Category Archives: Records, All

Dr. Padma Shekar has her roots in Kodagu

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Madikeri:

Dr. Padma Shekar, a native of Kodagu, a litterateur, education expert, researcher and retired Vice-Chancellor, is among 69 achievers chosen for this year’s Karnataka Rajyotsava Award.

Dr. Padma hails from Thorenur village, Kushalnagar taluk in Kodagu district. She has served as the Professor and Chairperson of Department of Studies in Jainology and Prakrit, University of Mysore, Director of Centre for Women’s Studies, University of Mysore and Chairperson of Department of Studies in Christianity, University of Mysore.

A recipient of several awards in the fields of research and literature, she is currently a resident of ‘Preeti Nilaya’, Vijayanagar Second Stage, Mysuru.

Elated by the decision of the State Government to consider her for the award, Dr. Padma Shekar said “I had been a recipient of several awards in the field of literature. Now, I have been awarded for the service rendered in the field of education, which is very close to my heart, that has brought immense joy and happiness for me.”

“I have worked in the field of education for 40 years and it was during my tenure in office that, Karnataka Sanskrit University and Department of Studies in Jainology and Prakrit, University of Mysore.

The Government has taken cognisance of all these achievements. I humbly recall all those who have nurtured my growth from a remote village to the level of a Professor.

I will especially thank former CM Dr. M. Veerappa Moily and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his Government. I was born in Virajpet, Kodagu, where I spent my childhood. I was also the Chairperson of 11th District Kannada Sahitya Sammelan,” said Dr. Padma Shekar, recalling her achievements with pride.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / October 31st, 2024

N.R. Mohalla Sri Kavery Kodava Meet

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Mysuru:

The 24th annual get-together of N.R. Mohalla Sri Kavery Kodava Okkoota was held recently at Kodagu Sahakara Sangha in Jayalakshmipuram.

The day-long meet comprised Bolakaat, Kodavaat, sports and cultural programmes.

Chottemanda Geetha Ashok conducted sports while Bolakaat and cultural events were performed under the guidance of Chottemanda Lalu, Deekshitha, Kotera Kushalappa, Kodira Pushpa and Kotera Revathi Kushalappa. Okkoota President Kodira Prakash Nanaiah, Secretary Madetira Sunil Somanna.

Committee Members Bachiranayanda Prasanna, Narapanda Sannu Mandappa, Kotera Suresh Kushalappa, Atrangada Praveen Poovanna, Choteyanda Smitha Poonacha, Balyatanda Sarasu Kushalappa, Chottemanda Lalu Mohan and Ajjinikanda Chittiappa were present.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / November 13th, 2024

Codavas relentless in saving their heritage

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Buttanagal (Kodagu district):

The Kodava National Council (CNC) organised a human chain demonstration at Buttanagal Junction today, highlighting the rampant misuse of the Karnataka Land Reforms Amendment Act and its devastating consequences on Kodava culture and the region’s ecology. CNC President N. U. Nachappa voiced strong opposition, condemning land grabs facilitated by loopholes in the 2020-21 amendments, impacting the Kodava heartland, including Perumbadi, Balugodu, Nangala, and Buttanagal.

A major concern raised was the ongoing encroachment by external investors, corporate entities, and resort mafias, who are allegedly exploiting fertile agricultural lands and jeopardising the tributaries of the sacred River Cauvery.

Siddaur’s historic BBTC coffee estates, spanning 2,400 acres, are now under threat of urban conversion by powerful external interests. According to CNC, these exploitative developments are destroying green landscapes, contaminating water resources, and undermining Kodava heritage, including sacred spaces like “Mand” and village deities.

Nachappa highlighted a significant case in Nangala, where a businessman from Andhra Pradesh has reportedly acquired 50 acres and plans to construct a massive resort, scaring local residents and threatening essential water catchments. The CNC President also alleged that a prominent Parliament member from South India is using unaccounted wealth to fund real estate acquisitions in Kodava Land, aiming to establish economic corridors and mega-cities at the expense of local communities. Substantial donations are being made to prestigious Kodava clubs to suppress opposition.

The CNC argues that external economic forces are transforming Kodava Land into a playground for urban expansion, negatively affecting agriculture, forest resources, and water systems. The council warns of severe demographic shifts if unchecked migration occurs, with outsiders obtaining local IDs through fraudulent means and becoming beneficiaries of government schemes, thereby destabilising the area’s social fabric.

The CNC further accused resort developers of manipulating regulations to degrade the environment, drawing a direct link to large-scale deforestation and ecological harm. Comparisons were made to Wayanad, Kerala, where similar activities have led to catastrophic landslides and flooding. Nachappa reiterated that only Scheduled Tribe status and self-determination rights for Kodavas can curb the destruction and protect their land.

Echoing the sentiment, CNC members protested against luxury estates and villa projects that are obliterating traditional Kodava home-stay practices and disrespecting the local way of life. The council pointed out the selective application of environmental laws, which are lenient on powerful resort owners but stringent on Kodava farmers. Highlighting corrupt practices, CNC claimed that resort mafias, aided by local and state political support, are destabilising the region.

The protest ended with an urgent call for unity among Kodavas to resist these land reforms and preserve the natural and cultural wealth of Kodava Land.

source: http://www.thehansindia.com / The Hans India / Home> News> State> Karnataka / by M Raghuram / Hans News Service / November 06th, 2024

8th edition of Barefoot Marathon on Sunday-Dec. 8

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Kodagu:

The 8th edition of Barefoot Marathon will be held on Dec. 8 (Sunday).

The event, which is a fund-raiser for The Coorg Wellness Foundation, set up for the wellness of people, wildlife and ecology of Kodagu, will be flagged from Tata Coffee Sports Grounds at Pollibetta, at 6 am.

Bib distribution will be done Dec. 7 between 11 am to 1 pm. 

To volunteer, contact Varun on Mob: 96868-55539 and for accommodation, call Ricky Monappa on Mob: 96323-38111.

For registration, interested may log on to https://youtoocanrun.com/races/the-barefoot-marathon-8th-december-2024/

The Marathon will be held in five categories — Full Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K Run, 5K Run and 1.5K Run.

The registration fee for all categories is Rs. 1,000 which includes brunch and T-shirt.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News (headline edited) / November 04th, 2024

Diya Bhemaiah of Kodagu wins one silver and one bronze medal in National Badminton

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In the recently held 36th Sub-Junior Yonex Sunrise National Badminton Tournament at Chennai, Boppanda Diya Bhimaiah of Kodagu has won silver medal in doubles.

Diya, the state’s top ranked player, represented Karnataka in under-17 singles, doubles and mixed doubles.  Diya Bhemaiah was defeated in the quarter finals by the unbeaten Tanvi Patri who emerged as the champion. 

Diya is a student of Vidyashram College, Mysore.  Diya has achieved commendable results in the three categories which she participated in.

She is training under Medura Arun Pemmaiah and Boppanda Bhimaiah at Sports Park, Mysore.

source: http://www.clnnews.in / Coffee Land News / Home> Sports / by CLN Staff / November 01st, 2024

Outstanding performance by Madikeri Centre in the National Level Brainobrain Abacus Competition

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In the recently held National Level Brainobrain Abacus Competition, held at the Chennai Trade Centre, Chennai over 8200 children, from all over India participated.

Madikeri centre headed by Mapangada Kavitha Karumbaiah participated with 23 children and eventually won 14 Champion Trophies, 8 Gold Topper Medals and 1 Silver Topper Medal, getting a 100% result.

Kavitha Karumbaiah attributed the entire credit to the children, who performed in those 3 minutes and the parents, who took the initiative to take the children to Chennai in spite of heavy rains and flood alerts.

The occasion was graced by Anand Subramanian (MD Brainobrain International); Arul Subramanian (Director Technical); all the Master Franchisees of various States, Franchisees and Faculties

The Champion Tropies were won by Kanisha Sunith Kumar; Nilah J. Tharakan; Pariksha A.L.; Pavani K. Kunder ; Aradhya K.C.; Ayden J. Tharakan;  Charvi Dechamma S.A.; Drupad P. Manikoth; Livya Sunith Kumar; Yaanvi Bojamma M.P.; Aluf A.R.; George Matthew ; Naman M.Gowda; Mia Arun;

The Gold Topper Medals were won by Kushan Devappa Y.D.; Joanna Madtha; Tiya Kishor; Ronith Ganapathi A.S.; Aaron Albert; Raivath Patel N.R.; Gaanavi Gangamma C.V.; and Adith Gautham K.

The Silver Topper Medal was won by Alfa A.R.

source: http://www.clnnews.in / Coffee Land News / Home> Events / by CLN Staff / November 01st, 2024

Excels in boxing competition

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Mysuru:

Allumada A. Saanchi Bollamma (kneeling extreme right), who represented Bengaluru Urban Division in above 63-kg category (women), won gold medal in the recently held Dasara CM Cup-2024 for elite men and women, organised by the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports at Chamundi Vihar Stadium in Mysuru.

Saanchi was declared as Best Boxer in elite women category.

Jiya of Belagavi Division won the silver medal while Roshni Muthanna of Mysuru Divison and Divyashree of Bengaluru Rural Division won the bronze medals.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports / October 21st, 2024

Kodava Ain Mane established at Dakshinachitra Museum in Chennai

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The work for the Ain Mane at Dakshinachitra Museum began in June 2023 and the same is ready to be inaugurated today.

The Ain Mane established at the Dakshinachitra Museum in Chennai.(Photo | Express)

Madikeri :

The Kodava Ain Mane forms the epicenter of the culture of Kodava community. The Ain Mane aka ancestral house act as curators of the Kodava traditions and culture. With an aim to introduce these traditional edifices to the world, a model of the Ain Mane will now be inaugurated at the Dakshinachitra Museum in Chennai today.

Dakshinachitra is a cultural living museum of art, architecture, lifestyle, performing arts and craft. The museum is home to 18 traditional houses that depict the unique culture of South India. And as a 19th addition to the museum, a traditional Kodava Ain Mane has now been established at the center in Chennai and depicts the rich culture of the Kodava community.

“Our long search for an Ain Mane from Kodagu bore fruit in 2022. We acquired and dismantled the 1852 built Kodira family Ain Mane in Kodagu. The entire house was documented in detail and all the wooden elements were numbered, dismantled and transported to Dakshinachitra Museum in early 2023,” shared Rathi Vinay Jha, former secretary of the tourism department, member of the Sandooka Museum Trust and Life Trustee of Daskhinachitra Museum who headed the Kodava Ain Mane project. She was earlier involved in curating materials for the Sandooka Virtual Kodava museum.

The work for the Ain Mane at Dakshinachitra Museum began in June 2023 and the same is ready to be inaugurated today. The Ain Mane is lined with materials that exhibit the unique culture, traditions, rituals, folk culture, attire and cuisine of the Kodava community.

The project was supported by the CSR wing of Hyundai Motors and Mobis India Foundation. As confirmed by Rathi, a Kodava troupe from Kodagu will perform at Dakshinachitra today and tomorrow during the inaugural ceremony.

“The Dakshinachitra Museum managed by Madras Craft Foundation showcases ancestral homes from all the Southern States. The museum is 35 years old and they already have 18 such ancestral homes. The Kodava House will be the 19th such house. The Kodava house will showcase the culture and heritage of Kodavas and Kodagu,” she concluded. 

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Karnataka / by Pragna GR / October 22nd, 2024

Rapid mapping of landslides

Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, All, ,

An open source tool that can substitute traditional, labour-intensive methods

A manual map of landslide extent (left) and the extent as shown by ML-CASCADE (right). Credit: Nirdesh Kumar Sharma, Manabendra Saharia

__________________________________________________________________

Scientists have developed a machine learning and cloud computing-based tool that can map landslide clusters in five minutes and simple events in just two, crucial for improving post-disaster risk and damage assessment1.

Understanding and mitigating landslides is challenging owing to the lack of spatial and temporal data. In a recent study, scientists at the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi demonstrated how ML-CASCADE can be used to rapidly measure landslides using satellite data.

The semi-automatic method combines satellite data, terrain data, vegetation indices (measures of plant health), and machine learning. It uses pre- and post-event images from the Earth observation Sentinel-2 satellites, along with terrain factors, to classify areas as landslide or non-landslide. The application runs on Google Earth Engine’s cloud computing platform, allowing users to generate landslide maps instantly.

The tool’s effectiveness was demonstrated using two case studies — the Kodagu landslide in Karnataka’s Western Ghats and the Kotrupi landslide in Himachal Pradesh’s Himalayas. For Kodagu, ML- CASCADE produced a precise landslide map in five minutes, which closely matched expert assessments. Similarly, the tool accurately captured the Kotrupi landslide’s extent in under a minute, matching existing manual and semi-automated methods.

ML-CASCADE’s advantages include speed, accessibility, and adaptability to varied terrain, making it suitable for low-resource settings. Its disadvantages are that, it may overestimate areas near riverbanks, and it relies on user-supplied training samples which introduces some subjectivity.

Future work could involve refining the tool’s accuracy in different terrains and integrating it with other disaster management systems.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d44151-024-00178-5

[This research highlight was partially generated using artificial intelligence and edited by a staff member of Nature India.]

References

  1. Sharma, N. & Saharia, M. Landslides (2024).

source: http://www.nature.com / Nature India / Home> Nature> Nature India> Research Highlights> Article / Ocotober 29th, 2024

Karnataka Tourism Launches ‘Connect Kodagu’ to Showcase Sustainable Tourism in Madikeri

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The Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) has launched the ‘Connect Kodagu’ initiative in Madikeri, unveiling a comprehensive plan to elevate Kodagu as a prime example of sustainable tourism.

Through this initiative, KSTDC aims to promote eco-friendly travel practices, enhance visitor facilities, and preserve the natural beauty of the Kodagu district, a region renowned for its scenic landscapes and rich cultural heritage.

The program gathered local tourism organizations and district officials to discuss actionable steps to ensure a responsible tourism approach that aligns with the needs of both the environment and the visitors.

Among the key measures discussed were upgrades to tourist amenities, tighter control over unauthorized wine production, and collaborative efforts with health and law enforcement agencies to ensure quality standards for local products. KSTDC’s vision is to build a cohesive tourism ecosystem where environmental stewardship is balanced with visitor satisfaction, creating a memorable and responsible experience for all who visit Kodagu.

Kodagu’s popularity as a destination for solo travelers and wellness enthusiasts has been steadily growing, thanks to its peaceful ambiance and potential for health-oriented tourism. To add cultural depth to visitors’ experiences, the initiative includes plans to convert historic local homes into unique lodging options, drawing inspiration from similar projects in North India. Infrastructure enhancements were also highlighted, with the proposed addition of essential facilities such as restrooms and small retail outlets at intervals along key highways to support visitor needs.

As part of its forward-looking strategy, KSTDC and the Kodagu administration are set to release a coffee table book showcasing the district’s many attractions, from scenic spots to cultural landmarks. Additionally, a tourism app is under development, designed to provide tourists with easy access to information on local sites, activities, and services. The initiative has already garnered strong backing from regional tourism associations, which view ‘Connect Kodagu’ as a landmark effort to position Kodagu as a sustainable and culturally enriching destination in India.

Through the ‘Connect Kodagu’ initiative, KSTDC is setting a precedent in the tourism industry by not only addressing current challenges but also proactively planning for the future. By focusing on environmental preservation, cultural authenticity, and infrastructure development, KSTDC aims to create a tourism model that other regions in India could follow. This program underscores the importance of sustainable tourism in fostering economic growth while protecting the region’s ecological and cultural wealth.

source: http://www.travelandtourworld.com / Trave and Tour World / Home> India Travel News / October 29th, 2024