will transport participants and audience to and from the venue.
Participants and their families get to experience the rich cultural heritage of Coorg and interact with other runners during the bonfire dinner at the 250-year old Nadikerianda Aine Mane (The Ancestral Home).
First three winners will be awarded a cash prize of up to Rs. 1,80,000 along with gift vouchers.
The race Categories and starting time are as follows:
1. 10K Challenge – Anyone above the age of 15. – Start time – 7.15 am
2. 2.5 Fun Run –Anyone above the age of 12. – Start time – 11.30 am
3. 10K Inter Corporate Relay (2.5K X 4 members) – Start time –10.45 am
4. 10K Inter Family Relay (For Coorg Locals only) – Start time –10.45 am
Those interested to register for the Run may log on to www.thecoorgescapade.com. Registration fees starts from Rs. 350 onwards. Participants will have to report at the venue at least an hour before their run.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / May 30th, 2014
MTV Splitsvilla season 7 is soon going to start. The shooting is already taking place in hot Rajasthan. The hosts of the show will be sizzling Sunny Leone and handsome Nikhil Chinappa. Sunny Leone is happy to be a part of this show and recently she tweeted –
Indeed in this picture, both look like King & Queen. Nikhil also tweeted a picture of the Palace where the shooting is taking place-
According to the sources, Splitsvilla 7 will feature celebrity participants in the show unlike previous seasons. There will be seven male celebrities with 20 female participants. There are few names confirmed on the show which are Mr. Asia Mayank Pawar and Ashwini Kaul from season 6. Popular TV actors like Ayaz Ahmed who has debuted as a contestant in MTV’s show Roadies, later did several shows and got his fame as a gangster Raghu in Life OK’s Do Dil Ek Jaan.
Shravan Reddy who was last seen in Bindass’ Yeh Hai Aashiqui, then it is Abhishek Malik who has won Mr. Delhi title in 2009 did several shows and last seen in the Zee TV’s show Punar Vivaah Ek Nayi Umeed in double role as an antagonist. Rishab Sinha who got his fame in the recent released movie Kaanchi and was loved as Ayaan in Qubool Hai.
Well, this season looks pretty exciting. Let’s see whether this time it will be as Hot as Hell?
source: http://www.pinkvilla.com / PinkVilla / Home> Bollywood / by Varnica / May 30th, 2014
Suresh Raina will captain the side in the absence of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli
Robin Uthappa made a comeback to the India ODI squad
Robin Uthappa was recalled to the Indian team on Wednesday (May 28) for the three-match One-Day International series in Bangladesh, beginning in Mirpur on June 15.
In the absence of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli, both of who have been rested keeping in mind the hectic season ahead, Suresh Raina has been named captain of the side.
The 15-man squad wears a vastly different look from the one that visited the same part of the world for the Asia Cup in February-March. Raina, who was dropped for that tournament, and Uthappa lead those making their comebacks.
Uthappa made a case for himself with ten straight 40-plus scores in IPL 7 for Kolkata Knight Riders, on the back of a stellar domestic season.
Others that have made it in to the side are Manoj Tiwary, Kedar Jadhav, Akshar Patel, Parveez Rasool, Wriddhiman Saha, R Vinay Kumar and Mohit Sharma, all of who have been impressive at various stages of the 2014 season of the IPL.
Rested from the Asia Cup squad, apart from Dhoni and Kohli are Shikhar Dhawan, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Varun Aaron and Ishwar Pandey.
Squad for ODI series in Bangladesh: Suresh Raina (capt), Robin Uthappa, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ambati Rayudu, Manoj Tiwary, Kedar Jadhav, Wriddhiman Saha, Parveez Rasool, Akshar Patel, R Vinay Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Stuart Binny, Mohit Sharma, Amit Mishra.
source: http://www.icc-cricket.com / International Cricket Council / Home> News / May 28th, 2014
Kodaimelanadu or Kodagu or Coorg is an hour-long drive from Mysore along winding roads that take you through a collage of colours which explode into shades of greens, browns and yellows. As you squint through the green fabric, plantations of coffee, cardamom and pepper speed by, merging with larger forestscape. The hiss of the tyres accentuate the haunting solitude of the journey; no wonder Coorg is called the Scotland of the East.
Much of Coorg is about coffee and a fair amount of cardamom and pepper. Siddapur district seemed a tree-shadowed coffee estate, dotted with contradictions—a few market places, seedy bars, pork shops and elegant vegetable displays. As we travelled, we grew wiser about coffee: its history, its clandestine entry into India, and the difference between arabica and robusta. The British brought coffee to Coorg. The first estate was established way back in 1850s by an Englishman, John Frawler.
Coorg seems to be made for introverts, there is an overwhelming feeling of seclusion, where from a distance you can spot a coffee pod, but it is difficult to spot your immediate neighbour. It is an immense aviary, and home to nearly a quarter of the bird population of Karnataka. The tour guide seemed to be Coorgi Salim Ali; he knew the names of each and every bird. At times he even imitated their calls perfectly. Every hilly region has at least one well known waterfall, and in Coorg it is Abbey Falls that plunges down, separating some coffee and spice estates to join the river Kaveri. An army of clouds envelope the hill. The walk is enough to give anyone an appettite for the singular flavours of Kodava food. The central piece of Kodava cuisine is meat and rice. I tried the irresistible Pandi curry, a subtle pork dish, cooked well by adding a local fruit, Kanchampali. Dry spices are roasted before grounding them, giving a toasty flavour to the thick curry.
As night falls, the highlands of Kodagu become a magical place. The moon shines brightly and the trees are laden with millions of fireflies, as if decked up for some fat Indian wedding.
In the morning, the mist-laden verdant hills awaited in silence. The Dubare reserve encompasses 50,000 acres and is home to the elephants of the Western Ghats. Majestic rosewood, teak and other hardwood tree species stand around like sentinels. Giant parasitic vines are swathed around large banyans and other trees in a macabre bond. As Hansel and Gretel would’ve felt, the forest kept getting thicker and more enchanting. Below, the river Kaveri, flowed unmindful of the inter-state disputes. Grabbing a coracle, drifting on the green waters and gauging the moods of the river and the pristine surroundings is one way to experience Coorg.
Local myth says the invincible Coorgis descended from Alexander’s Macedonians. “Neither Tipu Sulatan, nor the British could conquer it,” said the guide. The place has a long history of war; the Madikeri fort is a living testimony to that. Built as a mud fort by Mudduraja in the 17th century, it was later rebuilt in granite by Tipu Sultan who renamed the site Jaffarabad. In the north-east corner at the entrance stand two life-size statues of elephants. A church stands in the south-east corner. The fort also houses a prison.
Among the other architectural treasures of Coorg is the Omkareshwara temple built by King Lingaraja in 1820, in a mosque-like style, with an impressive central dome and four minarets, which are surrounded by Basavas, or sacred bulls. On the top of the dome sits a gilded ball with a weathercock. The Raja’s seat is a small pavilion in a garden, offering a view of the green valley below, where it is said the kings of Coorg spent evenings with their consorts. From there, they would’ve seen the melting sun, parrot-green fields and the mountains sleeping in the mist as if time had dawdled here, mesmerised by the languid beauty of Kodagu.
To Reach: Madikeri is the nearest bus station. There are frequent buses from Mysore, Mangalore and Bangalore to Coorg.
To Stay: For luxury, the Orange Country Inn. For an authentic Coorg experience, try a planation home stay.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> LifeStyle> Travel / by Aakash Mehrotra / May 29th, 2014
Uyyala Jampala fame Avika Gor is acting in a film titled “Lakshmi Raave Maa Intiki”. Naga Shaurya is the lead actor in this film.
The film is being shot at Coorg now and a melody song, choreographed by Shekar master, has been shot on Avika Gor and Naga Shaurya recently. Giridhar Mamidipally, the producer of the movie, said that the next schedule starts on May 31st at Hyderabad.
Rao Ramesh, Sr. Naresh, Anitha Chowdary, Vennela Kishore, Sapthagiri, Satyam Rajesh etc played the key roles in the film. Nandyala Ravi is making his debut as the director with this film. K.M.Radhakrishna is the music director.
source: http://www.indiaglitz.com / IndiaGlitz / Home> India Glitz Telugu / Friday – May 23rd, 2014
The very first cricket tournament ‘Tipu Sultan Cricket Cup 2014’ organized by Karnataka Muslim Cultural Association (KMCA) at old Ideal Indian School playground was won by Coorg Charges Cricket team with a thrilling finish.
The colourful closing ceremony which was held on Thursday May 22 was witnessed by a huge enthusiastic crowd. The special guest was Indian athlete and Arjuna Awardee Ashwini Nachappa who came all the way from India.
The function started with the recitation of the verses of the Quran by Ahmad Shakir, followed by the rendition of the Qatar and Indian national anthems. KMCA which focuses more on special needs donated funds to a charity, which was handed over by the guest of honour Ashwini Nachappa to the special needs head of KMCA M Iqbal Manna.
President of KMCA Niyaz Ahmed welcomed the gathering. Chief guest of the finals Azim Abbas addressed the gathering and appreciated KMCA for organizing the first-of-its-kind cricket tournament in Qatar. Ashfaq introduced Ashwini Nachappa, who was then felicitated by KMCA and later jointly by Karnataka Sangha Qatar, Tulu Koota Qatar, Bunts Qatar, MCC, SKMWA and Qatar Billawas. Ravi Shetty, president of Bunts Qatar also spoke on this occasion.
Addressing the gathering the Arjuna Award winner Ashwini Nachappa congratulated KMCA on a well-organized sports event and said it has brought all communities and Karnataka-based organizations on one platform. She thanked KMCA for giving her an opportunity to attend such a remarkable event.
The prizes for runners-up KMCA and champions Coorg Charges were then distributed by chief guest Azim Abbas, guest of honour Ashwini Nachappa, presidents of Karnataka-based forums and KMCA former committee members. M Iqbal Manna proposed the vote of thanks.
The MCs of the event were Munjunath, Saquib Raza Khan and Saeed Assadi. The event was co-ordinated by Milan Arun and Arun Kumar. The commentators Habibul Nabi and Ijaz entertained the crowd with live updates. Match umpires were Dr Sanjay and Imthiyaz, and scorers were Amjad and Anand. The music was managed by Anil and Krish.
The crowd was thrilled to witness the grand procession welcoming the replica of Tipu Sultan along with the guests in an open motorcade to the playing arena in a unique style.
Earlier in the opening ceremony on Tuesday May 20, the blind athlete from Karnataka Shaavad was the guest of honour. M I Farid was the chief guest. President Niyaz Ahmed welcomed the gathering. Saquib Raza Khan and Manjunath were the MCs. KMCA and all Karnataka-based forums felicitated the athlete while Ibraz Khan, the general secretary proposed the vote of thanks.
Imran of Coorg Charges won the man of the match award, Rauf, best batsman of the tournament, while Imran was adjudged best bowler and man of the tournament.
Champions Coorg Charges team: Khader (captain) Anil, Parvez, Rauf, Nasir, Nazeer, Zamir, Imran, Zahir, Shakeel and Jaleel.
Coorg Charges scored 130 runs losing 6 wickets in 12 overs while KMCA lost early wickets and ended up with just 69 runs, losing all wickets in 11.3 overs.
source: http://www.daijiworld.com / DaijiWorld.com / Home> Top Stories / Report by Iqbal Manna / Doha (Qatar) – Friday, May 3rd, 2014
The Badminton Association of India (BAI) on Tuesday announced a cash reward of Rs. 40 lakh for the women’s team that created history by winning the maiden bronze medal in the just concluded Uber Cup.
It was the first podium finish by India in the prestigious biennial event by qualifying for the semifinals where they lost to silver medallists Japan. China defended their title successfully by clinching the gold Saturday.
“The women’s team has made us proud with the way they played last week. The BAI is providing the best facilities to the players to perform on the international stage and the cash prize is just a part of our commitment towards the players,” BAI president Akhilesh Das Gupta said.
The chief architects of India’s performance — captain Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa — will receive cash rewards of Rs.5 lakh each while the remaining amount will be distributed among the other players and staff members.
The BAI also announced a separate Rs.10 lakh reward for chief coach Pullela Gopichand for being honoured with the Padma Bhushan earlier in the year by the Indian government.
Meanwhile, Das Gupta also rubbished reports about the possible appointment of Danish legend Morten Frost as the coach of the Indian team adding that he had full faith in former All-England champion Gopichand.
“Gopichand has been doing a fantastic job as head coach and we have full faith in his abilities to take India ahead on the international scene. The BAI is only looking for a specialised doubles coach which has been a weak link for the country in team events,” said the president.
“However, we haven’t zeroed down on any specific names for the same. Whosoever is appointed, will be working directly under head coach Gopichand.”
source:http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Sports> Badminton / IANS / May 27th, 2014
VISIONARIES: This group of 10 got together in 1863 and contributed and collected Rs. 7,305, to start the Kodava Education Endowment Fund./ by Special Arrangement / The Hindu
For a small agricultural community of approximately one hundred thousand, the Kodavas have added to India’s cultural and ethnic diversity through the uniqueness of their dress, customs, rituals, festivals, language and so on. Even more significant is the contribution of individual Kodavas to public life. They include a Field Marshal, a Chief of the Army Staff, a number of Generals, Air Marshals and senior naval officers. There have been Governors, Ministers, IFS and IAS officers, UN experts and Vice-Chancellors. They have brought credit to India in cricket, tennis, squash, athletics, and shuttle badminton as well. Rani Pooviah was part of the Cholamandal group of artists who pioneered the Madras Movement.
In this milieu, the work of the Coorg Education Fund (CEF) over a period of 150 years in the cause of education can only be described as an awesome activity initiated with remarkable foresight.
To better understand the value of the CEF it is necessary to place it in context. Coorg, or Kodagu as it is called, is today a district of Karnataka. It was ruled by local Rajas and came under British rule in 1834. Writing in Blackwoods Magazine in 1922, Hilton Brown of the Indian Civil Service, District Magistrate of Coorg, wrote of the identity of the Coorgs (now called Kodavas): “That is the standing riddle of South India ethnologists … barring all ethnology and arguing from common sense one would call Coorgs a separate people … they are a community of people whose customs, ceremonies, from birth to death, festivals, dress, language are quite different from those of other communities among Hindus.”
A survey done between 1815 and 1817 by Lt. Connor found that Coorgs were “addicted to husbandry, their only education consists in acquiring a practical knowledge of it.” It made the unflattering observation that they were an “unlettered and unaltered race.”
With the starting of an Anglo-Vernacular school and another in Kannada in 1835, the first steps towards introducing formal education were on. Subsequently more schools were opened. However, the mere opening of schools did not meet the objective of educating the community, as only children from affluent families could access them. Many bright children fell by the wayside due to lack of financial resources. To address this lacuna, a group of far-sighted and philanthropic elders of the community got together and sowed the seeds that grew into the CEF.
The credit for identifying the need to provide financial assistance to deserving children and encouraging them to enrol in educational institutions goes to Rev. Richter, the first Principal of the Mercara High School. He persuaded the British authorities to grant land that could be used to raise resources to provide financial assistance.
An extent of 150 acres was gifted, on which a coffee plantation was established in 1863. The income was used to provide student scholarships. Revenue from the estate was used to create the Mercara High School Endowment Education Fund. Separately, a group of 10 visionaries from the community got together with the idea of providing financial aid to needy students. Meeting in 1863, they made individual contributions and collected a princely sum of Rs. 7,305 which was used to establish the Kodava Education Endowment Fund. It now has a corpus of close to Rs.3 crore. They included Cheppudira Subbiah and Mathanda Appachanna.
In 1916, the two funds were merged and it became the Kodava Education Fund. It was administered by the Commissioner of Coorg assisted by eminent Kodavas. In 1954, the corpus was handed over to a committee comprising Kodavas. Thus was born the CEF. Its first president was Kodira T. Uthappa.
The CEF represents foresight and service rendered silently over the years, helping many a Kodava to blossom and contribute to society.
One of the beneficiaries of the fund was Pemanda Monappa, the father of the author. He was selected to join the police force under the British and was a well-known officer, also during the post-Independence period.
As a tribute to and recognition of the value of committed public service and integrity, this author has established a scholarship at Cambridge University in his name. Applicants should not have crossed 25 years. It is available for study leading to a Master’s in English literature, physical sciences, biological sciences (excluding medicine and veterinary science), economics, computer science, law, and technology. Details are at the Cambridge University website.
sonnabel@gmail.com
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Opinion> Open Page / by P. M. Belliappa / May 25th, 2014
Kolkata Knight Riders’ opener has batted himself into contention for Indian team
Dubai:
Who will get to wear the Orange Cap for the top batsman when the Indian Premier League (IPL) season gets over? With Kolkata Knight Riders’ Robin Uthappa consistently scoring well, it’s now a two-horse race between him and Kings XI Punjab’s Glenn Maxwell, who had the early headstart.
Uthappa’s unbeaten 83 against Royal Challengers Bangalore put him ahead of Maxwell by 39 runs (as of Thursday). Maxwell has notched some big scores but Uthappa’s forte has been his consistency. In his last eight innings, Uthappa’s lowest score is 40.
The KKR batsman’s consistency since stepping into the opener’s role has been a major factor behind his team’s revival, who have now won six matches on the trot to make the play-offs.
It was former Indian Test player Pravin Amre, Uthappa’s batting coach, who instilled the confidence in him to outshine Maxwell, who started off with a string of huge scores during the UAE leg of the tournament. Amre told Uthappa to always aim to bat until the 18th over and, each time he did, he ended with a good score. Interestingly, by the seventh or eighth overs, he has been on song — producing a wide array of cricketing shots.
Uthappa has been training with Amre since 2012 and made Mumbai his base for cricketing reasons. Apart from scoring heavily in the domestic circuit for Karnataka, Uthappa followed Amre’s advice in the Twenty20 format — strengthening his basics — and it’s showing in this IPL.
It was way back in April 2006 that Uthappa made his One-Day International debut with a knock of 86, but has not often lived up to his promise in the years since. He also played a pivotal role in India’s victory in the 2007 International Cricket Council (ICC) World Twenty20 Cup.
After playing in the 2008 Asia Cup final, he never got selected for one-day matches. He also played his last Test match against South Africa at Johannesburg in 2012. Uthappa continued to perform impressively in the IPL for Pune Warriors, who bought him for $2.1 million (Dh7.71 million), becoming the second most expensive player in the 2011 auction.
During the fifth and sixth editions of the IPL, he scored over 400 runs for Pune despite his team’s unimpressive performance. However, with his classy and consistent show as an opener in the seventh edition, a recall to the Indian team suddenly does not look that far away.
FIXTURES, STATISTICS
Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Chennai Super Kings
2.30 pm UAE start in Bangalore.
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad
6.30 pm in Kolkata.
Live telecast on OSN Sports HD Cricket
UTHAPPA IN LAST 8 INNINGS
83n.o. vs Royal Challengers Bangalore
67 vs Chennai Super Kings
40 vs Sunrisers Hyderabad
80 vs Mumbai Indians
46 vs Kings XI Punjab
47 vs Delhi Daredevils
65 vs Rajasthan Royals
47 vs Chennai Super Kings
source: http://www.gulfnews.com / Gulf News / Home> IPL / by K.R. Nayar, Chief Cricket Writer / May 23rd, 2014
Head Post Office to sell Kodagu Coffee and Chocolates soon
Mysore :
The Department of Posts, which has been adding one or the other feature regularly to attract customers will soon add Kodagu Coffee and Kodagu Home-made chocolates to their list of products to be sold at the ‘Post Shoppe’ which was started during January, 2014.
The Post Shoppe which has already been selling stationery, handicrafts, Channapatna toys, Solar Delight Lamps, Coffee Mugs with pictures of Matinee Idol Dr. Rajkumar, Vishnuvardhan and Sachin Tendulkar, Mysore Peta, Sandalwood soaps, Talcum powder, Baby powder, Incense sticks and also products of Cycle Brand Agarbatthi, HMT wrist watches, Water bottles, Greeting cards and other items will soon start the sale of Kodagu Coffee powder and Kodagu Home-made Chocolates.
Speaking to Star of Mysore, S. Mahadevaiah, Senior Post Master, Head Post Office, said that ‘Post Shoppe’ has been receiving good response from public and added that it has been run on a non-profit basis.
“The Department of Posts has entered a MoU with the Kodagu Coffee Growers Association, which will be supplying us with Coffee powder very shortly. This apart, the Department has also entered a MoU with a lady named Parvathi, who will be supplying the Department with Kodagu Home-made chocolates,” said Mahadevaiah.
Similar ventures are also being undertaken at General Post Office in Bangalore and Hampankatta Post Office in Mangalore. “The Department has also plans to start similar shops at all districts throughout the State. ‘Post Shoppe’ will soon be started in Hassan and Kodagu Head Post Offices,” added Mahadevaiah.
The Post Shoppe is being managed by the staff of the Department of Posts. The staff have been trained in retail sales and are entrusted the job of selling various products at the shoppe.
Mahadevaiah said that the department had entered MoUs with various manufacturers who have agreed to supply products ranging from Mysore Peta to stationeries.
e-Post facility
The e-Post facilities which was started by the Department of Posts as an alternative to Telegram, has been gaining popularity in the Mysore circle. “It is a web based facilities which works similar to that of a Telegram. People can send any message from the Head Post Office and the messages will be delivered to concerned person or address within 25 minutes. It just takes a minute or two for the message to be passed on to the other post office and from there it will be delivered to the designated address through the Post Master,” said Mahadevaiah.
My Stamp
My Stamp is another facility which has been gaining popularity in Mysore. Through this facility people can get the stamps printed along with their photographs which can be used to send posts to their relatives and loved ones.
“The stamps will be printed with the individual’s photograph along with a picture of their choice of four flowers — Lilly, Pansy, Cinerea or Dahlia. Depending on the customer’s choice of flower, the stamps will be printed,” said Mahadevaiah.
With tough competition from private players, the Department of Posts has been coming up with new ventures to keep its customer base intact.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / May 22nd, 2014
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