Category Archives: Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg

Tributes to M.M. Kaveriappa

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg

A tribute to M. M Kaveriappa, Founder of Deenabandhu Charity

M.M. Kaveriappa (inset) participating in an MGP protest held in 1995 against the construction of a building in Cheluvamba Park.
M.M. Kaveriappa (inset) participating in an MGP protest held in 1995 against the construction of a building in Cheluvamba Park.

Sir,

It is with great sadness I read about the passing of M.M. Kaveriappa in Star of Mysore recently. Besides his involvement with Deenabandhu Trust, he was also involved with the activities of MGP and Mysore Lok Swaraj Andolana (MLSA).

At MGP, his relentless fight to get justice in a stock market related problem with shocking number of adjournments will always be remembered to show how Consumer Courts have not been able to implement the true spirit of Consumer Protection Act. Under CPA, there must be very few adjournments. But his case showed how it was ignored.

As a member of MLSA, he took active interest to promote the involvement of professionals in electoral process, an activity most consider below their dignity.

With his passing away, Mysore has lost one more social worker this year after Dr. H.A.B. Parpia.

— Bhamy V. Shenoy, Mysore, 03.10.2013
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Farewell Friend & Mentor !

Sir,

M.M. Kaveriappa passed away on Gandhi Jayanthi day. He was my friend and mentor. Hence this piece to honour him.

Kaveriappa was one of the founders of the Deenabandhu Charitable Trust and its President at the time of his sad demise.

I had worked closely with him over a period of time as Treasurer and so know the dedication and energy he brought into all he did to make the Trust what it is today. If the Trust is funding the education of needy Kodava students, if it is aiding poor patients and helping some old and inform Kodavas, it is in large measure due to the unflagging efforts of Kaveriappa.

He hid a kind heart under a brusque manner and often the recepients of the Trust’s donations would get a stern lecture from him as to the values of hard work and the need to succeed. In recognition of his contribution to our society, he was honoured by Kodava Samaja Mysore and Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa and Gen. Thimmaiah Forum. Deenabandhu Charitable Trust will miss him sorely.

Kaveriappa was a wonderful raconteur and had a fund of stories with which he often regaled us. His recounting of these stories and word pictures of people was perceptive in the extreme and very understanding of human frailities.

Besides this he had a vast knowledge of the history of Kodagu and of the Kodavas and could talk endlessly on the topic.

Another of his interests was playing the stock market. He would gleefully exclaim over even the smallest of gains and declare that with it he could survive another day! Friends were often given a tip or two to their advantage.

In his demise, the community has lost a philanthropist, the Trust has lost a tireless worker and I have lost a friend.

— Gappu Madappa , Mysore, 5.10.2013

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Voice of Reader / October 12th, 2013

Readiscover : Stories from a sacred land

About Kodagu / Coorg, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All

A fascinating picture of the people of Coorg, their origins, history, myths and traditions. The Vanishing Kodavas
By Kaveri Ponappa
Eminence Designs Pvt Ltd
Rs. 7500 PP360

The Vanishing Kodavas
The Vanishing Kodavas

Where the Coorgs came from, the enigma of their customs, social traditions, laws and dress are questions that have been debated ad infinitum. The Vanishing Kodavas by Kaveri Ponnapa is a work that not only answers these questions but also sheds light on the events that fashioned the people’s traditions and made them unique.
To do this, Ponnapa uses official records, correspondence, colonial accounts, the recorded history of the Rajahs of Kodagu or Coorg and the oral histories of the Kodava people themselves. The hauntingly beautiful backdrop of the wild, beautiful hills with their gurgling streams, dense forests, and abundant wildlife and flora serves as a canvas for stories about a people who made the hills of Coorg their home, and who, through their violent history, managed to preserve their ancient social customs, dress and way of life.

Replete with 300 colour plates, the book, which took Ponnapa 15 years to research, contains a wealth of information. Chapters tell stories of bygone eras, of myth and legends, of the tragic history of the people, of songs composed by warriors for whom routine violence was a way of life and of marriage rituals that were not only esoteric but also created to save a clan from extinction.

The reader is taken to a land that became almost sacred to its people — evident in the small, open-air shrines and large tracts set aside for worship – and into the heart of festivals dedicated to forest deities where trance and possession figure and oracles link the people to both their ancestors and their gods.

This is a book about a people who named the trees, shrubs, creepers and medicinal herbs, a people who created a rich oral tradition for themselves, worshipped their ancestors before all gods and danced before the spirits of the forest, and for whom upholding personal honour and that of one’s ancestry at all costs was the Kodava code.

Until recently the only source material for most contemporary accounts of Kodagu history were official manuals and gazetteer accounts. These were authored by missionaries and official historians of the East India Company and almost completely distorted the history of the Kodavas and obliterated the memory of the loyalty and affection the people felt for their kings.

The Vanishing Kodavas seeks to correct this image. It explores the unique role the tiny kingdom, ruled by Lingayat Rajahs, supported by a Council of Kodava Chieftains, played in the rise of the East India Company in southern India and focuses on a fast disappearing culture.

In The Vanishing Kodavas Ponnapa has created a volume of work that the reader will read, put away and revisit another day. Few writers can boast of making their work relevant to a general readership as well as to those for whom it will serve as a base for further academic studies.

Nalini Menon is a senior journalist

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> Books> Readiscover /by Nalini Menon, Hindustan Times / October 12th, 2013

Bopanna-Roger Vasselin win Japan Open title

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Sports, World Opinion

India’s Rohan Bopanna and France’s Edouard Roger-Vasselin have beaten Britain’s Jamie Murray and Australia’s John Peers 7-6, 6-4 in the final of the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo to claim the doubles trophy.

The first set took 44 minutes while the second took 34 minutes to complete in a match that went on for 1 hour and 18 minutes.

There were no breaks of serve in the first set while a single break in the second set ensured that the Indo-French pair comfortably won the title.

Bopanna and Roger Vasselin were the fourth seeds in the tournament.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> News-ANI> Sports /by ANI / Tokyo – October 06th, 2013

Jeetay hain Joshna se!

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Sports

JoshnaKF09oct2013
The Arjuna Award, begins Joshna Chinappa, was a really special moment, “I was happy to know I had won it. But it was more special getting it at the Rashtrapati Bhavan,” smiles this Chennai-based squash champion. A tomboy growing up, Joshna is a complete outdoorsy person. “My dad is a squash player and I used to follow him to the Madras Cricket Club and that’s where I started. I loved playing squash and decided at 10 that I was going to make it a career,” she says.

Joshna, who was the first Indian girl to win the British Squash Championship in 2003 in the Under-19 category, confesses that she has had many hard games. “But one of them was when I was 1-0 down to my opponent at the finals of the British Open Under-19. It was a hard-fought game,” she says.

She has never had a role model, she says, though she has always looked up to PT Usha. Her parents have been her main source of motivation and support. Her father, Anjan Chinappa, is a coffee planter from Coorg, and mother, Sunitha, a housewife who is very involved in helping with her travel schedules and lodging across the world. Her brother, Gaurav, is a doctor. And she dotes on her grandfather, PM Belliappa, who is a retired IAS officer and her grandmother, Leela Chinappa. Happy in the fact that she is blessed with a supportive family, Joshna likes her space. “I love being on my own after training and maybe watching TV shows online. If it’s the weekend, I love a good bar of chocolate too!” adds the national champion.

Sport brings with it a spate of its own lessons, and for Joshna, injuries have only made her more aware of her body. “After I got injured and during recovery, I realised that the human body is amazing, given what it can achieve. I learnt not to take it for granted and to treat it with respect by taking care of my health, training hard, eating right and sleeping well,” says this youngster. “The only thing I am passionate about is training. But I also like playing other sports, like badminton and tennis. I try and read sometimes,” she adds.

A private person, Joshna reveals that she likes to focus on her game and stay away from the attention that sports stars draw. “I think if one is a female athlete, and doing well, one will get more attention. But for me personally, I have always stayed away from it unless I have to be in it. It’s just exhausting and I would rather be training and focusing on my game than being seen at some social event regularly or doing photo shoots,” she says, in parting.

on the hot seat

HER bucket list: Helping kids with their squash, buying my own house and travelling the world as a tourist.

On my plate: I love South Indian food (rice and rasam) and sushi.

A Magical moment: When people genuinely wish you well and are supportive of you, even when you’ve hit rock-bottom — that is special to me. There have been only a few people who have done that for me.

On the route map: I love going to America and playing there. I find it very relaxed and I have lot of friends there.

Notes from a champ: Work hard, be open to learning, and most importantly, make sure you study and get a degree from college, at the least.

Style statement: I am quite casual about what I wear. I don’t like making too much of an effort unless it’s going to be important. I like mixing up my look with accessories.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Commentary / DC / by Tuba Raqshan / October 06th, 2013

Nidhi Subbaiah parties in Mysore

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg

NidhiKF06oct2013Mysoreans indulged in some music, fashion and dance recently at a popular party hub. City girl Nidhi Subbaiah was in town for an event, in which models wearing Coorgi-style saris set the stage on fire.

This was followed with a performance by Mysore-based singer Shashank Sheshagiri, who belted out popular Kannada numbers.

The final attraction was a show by a dance troupe. MT spotted actresses Anushree and Aishwarya, and Madhura, Prashanth and Shekhar having a gala time.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Entertainment> Regional> Kannada> Nidhi Subbaiah / TNN / October 04th, 2013

Gulshan Devaiah pins hopes on ‘Cabaret’

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg

GulshanKF05oct2013
“Shaitan” fame actor Gulshan Devaiah says producer Pooja Bhatt has signed him for a two-film deal, which starts with “Cabaret”. He considers it the “biggest break” for him.
The film will be directed by debutant Kaustav Narayan, a Delhi-based ad filmmaker.

“Pooja Bhatt has offered me a two-film deal. We will start with ‘Cabaret’. I think this is a biggest break for me because Pooja Bhatt trusts me a lot. One day she called me and we discussed a few ideas, and then she signed me for two films,” the actor said in an interview.

Gulshan also revealed that the female character of the film is very powerful. However, the team is yet to lock an actress for it.

“The heroine’s character is very strong and powerful. The heroine is not finalised yet, a lot of actresses are being approached. I would not like to name anybody,” said Gulshan.

Meanwhile, the actor will also be seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Ram Leela”, which releases Nov 15.

source: http://www.india-forums.com / Home> Bollywood> Hot N Hapenning / by IANS / Friday – September 27th, 2013

J&K terror attack : Commanding officer from Kodagu amongst injured

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Inspiration / Positive News and Features

Kodagu :

Twelve persons, including a Lieutenant Colonel, died in two militant attacks on Police and Army formations in Kathua and Samba districts of Jammu and Kashmir yesterday.

The Commanding Officer of the unit, Col. Avin Uthaiya, who was seriously injured in the firing by terrorists, was one of the first people in the unit to react to the attack. He was evacuated to the Military Hospital at Pathankot with injuries in his arm and leg.

Col. Uthaiya is the son of Vir Chakra awardee Mandetira Ravi (retired), a resident of Kakotuparambu village in Kodagu district. He is presently recouping in a hospital in Delhi.

It is said that three unidentified militants in combat military uniform, who were believed to have infiltrated through the meticulously fenced international border in the Raj Bagh area on Tuesday, appeared in an interior neighbourhood of Hiranagar, in Kathua district, in the morning. They commandeered a load-carrier at gunpoint, and on sighting a police station at Hiranagar, they alighted and trooped into the premises, killing the sentry. There they killed three more Policemen and injured three others.

The militants also fired upon the driver and left him wounded when he attempted to escape. Thereafter, they hijacked a truck towards the highway after killing its cleaner who reportedly offered resistance. They abandoned the truck on the highway and used another vehicle to reach an Army camp at Samba, on the road to Jammu.

Both the drivers later revealed to the Police that there were three militants. Sources said the three heavily armed militants stormed the military formation and took positions close to the officers’ mess. Two soldiers and a Lt. Colonel died and two more soldiers sustained injuries. The DIG Jammu said that early reports of six fatal casualties were not true. Some officials initially mistook the injured for the dead, he added.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / September 27th, 2013

Obituary : Malettira M. Kaveriappa

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg

MalettiraKF02oct2013
Mysore :

Malettira M. Kaveriappa (77), a resident of Gokulam III Stage and President of Deenabandhu Charitable Trust, Mysore, passed away at a private hospital in city last night after a brief illness.

He leaves behind his wife Baby Kaveriappa, son M.K. Ganapathy, daughter Dr. Mulleganda S. Krithika, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, grand-children and a host of relatives and friends.

A former Range Forest Officer, Kaveriappa, who retired as Wimco Manager, was the Founder President of Gokulam Kodava Sangha.

He was involved in various social service activities through Deenabandhu Trust.

Cremation took place at Chirashanthidhama in Gokulam this afternoon.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News> Obituary / October 02nd, 2013

The original pin-up girl

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All, Sports

Joshna Chinappa
Joshna Chinappa

Much before Dipika Pallikal swept the squash world with her feathery game and girly charms, there was Joshna Chinappa. Though injuries had taken toll on her career and impeded from achieving the heights she was capable of scaling, Joshna remains the true path-breaker of women’s squash in the country. Dipika only followed the blueprint, and improvised on it later.

When Joshna took baby-steps in the sport, randomly swishing and swiping the racquet in the MCC Courts, squash was still unglamorous, if not obscure. So much so that she winning the Junior British Open in 2005 went almost unnoticed. But when eventually her feats were acknowledged, they thrust unrealistic hopes on her. Credit to her that she lived up to most of it, though the hope-o-meter scale just exploded.

She took everything in her stride with a rare poise — the glam-bee image, the exaggerated spat with the Squash Racquets Federation of India, a dodgy knee that threatened a premature death to her career, world rankings that seemed forever struck in the mid-30s, the elusive WISPA title and so on and so forth. Her world seemed a peculiar blend of fame and frivolity. And then came the ultra-glamorous Dipika, pushing her almost to the sidelines, though Dipika herself reckons Joshna as her inspiration.

But Joshna just focused on her game so focused that such trivial distractions hardly distracted her. “Well, throughout my career, my focus hasn’t wavered. I have been through bad times and injuries, come across a lot of hurdles, but my passion for the game has never ceased. The sheer joy of getting onto the court keeps me up,” she told TNIE.

Persistence paid. WISPA titles followed. The injury healed. Rank-o-meter rose to a personal best of 25. Arjuna Award ensued. The year has seen an upswing. And Joshna is again smiling. “I think every athlete goes through a phase when you are beset with doubts. But you overcome it with hard work and persistence,” she stressed.

Now that she is almost back to her full fitness and treading a squash player’s perceived peak, Joshna looks forward to her career with a newfound optimism. “I haven’t set any specific targets as such. I just want to focus on my game at hand and do my best to overcome my opponent,” she said.

The Arjuna is a due acknowledgement of her accomplishments, but the world number 26 hopes it would spur more youngsters to pursuing the sport. “You need more youngsters to take up this game. Presently, it is popular only in a few cities like Chennai. But only if it reaches out to more centres will the game really take off,” she said. And not to forget, she is Indian squash’s first pin-up girl, though that’s not a tag she is overtly obsessed with.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Sport / by Sandip G / ENS / September 22nd, 2013

Bhansali gives actors freedom: Gulshan Devaiah

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg

Director Anurag Kashyap, actor Gulshan Devaiah, actor Prashant Prakash and actress Kalki Koechlin pose during the photocall of 'That girl in yellow boots' at the 67th Venice Film Festival on September 9, 2010 at Venice Lido.
Director Anurag Kashyap, actor Gulshan Devaiah, actor Prashant Prakash and actress Kalki Koechlin pose during the photocall of ‘That girl in yellow boots’ at the 67th Venice Film Festival on September 9, 2010 at Venice Lido.

Mumbai :

Actor Gulshan Devaiah, who will be seen in a villainous avatar in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Ram Leela”, praises the filmmaker known as a hard taskmaster, for giving his actors freedom to experiment with their characters.

Gulshan made his debut with Bejoy Nambiar’s “Shaitan” in 2011.

“It was great working with Sanjay Leela. I worked with great freedom. Whatever ideas I used to have for my character, he used to let me experiment,” Gulshan told reporters Wednesday at the premiere of his film “Prague”.

“It would be wrong to say that one cannot work freely with Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Those who say this, they don’t know the filmmaker very well,” he added.

Set in the backdrop of Gujarat, the film is said to be an adaptation of Shakespeare’s epic love story, “Romeo and Juliet”. The film is set for release Nov 29.

Gulshan is also in awe of his co-actor Ranveer Singh who plays the lead in the film opposite Deepika Padukone.

“Ranveer is very energetic. Whatever he does, he does it the best. Perhaps there is nobody like him. He is unique,” said Gulshan.
IANS

Source: http://india.nydailynews.com/ NYDailyNews.com / Home> News> Desi / by IANS / Thursday – September 26th, 2013