Tag Archives: Sports Persons of Kodagu

Karnataka skier from 900-m altitude village wins three golds on 4,000m high slopes of Gulmarg

Bhavani Thekkada Nanjunda won gold by topping the 10-km Nordic ski competition, 1.6-km sprint and 5-km sprint

Bhavani Thekkada Nanjunda from Napoklu village in Karnataka’s Kodagu district won three golds in the Khelo India Winter Games on February 25, 2024. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Bhavani Thekkada Nanjunda, from Napoklu village in Karnataka’s Kodagu district, glides over snow slopes the way fish take to water. The athlete, born in a village only 900 m above sea level, won three golds by competing on the snow slopes at an altitude of 4,000 m in the Khelo India Winter Games here on Sunday.

The lean girl from the plains near the Cauvery in Karnataka has sparkled in the winter games with her stunning ski skills. She won gold by topping the 10-km Nordic ski competition, 1.6-km sprint and 5-km sprint. 

“It’s all about pursuing your passion. A girl from Karnataka winning winter sports in Kashmir is enough to talk about my passion. We have no snow in Karnataka. I have to work harder than those who compete from the Himalayan States,” Ms. Nanjunda said.

Passionate about mountains, Ms. Nanjunda was formally introduced to mountains when she summited Mt. Rudegera in Uttarakhand as a National Cadet Corps member in 2014. One year later in 2015, she worked through the freezing winter months for a basic course at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling, and managed to summit Renok peak.

Bhavani Thekkada Nanjunda from Napoklu village in Karnataka’s Kodagu district won three golds in the Khelo India Winter Games on February 25, 2024. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

“I work on my endurance at home by running every day. My physical activities puzzle my neighbours and friends at times. It does not stop me,” she said.

Ms. Nanjunda awaits the whole year for the winter months to visit Kashmir and hit the ski slopes. “Skiing makes me feel happy. Gulmarg is the best ski destination. I keep waiting for winter months to be here, as the place has the best slopes,” Ms. Nanjunda said.

International instructor certificate

She became a student of the Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering and Winter Sports (JIM&WS), Pahalgam, Kashmir, in 2019 and received an international instructor certificate in skiing in 2019. In 2020, she became a ski instructor with JIM&WS.

“Principal and the instructor at JIM&WS encouraged me to participate as a cross-country skier. I have participated in all the four editions of the Khelo India Winter games. I am happy that Karnataka has emerged as the number two State in the games this year,” Ms. Nanjunda said.

She is now preparing for the Asian Championship and Olympics. “I desire to represent India in the Olympics in 2026. India has never qualified for cross-country skiing,” she added.

The winter games in Kashmir are proving to be the platform for women, even from non-snow States of the country, to dream big in these sports. From mere four girls participating in the first edition of the winter games in Gulmarg, the number has risen to 20 this year.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India / by Peerzada Ashiq / February 25th, 2024

Ashwini-Tanisha climb four spots to world no. 28

The duo earlier won the Nates International Challenge and Abu Dhabi Masters Super 100. Ashwini, 36, and her 20-year-old partner Tanisha, who started playing together only in January this year, finished runners-up at the Syed Modi International Super 300 tournament in Lucknow on Sunday.

Ashwini-Tanisha climb four spots to world no. 28
India’s women’s doubles pair of Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa (Pic: File Pic)

Indian women’s doubles pair, Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto, jumped four places to reach world number 28 in the latest BWF rankings.

Ashwini, 36, and her 20-year-old partner Tanisha, who started playing together only in January this year, finished runners-up at the Syed Modi International Super 300 tournament in Lucknow on Sunday.

The duo earlier won the Nates International Challenge and Abu Dhabi Masters Super 100.

Priyanshu Rajawat, who had reached the semi-finals in men’s singles, also gained a place to break into the top-30.


All other Indian singles players stayed static with HS Prannoy (8) remaining the top ranked shuttler from the country, followed by PV SIndhu (12), Lakshya Sen (17) and Kidambi Srikanth (24).

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty occupied the world number 2 spot, while Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand stayed at 19th position.

source: http://www.mid-day.com / Mid-Day / Home> Sports News> Other Sports News> Article / by PTI / December 05th, 2023