The Asian Games gold medallist says he “would have loved to receive it from the president at the Rashtrapati Bhawan along with other athletes and achievers”.
Rohan Bopanna receives the Arjuna Award from union sports minister, Kiren Rijiju. Alongside him is his wife Supriya Annaiah. – SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Rohan Bopanna finally got his hands on the Arjuna award, as he received it from the union sports minister Kiren Rijiju here on Tuesday.
“It is an amazing feeling to hold the award. Definitely, I would have loved to receive it from the President at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, along with other athletes and achievers. But that does not take anything away from the thrill of receiving it,” said Bopanna, who received the trophy, along with his wife Supriya Annaiah.
More than the award, Bopanna, a former world No.3 doubles star who narrowly missed the mixed doubles medal with Sania Mirza in the Rio Olympics, said that he was delighted to meet such a sports-loving minister.
“He is such a big tennis fan, and has been watching tennis for a long time. We spoke for nearly 45 minutes and it was great and very positive. He also talked about following women’s cricket, as Smriti Mandhana also got the award today,” said Bopanna.
During his interaction with the Sports Minister, Bopanna also requested that all the matches featuring the Indian tennis players on the Tour be streamed live on the internet for the benefit of youngsters in the country.
“It may be difficult to get it on television, but live streaming is something that can inspire the young players. The minister was very receptive and said that he would see how it can be done,” said Bopanna.
Not having received any money so far this year despite being part of the TOPS funding, Bopanna did broach the subject with the minister. He was told that the national tennis federation needed to keep the athletes in its Annual Calendar for Training and Competition (ACTC) so as to make it a smooth affair.
“The SAI Director General, Neelam Kapur was also there. I was told that the medical bill for me and the funds for the first three months had been approved. So, it should be a matter of time before it reaches us. I have already sent all the original bills so far,” said Bopanna.
Since Bopanna and Divij Sharan had won the Asian Games doubles gold, they have been kept in the TOPS as a team. Thus, whatever money is sanctioned would be given 50% to the two.
“I would love to continue to play with Divij on the Tour. But, the fact is that with our ranking, we are not getting into the ATP-500 and Masters events. It is not easy to play only the big tournaments with other partners. Even now, the cut for Washington DC is 47. Me and Denis Shapovalov are one out at the moment, and have to wait. That is the reality. If we don’t play the big tournaments on the Tour, how do we prepare for the Grand Slams and the Olympics,” queried Bopanna, who will be partnering Shapovalov till the US Open.
source: http://www.sportstar.thehindu.com / Sport Star / Home> Tennis / by Kamesh Srinivasan / New Delhi – July 16th, 2019
Vehicles set off to conduct Aadhaar registration in the tribal hamlets of Kodagu.
Observing that many people in tribal hamlets and line houses are getting deprived of the facility of Aadhaar registration in the district, the district administration has initiated the process of Aadhaar registrations at the doorsteps of people, which is a first of its kind initiative in the entire state.
About 65,000 people are dwelling in 167 tribal hamlets of the district and thousands of people reside in the line houses of the coffee plantations.
During a Janaspandana meeting held recently, the people said that they do not have Aadhaar number to avail the benefits of social security schemes implemented by the government. Following the same, the district administration took measures to conduct Aadhaar registration drives in the tribal hamlets.
The Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) Department has been set to work and three jeeps carrying the necessary staff and equipment started off to the tribal hamlets in the district on Monday morning. The tribal hamlets in the remote areas areas are also covered.
In the first phase, a 15-day registration drive will be conducted in Madikeri, Virajpet and Somwarpet taluks. People in the tribal hamlets have been informed about the same and they have been asked to be present at the time of registration and produce the required documents, said ITDP officials.
The government has initiated a scheme of providing scholarships up to Rs 25,000 for the students from tribal hamlets. But students who do not have Aadhaar were deprived of the facility last year.
Aadhaar registration staff member Rakesh said that the registration team will visit the tribal hamlets in the district and they aim to register a minimum of 100 residents in a day for Aadhaar, including those of the students.
Computers, kits and power backup equipment are also carried to the place of registration. As the Aadhaar enrolment is done in rural areas, there is a provision for offline registration. The Aadhaar card will be ready in a month.
Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy said that the duration of the enrolment drive will be extended based on the people’s response.
The district administration has deputed its own staff for the enrolment work. One of the main objectives is to ensure the enrolment of students. Last year, 900 students were deprived of scholarships by the government as they did not meet the requirement of Aadhaar registration, she added.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by Adithya K A / DH News Service, Madikeri / July 15th, 2019
Rafting, an activity that is a big favourite of tourists at Dubare, is back. As a result, the tourist camp is buzzing with activities again.
As river rafting had been banned in River Cauvery at Dubare a year ago, the number of tourists had dipped drastically.
The rafting association had urged the district administration and District In-charge Minister Sa Ra Mahesh to lift the ban on rafting and support the local entrepreneurs.
As the ban has been lifted, tourists are now making a beeline during weekends to take part in the adrenaline-pumping and adventurous activity.
This, in turn, has left the organisers of the rafting activities as well as the local vendors smiling.
River water level
Water rafting at Dubare is being conducted along a distance of eight kilometres. The water level in River Cauvery too has risen, following good rain in the district. More number of youth were seen enjoying rafting.
The sport was relaunched at Barapole as well. Barapole is located 35 kilometres away from Madikeri. A fee of Rs 600 is charged per head for those keen on rafting activity.
River rafting was introduced in Dubare in 2002. In case of good rain, rafting activities can been conducted till December.
Dhanush, a software engineer who took part in rafting at Dubare, said, “The plans to take part in the rafting activity could not be realised a year ago as it had been banned. Now, we got a new experience.”
Elephant camp
Businessmen said that as the rain was less this year, more number of tourists were landing in Kodagu. Many of the tourists have also been visit the elephant camp at Dubare.
Randeep from Bengaluru said that he would like to explore all tourist sites in Kodagu.
Tourists have been thronging Raja Seat, Abbey Falls, Mallalli and Irpu Falls. The homestay and resort business has also been revived, the businessmen added.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by Adithya K A / DH News Service, Kushalnagar / July 19th, 2019
Aiming for a Goal: A match in progress during the Kodava Hockey Festival 2016 in Madikeri, Kodagu. Photos by DH, Niran Shantheyanda
Kodavas loved to pursue two patriotic passions. One was to be part of the nation’s defence forces and the other was to play the national sport. Hence, it was said that a Kodava was born with a hockey stick in one hand and a gun in another.
Hockey was not just a sport in Kodagu, it was a way of living. Kodagu’s children practised and excelled in hockey. There was untapped talent in Kodagu but there was no way to demonstrate it.
Aiming for a Goal: A match in progress during the Kodava Hockey Festival 2016 in Madikeri, Kodagu. / Photos by DH, Niran Shantheyanda
Considering this, Pandanda Kuttappa (Kuttani) and his brother Kashi Ponnappa decided to begin the annual Kodava hockey festival in 1997. “I wanted this festival to be of use to children. I wanted them to get a chance to play for India,” says Kuttappa , former first-division hockey umpire.
That year, Kuttappa’s extended family helped organise the event. Teams from 60 Kodava clans came to participate. The Kaliyanda team won the Pandanda cup. The event is called a festival (namme, in Kodava language), and not a tournament because it helps bring people together to celebrate. Each year one Kodava clan conducts the tournament and the cup is named after the clan. The Kodava Hockey Academy governs the annual festival.
Members releasing the banner of a hockey tournament.
The academy also decides which family can organise the tournament in a particular year. As of now, families have been selected to organise the tournament until 2025.
According to Shantheyanda Ravi Kushalappa, any family that wants to organise the festival should apply to the Kodava Hockey Academy. The application will be checked and considered on a first-come- first-serve basis. The selected family will have a year to prepare for conducting the event. The state government partly funds the event on most years. Lok Sabha MP for Mysore-Kodagu also grants some money. The rest of the money is collected by the family through donations.
Kodava hockey festival.
The family puts together a committee which is responsible for organising the event. They select a convenient ground and arrange all the facilities near the family’s ancestral residence.
According to the Limca Book of Records, the Kodava hockey festival is both the largest and the longest hockey tournament in India. This is probably the world’s largest family tournament as well. In 2018, 329 teams participated in the Kulletira Cup held in Napoklu.
Men, women and children take part in the tournament. There is no bar on age or gender. Among the prominent women players are goalkeeper Shivachaliyanda Nilan (Ekalavya awardee) and Malamada Lilavati.
In 2014, the Thathanda family organised a rink hockey event for 35 families. Later, two formats were supported: league matches for champions who regularly made it to the semifinals and knockouts for others.
In recent times, a number of similar family tournaments such as Kodava cricket, badminton, tug-of-war and golf, Kodagu Gowda cricket, Kodagu Heggade hockey, Amma Kodava cricket, Yerava cricket, Kodagu Muslim football and volleyball events are held in Kodagu.
The champions
There are a few strong family teams who often make it to the top. The Palanganda team has won the festival the highest number of times (five) so far. They entered the finals eight times (between 2006-2016).
Kodagu has produced several Hockey Olympians like Maneyapanda M Somaya, Mullera P Ganesh, B P Govinda, Arjun Halappa, S V Sunil among others. Most of the winning teams have Olympians in their midst. The Koothanda team, led by former Olympian K K Poonacha, comes a close second, having won the festival four times (including the 1999 draw with Kulletira team) between 1998-2008. The Cheppudira team, with another Olympian C S Poonacha, were the runners-up in the 2001 edition.
Olympian goalkeeper Anjaparavanda B Subbaiah’s team has been consistent over the years since 1997. They were winners twice and in the finals five times. Subbaiah attributes the team’s success to the remarkable individual efforts of its players.
The Kaliyanda team won thrice and came second twice. The Nellamakkada team won thrice and hosted the 2001 Cup. Kulletira won all the three times it came to the finals. The Mandepanda team won the tournament once.
In the 2018 finals, the defending champion Chendanda scored two goals and didn’t allow Anjaparavanda to score. Two Olympians were on the field: Nikkin Thimmaiah, a young forward, and Subbaiah, veteran goal-keeper.
“The hockey festival brought the family together. The family members stay in different villages. Earlier, there were no interactions between them, and they didn’t know each other (for many decades),” says Subbaiah. This has been the case with many Kodava families.
The kids of Kodagu are taught to wield the hockey stick at a young age. Their parents make crude hockey sticks and play the game with them after school hours.
Every summer, during the months of April and May, this festival brings together members of joint families. The relatives living in the cities, in the army or elsewhere converge in Kodagu. Uniforms and kits are prepared and at least eleven players are registered. For weeks, the teams practice playing with their hockey sticks on fallow fields and empty grounds.
Personal touch
My family team, the Mookonda team, is quite strong having players like Nikhil, Jnapak who trained in Sports Authority of India.
The first time I watched a Kodava hockey festival game was in our hometown Ammathi. It was the 2001 Cup. Cousins, aunts and uncles came together after a long time. Even my paternal grandmother, who was bed-ridden at the time, requested us to take her to the stadium to watch the hockey game.
The air was filled with slogans being shouted out cheering our home team: “Come on, Mookonda! Steady, Ammathi!”
We also went to watch the Muckatira family match during the 2002 Chekkera Cup in Hudikeri. Even while the sun was beating down upon us and we were all sweating, we cheered the team enthusiastically.
Paused by calamity
Floods and landslides ravaged parts of Kodagu in 2018. In order to show solidarity with the victims, the 2019 hockey festival was initially cancelled. However, the cancellation was not appreciated.
“A year break would make youngsters lose a chance to practice and display their skills,” says Hockey Coorg treasurer Palanganda Lava. Paikera E Kalaiah, who played in the 1975 Hockey World Cup, presides over Hockey Coorg.
Therefore, Hockey Coorg organised a 2019 family tournament with 146 teams in Kakotparamb. Funds were handed over to the calamity victims during the closing ceremony.
In 2020, the Harihara Muckatira family will host the event.
As families bond during this annual festival, hockey players, both young and old, exhibit their talent.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Spectrum> Spectrum Top Stories / by Mookonda Kushalappa / July 13th, 2019
The President of India Pranab Mukherjee has conferred the Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Award on Kakamada Ganga Changappa for her outstanding contribution towards child welfare. The Award was presented to her recently in Delhi.
The President confers Rajiv Gandhi Award on Kakamada Ganga Changappa
After her marriage, Ganga Changappa, who holds a Master’s degree in English, settled down in Munnar where her husband worked for Tata Tea. Looking for something worthwhile to do, she found her vocation – welfare of women and children among the Tata Tea estate workers, teaching them skills which they could turn to profit.
With the active support of Tata Tea, she became very involved in setting up a special school and rehabilitation centre in Munnar for children with disabilities – Dare School. She was its Principal for nine years and with her innovative ideas imparted specialised skills to her students in order to make them independent and earn a living.
Her dedicated work was well recognised and in 1999 she received the FICCI award.
When her husband retired as a director of Tata Tea, they settled in Kodagu. Even here, Ganga was determined to work for disabled youngsters. Tata Coffee, as part of their corporate social responsibility, set up a school on the lines of the Dare School, in Kodagu.
The school, Swastha, a special school for the differently-abled was set up in Sunticoppa in 2003. It is partly residential and offers free education. She has worked tirelessly for eleven years taking the school to great heights. Tailoring, screen printing, offset printing, book binding, paper bags and candle-making are a few of the skills being taught there.
Some of the youngsters from the school even got a chance to represent India at the international level in the Para-Olympics.
by P.T. Bopanna
source: http://www.coorgnews.in / CoorgNews.in / Home> Features> NewsMakers / by P.T. Bopanna / December 02nd, 2014
People of Kodagu can avail Manipal Arogya Card to get concession in treatment at KMC hospitals, said KMC Hospital marketing department deputy manager Rakesh.
Addressing reporters, he said that the card can be used at KMC hospitals at Dr B R Ambedkar Circle and Attavara in Mangaluru, Kasturba Hospital in Manipal, Dr T M A Pai Hospital in Udupi and Dr T M A Pai Rotary Hospital in Karkala. Manipal Hospital in Goa and Manipal College of Dental Sciences in Mangaluru are also covered under the scheme to avail treatments at concessional rates.
Cards of one year and two years duration are available. The membership fee for Manipal Arogya Card for individuals is Rs 250 for one year and Rs 400 for two years. The fee for the family card for one year is Rs 500 and for two years is Rs 700.
To get the facility, one can contact KMC hospital representatives in Madikeri. Phone: 97314 74598, 98802 62038 or 94807 88634.
KMC hospital representatives A A Pratish, Padmanabha and Ponnappa were present in the press meet.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by Adithya K A / DH News Service, Madikeri / July 10th, 2019
A year after Kodagu District Administration banned White Water River Rafting activity on River Cauvery in Dubare and other rivers, the activity has resumed in full swing. Yesterday, around 10 water rafts were made operational at Dubare following the lifting of the ban by Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy.
The rafting activity was officially flagged off by Somwarpet Dy.SP P.K. Muralidhar at a stretch of Cauvery water in Periyapatna. Administration sources told Star of Mysore that the ban was lifted on the instructions from Tourism Minister S.R. Mahesh, who is also the Kodagu District Minister.
While lifting the ban, the DC has put stringent terms and conditions, including strict permissions for the activity. Organisers must ensure safety of tourists during the activity and Departments including Forest and Tourism have been asked to take necessary measures for re-starting river rafting. Rafting charges will not exceed Rs.600 per group, and a total of 48 rafts will be allowed in Dubare area, the DC said in her order.
Each owner has been asked to get a No Objection Certificate (NoC) from a local Panchayat, Fire and Emergency Services Department, Public Works, Ports and Inland Water Transport Department, certificate for raft instructor and also mandatory registration in the Labour Department.
According to the current guidelines, water rafting must start only at one point in Dubare (earlier rafting was being held at multiple points). Only five people have been permitted to operate rafts and each of them can own only two boats. Officials from the Kodagu District Administration will be monitoring the water rafting activities.
Before the ban, water rafting was an all-year programme in Kodagu.
Last July, the then Kodagu Deputy Commissioner P.I. Sreevidya had banned river rafting activity and white water rafting across the district for one month and subsequently extended the rafting ban.
In her order, the DC had stated that there were many adventure organisations and home stays running river rafting activities without permission.
The DC had issued the orders in the wake of several complaints from the tourists and villagers that adventure activity organisers have no expertise in river rafting and some of them are organising such events just to make money. Mandatory safety measures are not being followed by the organisers and lives are at stake, the tourists had complained.
Last February, a tourist from Hyderabad had got into an argument with an organiser of river rafting in Dubare and was killed in the ensuing altercation. It had come to the notice of the District Administration that many organisers of the adventure sport submitted fake documents to the DC and there was a no match between the permission letters and the submitted letter.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / July 08th, 2019
Shilpa Nanjappa, an acclaimed Bharatanatyam dancer from Kodagu, has also been awarded the prestigious Fellowship by the Indian Government’s Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT) for 2019-2021 for being an outstanding artiste.
Speaking to Star of Mysore, an elated Shilpa said that the two-year Fellowship meant a lot for her and she has chosen to do extensive research on ‘Adaptation of Kodava compositions (existing and new) into the classical music format and Bharatanatyam’.
“In simple words, my topic means popularising Kodava language through classical music format and Bharatanatyam. There are many compositions in Kodava language in both prose and poetry formats written by Dr. I.M. Muthanna, Haradasa Appacha Kavi, Nadikerianda Chinnappa, Boverianda Nanjamma and Chinnappa and other writers. Also, there are many poetic compositions in spoken Kodava language and Kodava songs. My aim is to popularise such compositions by extensive research and documentation,” Shilpa says. “My topic aims to popularise Kodava language by propelling it to people who don’t normally hear it and also to create a renewed enthusiasm among the current generation to speak Kodava Thakk (Kodava language). I am happy to do a Fellowship in this unexplored area of work and I want to do full justice to my homeland and its culture,” she explains.
The documentation of the Fellowship project will be a valuable resource for anyone who does future research on Kodava language and will interest those who want to learn the language and explore its origin and development.
“I have been brought up with great regard and respect for Kodava language and culture which has inspired and motivated me to serve Kodagu and its people. This Fellowship is a timely encouragement to carry on the work that I was already doing for Kodava language,” Shilpa adds.
Daughter of Allaranda Kamy and Uthappa, she is married to Mukkatira Pavan Nanjappa and lives in Madikeri with her family including a five-year-old daughter and a year-old son. Her guru is late Padmini Ramachandran.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / July 06th, 2019
Soldier H N Mahesh, who had been injured during an anti-terrorist operation in Shopian in Jammu and Kashmir, has returned to his native place in Ponnampet for rest.
H N Mahesh was accompanied by his colleague Pravin. After completing his vacation, Mahesh had reported for duty in the Indian Army in Jammu and Kashmir on May 15. On May 29, he was severely wounded during an operation against terrorists who were hiding in a hospital in Shopian.
A bullet fired by terrorists hit Mahesh on the right side of his jaw and passed through his nose bridge. He was treated at the Army Hospital in Chandigarh.
After coming out of a three-day long coma, he was operated upon by the surgeons and it took nearly 50 stitches to close the wounds. Acting on the advice of the senior officials in the Indian Army, Mahesh was sent on holiday to his native place.
Mahesh said that he did not come to know about the bullet shot immediately. Several minutes later, he developed a problem with vision and he experienced palpitations in the heart. When he touched his face, he realised that he was shot. With the help of his colleagues, he rushed towards the ambulance which was at a distance of 200 metres from the site of encounter.
Mahesh’s stay in the army is likely to be extended to eight more years and he hopes to work in bomb disposal squad after his recovery.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DH News Service / July 02nd, 2019
A narration of experiences of retired Forest Officer K.M Chinnappa
Mysuru:
Wildlife First and Bharathi Prakashana, Mysuru, had organised a programme at Hotel Roost on Hunsur Road here this morning for the release of the book Kaadinolagondu Jeeva, based on the first-hand experiences of retired Forest Ranger K.M. Chinnappa, written by T.S. Gopal, retired Principal of Srimangala Junior College.
Releasing the book, Tejaswini Ananth Kumar, President of Adamya Chetana Trust and wife of late former Union Minister H.N. Ananth Kumar, observed that humans to prove their greatness were going against nature and inviting problems. She regretted that people were unaware of safe disposal of waste materials leading to environmental pollution. She commended Chinnappa for his experiences as a Forest Officer.
Speaking on the book, Dr. S.V. Narasimhan heaped praises on the ‘Hero’ of the book Chinnappa and the author of the book Gopal in evolving a great study volume. He appreciated the enthusiasm of the 80-year-old Chinnappa in narrating the experiences in the forest vividly.
Addressing the gathering, Chinnappa asked people to be aware of animal behaviour in forests. He warned that rampant deforestation would invite more drought. He commended Gopal in putting his (Chinnappa) experiences beautifully through words.
Author Gopal was present.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / July 03rd, 2019
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