Ganesh BM, an electrical contractor and philanthropist, is helping the poor lead more comfortable lives by building houses and providing free electricity connections.
Ganesh BM inaugurates Shankru and Vasanthi’s new house
Madikeri :
When we exit this world, we don’t take with us the assets we earned in this lifetime. So instead of concentrating on gaining more and more assets, keep what is required to lead a decent life and donate the rest to the needy,” is the mantra Ganesh BM lives by. A resident of Arji panchayat in Kodagu, Ganesh is an electrical contractor and a philanthropist who has donated houses to the poor.
Recently, Ganesh celebrated his 50th birthday and instead of a lavish celebration, he cut a cake with a poor family to whom he gifted a two-bedroom house. “Hard work and determination helped me earn a decent living. I was born in a poor family and lived in a straw hut for the longest time. However, I am now in a well-to-do position and have the urge to help the needy,” he shared.
Lighting up homes
In 2000, Ganesh won the Betoli Gram Panchayat (now known as Arji panchayat) election by five votes. “During this time, I travelled across the panchayat limits and learnt about the living conditions of the people. I was re-elected to the panchayat in 2005 and served as vice-president. I then became a Taluk Panchayat member,” recalled Ganesh.
It was then that he came across a girl from a financially weak background who had scored 95 per cent in the SSLC examination. Her story went viral as she studied under an oil lamp, as the hut she lived in did not have electricity connection. “Her story inspired me and I enabled free electricity connection to her house,” he recalled.
Meanwhile, in 2023, during a routine panchayat survey, Ganesh was introduced to a tribe called Kala. “No one in the panchayat limits lived in such a pitiable condition as Kala and his family. I wanted to make a difference in his life and promised to build him a house,” he shared.
He constructed a four-bedroom house for Kala and the keys were handed over to the family on January 22, 2024, to coincide with the inauguration of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir. “I wanted to the day to have a special memory, so I handed over the keys on the day the Ram Mandir was inaugurated,” he added.
After
In April 2024, Ganesh was alerted about a family which had lost their house. “I am the taluk president for the Billava Community Association, and I was told that the house of a poor woman from the community had collapsed. I decided to build her a house,” he shared. He built a four-bedroom house for Kamala and her family, who had lost their shelter. He spent up to Rs 2.5 lakh each on the two houses.
After these donations, Ganesh was approached by many from financially weak families who sought his help. A total of five families from the panchayat limits reached out to him, seeking help for electricity connections to their houses. “I helped them get electricity connection free of cost,” he explained.
A birthday gift
To mark his 50th birthday celebration, Ganesh built a two-bedroom house for Shankru and Vasanthi’s family. “I was visiting the Theremekadu paisari area for some work when I met Shankru and his family. They were living in a straw hut that was nearing collapse. I assured them I would build them a house,” he said.
While the couple was living on paisari land, they received the rights for the land a few years ago. Spending Rs 1.60 lakh, Ganesh built a house on the land and handed over the keys to the house on his birthday. “A rich person looks forward to earning more assets, but we all have to leave this world behind one day. When you are alive, keep what is necessary and help those in need,” concluded Ganesh.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Bengaluru / by Pragna GR / January 12th, 2025
The Minister said the mandate for production, development, research and domestic marketing of spices other than cardamom is vested with Ministry of Agriculture & Farmer’s Welfare.
Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada /Credit: X/@JitinPrasada
New Delhi:
Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada on Tuesday said that black pepper production in Kodagu may increase by about 16 per cent in 2025-26 compared to 2024-25.
Replying Yaduveer Wadiyar question, the Minister said the mandate for production, development, research and domestic marketing of spices other than cardamom is vested with Ministry of Agriculture & Farmer’s Welfare. The Ministry informed that it has conducted a quick pre-harvest survey in Kodagu district which indicates that black pepper production in Kodagu may increase by about 16 per cent in 2025-26 compared to 2024-25, he said.
Spices Board under the “Sustainability in Spice Sector through Progressive, Innovative and Collaborative Interventions for Export Development (SPICED)” scheme provides assistance to the growers of spices, including pepper growers of Kodagu district for post-harvest improvement by providing pepper thresher, graders /cleaners etc, conducting capacity building programmes and undertaking market linkage initiatives organizes buyer seller meets, he said.
He further said at present the import policy for pepper is ‘Prohibited, with a provision permitting import only if the Cost Insurance & Freight (CIF) value is Rs. 500. per kg or above. The said MIP of Rs. 500/kg continues to remain in force and is not applicable to imports under Advance Authorization Scheme for export production, imports by 100% Export Oriented Units (EOU) and units in Special Economic Zones (SEZ) and imports for extraction of oleoresin for re-export by manufacturer-exporters, subject to applicable policy conditions, he said.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> India> Karnataka / by Ajith Athrady / March 11th, 2026
C.P. Belliappa’s A Slice of History: `Victoria Gowramma : The Lost Princess of Coorg’, brings to life the tragic tale of the princess from Coorg
A Slice of History: C.P.Belliappa’s `Victoria Gowramma : The Lost Princess of Coorg’. Photo: M. Vedhan
In a quiet corner of the Brompton Cemetery in London lies a 19th Century grave partially covered by undergrowth. The graceful stone cross above it is slightly broken, but the epitaph composed by Queen Victoria can still be read: “Sacred to the memory of the Princess Victoria Gouramma (sic), daughter of the ex-Raja of Coorg…”
That’s where the strange and tragic tale of Victoria Gowramma, the princess from Coorg who was raised Christian and became Queen Victoria’s goddaughter, ended in 1864. But, her story has come to light again in all its fascinating detail, thanks to C.P. Belliappa’s rigorously researched book “Victoria Gowramma: The Lost Princess of Coorg”, which was recently launched in the city.
“Historical writings on Coorg — mostly gazetteers by the British who lived there during the 19th Century — mention the story of Gowramma and her father, the exiled Raja Veerarajendra, in a paragraph or two,” says Belliappa, author of “Tale of a Tiger’s Tail & Other Yarns from Coorg” and “Nuggets from Coorg History”. “But the details were never there, and I got more and more inquisitive.”
Accidental discovery
His big break came when he accidentally stumbled upon three books written in the 19th Century by people who knew both the Raja and his daughter.
“I was able to download them — for free! — from www.archive.org, where old books are digitised and uploaded,” he says. “They were authentic, first-hand accounts, and comprised 75 per cent of the information I needed.”
The rest he found from the digital archives of The Times, London — reports of court functions and events that contained all sorts of interesting titbits of information. .
“Victoria Gowramma…” traces the intriguing series of events surrounding the princess’ journey to England with her father in 1852, and her difficult and often lonely life there subsequently. The various threads include the exiled Raja’s attempts to reclaim the wealth the British took from him (his reason for taking Gowramma to England in the first place), and the grand plans by Queen Victoria to match-make between Gowramma and another young royal convert to Christianity, Maharaja Duleep Singh of Punjab.
“Queen Victoria believed that if two royals converted to Christianity were married, and their children were born Christian, it would encourage more of their subjects to convert,” says Belliappa. “What’s interesting is that although the plan didn’t work, the Queen continued to be fond of Gowramma to the very end.”
Power dynamics
The book, then, is more than just a portrait of a princess; it gives you a glimpse into the political and religious power dynamics of the time. With its wealth of primary sources, it’s a solid historical work, though Belliappa admits that he was very tempted to go the historical fiction route. “I gave it a lot of thought, and decided finally that the facts themselves were so sensational that they didn’t need fictionalising,” he says.
Since the book’s release in England last year, the author has uncovered even more interesting nuggets of information — for instance, after a bit of detective work, he’s discovered that direct descendants of Gowramma live on to this day in Australia. “I have enough material to add at least an epilogue in future editions of the book,” he says. “It’s been a very exciting time.”
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Books / by Divya Kumari / March 04th, 2011
Padma Shri awardee Rani Machaiah, an exponent of the Ummathat folk dance of Kodagu, was chosen as the Coorg Person of the Year 2023 by a news and tourism portal.
According to the author and editor of the portal www.coorgtourisminfo.com P.T. Bopanna, Ms. Rani Machaiah’s selection was made on the basis of a poll conducted through the portal.
It may be mentioned here that the portal had chosen actor Rashmika Mandanna as the Coorg Person of the Year 2022.
In a statement here on Ms. Rani Machaiah’s selection for the year 2023, Mr. Bopanna said the Ummathat folk dance exponent was leading her troupe since 1984 and had trained thousands of students in the folk dance tradition in Kodagu.
Rani Machaiah had been presented with Padma Shri by President Droupadi Murmu in 2023. “Rani is known for teaching and popularising Ummathat, a traditional form of Kodagu danced by women dressed in red brocade saris draped in Kodava style and wearing traditional Kodava jewellery. They dance gracefully in circles around a lit pedestal lamp to the rhythm of hand-held brass cymbals, which they beat as they dance to the accompaniment of folk songs sung by two or more women. The dance is devoted to Goddess Kaveri (the river which takes its birth in Kodagu and is considered as their mother goddess by Kodavas). It is performed mostly during the harvest festival Puthari,” said a statement issued by Mr. Bopanna.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / January 04th, 2024
Deputy Commissioner S.J. Somashekhar releasing the posters made for the district-wide survey of ancient manuscripts under the State government’s Jnana Bharatham Mission in Madikeri on Friday. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Kodagu Deputy Commissioner S.J. Somashekhar has directed officials to complete the district-wide survey of ancient manuscripts by the end of May under the State government’s Jnana Bharatham Mission.
Presiding over a preparatory meeting at his office on Friday, Mr. Somashekhar emphasised that manuscripts — handwritten on palm leaves, paper, and other materials — are invaluable repositories of history, literature, culture, and traditional knowledge, reflecting the intellectual wealth of past generations.
He instructed the Departments of Archaeology and Tourism to take immediate steps for the systematic collection, scientific preservation, and digitisation of manuscripts. Highlighting Kodagu’s rich historical legacy, he said identifying and digitising rare manuscripts must be treated as a priority.
“Manuscripts serve as vital sources to understand social and cultural history. They contain rare knowledge on epics, poetry, grammar, Ayurveda, and philosophy,” he said, adding that they also help decode ancient scripts and linguistic styles.
Mr. Somashekhar called for involving historians, literary enthusiasts, and senior citizens in identifying manuscripts. He suggested that documents be collected for scanning and safely returned to their owners to build trust and encourage wider participation.
He said the State government, in its 2025–26 Budget, has announced the Jnana Bharatham Mission as a flagship initiative aimed at reviving and safeguarding manuscript heritage through surveys, documentation, and digitisation. The government has urged citizens to upload details of manuscripts available in their homes or nearby locations using the Jnana Bharatham app or share information with district survey teams.
Archaeology Department Curator Rekha said manuscripts are likely to be found in temples such as Omkareshwara and Paloor Mahalingeshwara, as well as in mutts, traditional ainmanes (ancestral homes), and storage repositories.
Project District Coordinator Karthikeyan said the survey is being conducted across Karnataka in coordination with the Departments of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage, and Tourism. He added that creating a comprehensive digital archive would help preserve the district’s unique historical identity for future generations.
Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa College principal Raghav, Tourism Department consultant Jatin and other officials were present.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / April 11th, 2026
Kodagu Deputy Commissioner S.J. Somashekar said sincere efforts will be made to provide land to set up canteens, community halls, and hospitals for ex-servicemen in the district.
After listening to the grievances of ex-servicemen and their dependents at the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Madikeri on Tuesday, Mr. Somashekar said land will be reserved on a priority basis for constructing community halls for ex-servicemen in Madikeri and Ponnampet.
After ex-serviceman Chengappa informed the Deputy Commissioner that many ex-servicemen are sustaining themselves by cultivating small plots near their villages, requesting the authorities to formalise ownership of this land, Mr. Somashekar stated that he would look into the possibility of converting the land, up to one or two acres, cultivated by the ex-servicemen into their names and issuing them a Record of Rights, Tenancy and Crops (RTC). He assured that appropriate action would be taken in accordance with the rules.
A request would also be submitted to the government to relax the regulations regarding land allotment to ex-servicemen, he said.
When Mr. Chengappa brought to his notice that over 50% of ex-servicemen and their dependents do not own houses, the Deputy Commissioner said the issue of providing sites and houses to ex-servicemen will be examined and brought to the attention of the government.
“Discussions will also be held with concerned authorities to reserve sites for ex-servicemen in private layouts developed across the district,” Mr. Somashekar said.
Responding to a suggestion from the president of Kodagu District Ex-Servicemen’s Association, Major General (Retd.) B.A. Cariappa, the Deputy Commissioner, said ex-servicemen would henceforth be invited to the birth anniversary programmes of Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa and General K.S. Thimaiah.
In addition, to effectively address the grievances of ex-servicemen, he instructed that hearings take place at the taluk level in the presence of Assistant Commissioners, and that an ex-servicemen’s adalat be organised every two months by the respective Tahsildars.
The Deputy Commissioner also assured that individual land-related files would be examined in accordance with rules to ensure justice.
He directed officials to ensure that ex-servicemen visiting government offices be treated with dignity and respect.
Earlier, Mr. Cariappa, representing the District Ex-Servicemen’s Association, said ex-servicemen have served in high-altitude regions like Jammu and Kashmir and they must be provided at least basic facilities like hospitals and canteens, besides community halls.
An ex-serviceman shared a personal grievance and said his family members had denied him his rightful share of ancestral property during his service and requested the authorities to intervene so that he could receive his rightful share. Pointing out that he was currently eking out a living working as a security guard in Mysuru and Bengaluru, he appealed to the Deputy Commissioner to intervene.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / April 18th, 2026
Deputy Commissioner S.J. Somashekar chairing a review meeting on the progress of door-to-door survey in the ongoing Census 2027, in Kodagu district on Monday. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Deputy Commissioner of Kodagu S.J. Somashekar reviewed the progress of the door-to-door survey as part of the ongoing Census 2027 and directed the officials to expedite the process.
Chairing a meeting in Madikeri on Monday, Mr. Somashekar said Kodagu district currently stood in the 15th place in the State in terms of progress in the ongoing houselisting enumeration and directed the officials to achieve substantial progress by the end of this month.
The Tahsildars, Taluk Panchayat Executive Officers, Block Education Officers, and Chief Officers of municipalities and town panchayats, who have been designated as nodal officers, were instructed to ensure that no household is left out within their respective jurisdictions.
Meanwhile, 999 enumerators have already been deployed across the district for the house-to-house census work, including 187 in Madikeri taluk, 61 in Madikeri town, 186 in Somwarpet taluk, 12 in Somwarpet town panchayat, 133 in Virajpet taluk, 36 in Virajpet municipality, 161 in Ponnampet taluk, 19 in Ponnampet town panchayat and 158 in Kushalnagar taluk and 46 in Kushalnagar municipality.
Additionally, 172 personnel have been assigned as Census supervisors, and about 10% of enumerators have been kept in reserve, the Deputy Commissioner said.
During the comprehensive review of the progress of house enumeration in Madikeri, Somwarpet, Kushalnagar, Virajpet, and Ponnampet taluks, the officials briefed the meeting on the status of house mapping, numbering, and field mapping activities.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News>India / by The Hindu Bureau / April 28th, 2026
Dhanyata M Poovaiah writes about Kodagu’s paddy varieties, festivals linked to the agrarian calendar and traditional rice dishes.
Vasudha and Krishna (in purple) varieties of paddy being cultivated near Ponnampet in Kodagu. Photo by Ravi Shankar
Kodagu today is synonymous with its lush, aromatic coffee plantations. But long before coffee arrived with the British, the region’s identity was rooted in paddy cultivation.
Kodagu transitioned from paddy to coffee only in the late 20th century, as coffee plantations turned to be more profitable and less labour-intensive. In recent years, real estate development has resulted in the conversion of paddy fields into non-agricultural land.
Yet, rice continues to be the staple diet in Kodagu and remains an important crop, cultivated in around 14,000 hectares in the district. Consequently, the cultural life of the region is intertwined with the various phases of paddy cultivation.
The Kodava New Year, Edmyar Ondh, celebrated in Mid-April, marks the beginning of the paddy cycle. The year is ushered in with ploughing of the paddy fields. During Kodava Kakkada, the peak monsoon month from mid-July to mid-August, paddy saplings are transplanted. On the 18th day of Kakkada, known as Kakkada Padhinett, maddh payasa, a special dessert is prepared from a plant locally called maddh thoppu (medicinal plant). This plant (Justicia wynaadensis) is known to have several medicinal properties which helps boost immunity.
The Kailpodh festival, celebrated on September 3 every year, marks the completion of transplantation and offers a period to relax after the hard labour.
Puthari, celebrated in the Birchiyar month between November and December, marks the harvest of paddy.
“Since Kodagu is blessed with abundant rainfall, paddy cultivation is entirely rainfed and cultivated as a single-season Kharif crop in the lowlands,” says Dr Prashantha C, Assistant Professor of Entomology and Head of the Agricultural and Horticultural Research Station, Ponnampet.
“From December to March, the focus shifts to coffee harvesting and processing,” he adds.
Local paddy varieties, known for their flavour and aroma, are largely grown for self-consumption. “High-yielding varieties meant for commercial use are declining due to reduced returns,” adds Dr Prashantha.
Labour shortages and increasing human-animal conflict have also discouraged farmers from continuing paddy cultivation.
However, Kodagu is still home to several varieties of paddy. Among the indigenous varieties are Jeerige Sanna, BKB – developed by agriculturist Baduvanda K Belliappa, Biliya, Rajamudi, Doddi and Boliya, while popular high-yielding varieties include Tunga, KPR-1, Athira, BR-2655, MTU 1001 and IR 64.
“Indigenous varieties such as BKB and Doddi grow up to 3.5 feet in height and are a good source of fodder for the cattle. However, they are low-yielding and require 150 days to mature. High-yielding hybrid varieties such as Athira grow 2 to 2.5 ft and have less straw. These varieties mature at 120 days and usually require mechanical harvesters,” says Koniyanda Sanju Somaiah, an agriculturist.
Varietal conservation
According to seed conservationist Ravi Shankar B P, paddy varieties from any part of the country can be grown in Kodagu. Only the yield may vary. He has conserved over 100 varieties of paddy from across the world including the Kala Namak (Buddha rice) from Uttar Pradesh and Magic rice (Komal Saul) from Assam, and wishes to preserve several other unique rice varieties.
“With proper techniques, yields of paddy can be increased fivefold. This involves proper water management and in-situ green manuring. Under this method of manuring, short duration leguminous crops such as cowpea are grown in the field and are incorporated into the soil after sufficient growth, before the paddy saplings are transplanted. This improves soil fertility and its physical, chemical and biological properties, while reducing the need for external manure,” says Ravi Shankar.
Local varieties yield around 10–15 quintals per acre, while high-yielding varieties can produce 25–33 quintals per acre.
Paddy cultivation plays a vital ecological role as well. Waterlogged fields can help recharge groundwater, depending on soil and local conditions.
“The rise in the water table ensures that lakes, ponds and streams do not go dry even during summer” says Dr Veerendra K V, Scientist (Plant Protection) at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Gonikoppal.
“Government schemes currently support farmers through subsidies on machinery, paddy seeds, pesticides, bio-fertilisers and green manuring crop seeds. However, increasing the minimum support price and offering other monetary benefits for cultivators will ensure increased paddy cultivation in the region,” he adds.
At present, procurement delays and storage challenges continue to deter farmers. While harvesting takes place in November–December, procurement happens only in February–March.
On the table
According to chef Naren Thimmaiah, Kodavas traditionally consumed pukkalakki (boiled rice) as their staple. Jeerige Sanna was used to prepare pulav and ghee rice on special occasions. However, since the mid-20th century, the white BKB variety has been widely adopted in the region. BKB and Jeerige Sanna varieties are also used to prepare otti, noolputt, kadambutt, paputt and thaliyaputt and payasa.
“In Kodava cuisine, pairing the right curry with the main rice-based dish is essential,” adds Naren.
Naada mann, naada kool’ (my soil, my rice) is a popular saying in Kodagu, reflecting the belief that instead of abandoning rice cultivation, each family should maintain at least a small patch. “For this, government support is crucial,” notes Ravi Shankar.
Women workers bundle paddy seedlings for transplantation in a field near Ponnampet in Kodagu. Photos by Ravi Shankar
Workers with harvested paddy. Photo by Ravi Shankar
A paddy field near Ponnampet. Photo by Ravi Shankar
A paddy field near Ponnampet. Photo by Ravi Shankar
source: www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> India>Karnataka / by Dhanyata M Poovaiah / April 09th, 2026
Indian tennis legend Rohan Bopanna reflects on his journey in the sport from a late start in Coorg to Grand Slam success and becoming World No.1 in doubles at the age of 43.
Rohan Bopanna officially retired from tennis in November 2025 at the age of 45. Image: Reuters
In an interview with ATP Tour last year after his retirement announcement, Rohan Bopanna had this to say when asked about his career – “I think my career is a story of patience, discipline and self-belief.”
He wasn’t exaggerating. Ask any sports psychologist worth his or her salt and they will tell you that Rohan Bopanna’s tennis career can be a case study in those three simple and yet absolutely invaluable qualities – patience, discipline and self-belief. After all, he went from almost quitting the sport in 2021 to enjoying the best phase of his career in which he won the Australian Open men’s doubles title in 2024 and became the oldest man to climb to the very pinnacle of the ATP doubles rankings.
With Bopanna bringing the curtain down on his tennis career last year, Indian tennis bid adieu to the last of the “Fab-Four” who conquered the Grand Slams. A look back at his incredible journey in which he truly peaked past the age of 35 and continued to play at the highest level despite “no cartilage” in his knees due to “severe long-term wear and tear”, makes for fascinating reading.
The tennis journey, for Rohan, began later than most others who take up the sport professionally. Studies have shown that most tennis pros pick up the sport between the ages of four and seven. Rohan was 11 when he started playing tennis – an age when most of his peers were already mastering tactical and technical skills. Most coaches will tell you that it is very, very difficult for someone to start playing tennis at 11 and then go on to become a professional player on the Tour. It takes significant talent, training, investment and also mental toughness. In his case it was the challenges that drove him to excel.
“I started playing tennis relatively late at age 11, though sports were always central to my life in Coorg. Initially driven by curiosity and competition, I quickly fell in love with the individual challenge of being on court and figuring things out on my own,” Bopanna told Firstpost in an exclusive interview.
Rohan Bopanna won the Australian Open men’s doubles title in 2024 at the age of 44. Image: Reuters
Bopanna on forming Indo-Pak Express with Aisam
Bopanna was born and grew up in picturesque Coorg. Dubbed “the Scotland of India”, Coorg is of course famous for its coffee plantations, moss-covered hills and stunning Western Ghats landscapes. What it is not known for are tennis academies. His father played a pivotal role in helping him pursue his passion, including building a tennis court on their coffee plantation estate in Coorg. That gave him the wings he needed to fly. He moved to an academy in Pune when he was 14 and had to go through quite the grind. Though he turned professional in 2003 and played both singles and doubles (reached a world ranking of 213 in singles in 2007), it wasn’t until 2010 that he really understood the path he needed to exclusively follow – the path of the doubles game. In 2010 Bopanna reached the final of the US Open men’s doubles with Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, the other half of the famous “Indo-Pak Express”. And that was what convinced Bopanna that he needed to focus on the doubles game.
“Reaching the 2010 US Open final with Aisam was a major turning point. It gave me the clarity that I could compete consistently at the highest level in doubles. I decided to commit fully to the format to maximize my strengths,” Bopanna further told Firstpost.
The Indo-Pak Express followed up that US Open success with the 2011 Paris Masters title. The duo in fact, went on to win titles on all three surfaces (grass, clay and hard) and the list includes the 2011 Stockholm Open, the 2011 Halle Open, the 2010 South Africa Tennis Open, and the 2014 Dubai Tennis Championships. Bopanna and Aisam subsequently also reunited in 2021 after a seven-year split. Overall, across doubles and mixed doubles (in which he won the 2017 French Open title) the list of Bopanna’s tennis partners makes for very impressive reading. It includes Mahesh Bhupathi (played with him in the 2012 London Olympics), Leander Paes (played with him in the 2016 Rio Olympics), Divij Sharan (won the 2018 Asian Games men’s doubles gold medal with him), Edouard Roger-Vasselin (reached the 2013 Wimbledon semi-finals with him), Matthew Ebden (won the 2024 Australian Open with him), Aisam, along with Ivan Dodig, Denis Shapovalov, Pablo Cuevas, Florin Mergea, and N Sriram Balaji. In the mixed doubles he played alongside the likes of Gabriela Dabrowski (won the 2017 French Open title with her), Sania Mirza (reached the 2023 Australian Open final and the semi-finals of the 2016 Rio Olympics), Timea Babos (reached the 2018 Australian Open final) and Rutuja Bhosale (won the 2022 Asian Games mixed doubles gold medal with her).
Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi of Pakistan and a young Rohan Bopanna celebrate a win in 2011. Image: Reuters
“I shared a natural chemistry with Mahesh Bhupathi and Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi that translated into great results. In mixed doubles, playing with Sania Mirza was special because our deep friendship built a foundation of trust on the big stages,” Bopanna further shared with Firstpost.
Notably, Rohan and Aisam launched the “Stop War, Start Tennis” peace campaign and were conferred with the 2010 Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year award for promoting peace through tennis.
When Bopanna came close to quitting tennis
Like any other professional sports career, Bopanna’s too, saw some real dark lows. He came very close to quitting the sport twice – once in 2019 and then again in 2021. The first was after he discovered that he had “no cartilage” left in his knees, which of course severely affected his mobility and left him in a lot of pain. Bopanna in fact has gone on record in the past to say that he was having two to three painkillers a day. What really helped was Iyengar yoga – something he began practising during the Covid pandemic, doing one and half hour sessions, four times a week. The second really low phase was when he just wasn’t managing to win matches post Covid. The “hard quarantine” he was under in Melbourne was beginning to take its toll. After the Covid lockdowns were lifted and he went back to pro tennis, Bopanna lost his opening seven tour-level matches, going five months without a win. The then 41-year-old seriously contemplated retirement at the time. It is famously documented how a conversation with his wife, Supriya, who asked him to treat this as “a new challenge rather than a limitation” made him change his mind. What followed was the best phase of his career. It was then that Bopanna, as he told ATPTour.com- “started playing my best tennis.”
“Tennis has made me mentally resilient, teaching me to stay grounded through both success and failure. Beyond the court, I am grateful for the global community I’ve built; I have friends in nearly 50 countries who offer a perspective on the world that goes far beyond the tour,” Bopanna further told Firstpost.
Anyone who has tracked Bopanna’s career will, of course, be curious to know just how it felt to have that incredible second wind, where he found himself as the oldest first-time world number one in men’s doubles, at 43 – something that he ensured for himself when he and Ebden beat Argentina’s Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni in straight sets at the 2024 Australian Open. So, what did that mean to him? I had to ask him that.
“Reaching World No. 1 was special because it represented longevity and the belief that age is not a limitation if you take care of your body and stay hungry for success,” was Rohan’s answer – something that can well be a mantra for youngsters who are just picking up the sport.
Of course, Bopanna and Ebden didn’t just stop there – they went on to win the whole thing, beating Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori in the final. He was 43 years, 10 months, and 24 days old. This was a significant achievement for Bopanna, who in 17 previous appearances at the Australian Open had never progressed beyond the third round in the men’s doubles draw. It was also yet another indicator of just how successful the late blooming phase, if one can call it that, was for one of Indian tennis’ biggest legends. The cherry on the cake (though technically the announcement was made one day before the final) was Bops being conferred with India’s fourth-highest civilian honour – the Padma Shri. He had come a long way from deciding to focus on the doubles game in 2010. A few smart decisions yielded great returns in ensuring that he continued to remain a force to be reckoned with well into his 40s.
“The 2010 US Open gave me the initial belief. The second turning point came much later when I invested in a full-time physio. Prioritizing recovery and smarter scheduling allowed me to extend my career and play my best tennis into my 40s,” Bopanna further told Firstpost.
Bopanna reveals his sweetest victory
Apart from his achievements on the Tour, Bopanna has served Indian tennis diligently over many, many years. Apart from winning two Asian Games gold medals – one each in the men’s doubles and mixed doubles – he has represented the country in three editions of the Olympics (2012, 2016, 2024) and also played Davis Cup for India over two decades – from 2002 to 2023, collecting the Arjuna Award (2018) and of course the Padma Shri (2024).
So, I asked him – “You have two Grand Slam titles under your belt, but you also have two Asian Games gold medals and won multiple Davis Cup matches. Looking back at your career, if you had to pick the sweetest victory of them all, which one would it be?”
This is Bopanna, who famously told the chair umpire that a ball that had been ruled out when struck by his opponents in a crucial phase of the final of the 2023 US Open men’s doubles had actually touched his elbow. No one saw that happen and the point had already been awarded to Bopanna and Ebden. So, I was of course expecting an honest answer.
“The Australian Open title is a career highlight as the culmination of years of effort. However, representing India in the Davis Cup or Asian Games always carries a unique emotional value,” the two-time Grand Slam champion said.
Bopanna and Australia’s Matthew Ebden celebrate the men’s doubles final win at Australian Open. Image: Reuters
Post retirement, Bopanna’s biggest focus now is to help Indian tennis as best as possible. The Rohan Bopanna tennis academy is doing some great work, targeting structured coaching pathways for youngsters that fuels holistic development and high-performance training and mentorship. And you can bet that three of the core personal values being taught there are – patience, discipline and self-belief.
source: http://www.firstpost.com / FirstPost. / Home / by Akaash Dasgupta / April 27th, 2026
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