Karisma Aiyappa (centre) was crowned ‘Mrs. Bharat California 2025’ by Mydream TV USA at an event held at California recently.
Karisma, a HR/logistics professional in Silicon Valley, is a former State-level athlete and a passionate dancer.
Picture above shows Karisma walking the ramp in the traditional Kodava attire
A native of South Kodagu and daughter of Poilengada P. Machamma and late Alemanda Aiyappa, residents of Kuvempunagar in Mysuru, Karisma is married to Abhishek, an employee of Microsoft, Bay Area, California, USA.
Karisma’s participation in various Coorg events in the USA showcases her commitment to her heritage.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Photo News / May 13th, 2025
In the lush hills of Kodagu, a remarkable sporting and cultural phenomenon has reached a new milestone. The 25th edition of the Kodava Hockey Festival — hosted this year by the Kundyolanda family — has officially entered the Guinness World Records as the largest field hockey tournament, boasting an astonishing 3,640 players across over 360 family teams.
This year’s month-long edition ran across three grounds and finished late April.
What began as a dream in 1997 by the late Pandanda Kuttappa, a former hockey referee and State Bank of India employee, has transformed into an unparalleled spectacle of sport and community.
His vision was simple yet profound: unite the globally dispersed Kodava community through hockey — a sport embedded deep in their identity. Kodagu, often called the “cradle of Indian hockey,” has produced over 50 national players and seven Olympians, making the festival a natural extension of local pride.
“This festival is about more than just winning or losing,” Pandanda K. Bopanna, president of the Kodava Hockey Academy and son of the founder, told The Hindu newspaper.
“It’s about keeping our culture alive, connecting generations, and celebrating our heritage.”
This year’s silver jubilee celebrations were extra special. According to the official Guinness World Records entry, the event was recognised for having the most field hockey players in a tournament, overtaking all previous records.
“We have a rich tradition of serving the Armed forces. The British were already playing hockey and they found that the Kodavas had taken to the sport well. With a little bit of encouragement, the sport caught on,” says Navin Poonacha Kanganda, who has promoted the festival in the digital space, told Red Bull a few years ago.
A women’s tournament featuring 30 teams was introduced for the first time, symbolising the progressive spirit of the Kodava community. The festival torch — akin to the Olympic flame — was ceremoniously carried to the ancestral Ainmanes of past host families, reinforcing the powerful links between tradition and sport.
The Deccan Herald captured the festival’s atmosphere, describing the grounds as “a place where hockey sticks clash as fiercely as family pride, amid a carnival of Kodava culture.”
Traditional Kodava attire, food stalls, cultural performances, cyclothons, and shooting competitions lend the event the feel of a grand village fair — with hockey at its heart.
From humble beginnings in the small village of Karada with just 60 teams, the festival has grown into a massive undertaking requiring three specially-prepared mud fields, an effort largely borne by the host families.
“Despite international recognition, the festival struggles with basic sports infrastructure,” Bopanna noted. “The government must do more — a permanent hockey stadium in Kodagu would honour the festival’s contribution to Indian hockey.”
For the Kodavas, the festival is more than a sporting event.
As Ajjinikanda Mahesh Nachaiah, president of the Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy, put it: “It’s a reunion, a business hub, a marriage bureau, and a cultural festival all rolled into one.”
The clatter of sticks and laughter of reunited families echo a truth that Pandanda Kuttappa knew all along: hockey, for the Kodavas, is life itself.
source: http://www.thehockeypaper.co.uk / The Hockey Paper / Home> Features / by Hockey Paper Staff / May 06th, 2025
Chenanda to host 26th edition of Family Hockey Tournament at Napoklu in 2026
Madikeri:
The Mandepanda family was declared the winner of the Muddanda Hockey Festival 2025 held at Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa College Grounds, Madikeri, after heavy rain interrupted their final against the Chendanda family yesterday.
Mandepanda was leading 1-0 when a downpour forced the match to be abandoned just over 12 minutes into play. Later, the organisers issued a statement confirming Mandepanda as the champions of the Silver Jubilee edition of the Kodava Family Hockey Festival.
Amidst overcast skies and thunderous cheers from the crowd, the much-anticipated final had begun with high energy. Chendanda earned the first penalty corner early on, but Olympian Nikin Thimmaiah failed to convert the opportunity.
Mandepanda responded with sharp counterattacks, securing their first penalty corner, which Gautam successfully converted to give Mandepanda a crucial 1-0 lead in the first quarter.
Rain began to intensify during the second quarter as Chendanda pushed hard for an equaliser. Despite earning back-to-back penalty corners, they failed to break through Mandepanda’s defence. As lightning flashed and thunder rolled, torrential rain forced a suspension of play.
Relentless downpour left the field waterlogged. After about half an hour of efforts to clear the standing water, the match briefly resumed. Chendanda came close to scoring, but Mandepanda’s young goalkeeper Dhyan Bopanna made a brilliant save to preserve his team’s lead.
Moments later, the rain returned with greater intensity, turning the ground into a virtual stream. With further play impossible, officials from the Kodava Hockey Academy, referees and team managers declared Mandepanda the winners.
Despite being soaked twice over, the spirit of the crowd remained unbroken. Spectators packed into gallery corners, cheering, clapping and even dancing in the rain. However, disappointment lingered among fans and organisers alike, as many had hoped for a full and thrilling conclusion to the Silver Jubilee tournament. Earlier, in the third-place match, Nellamakkada defeated Kuppanda (Kaikeri) 2-1 to claim third spot.
The Kambiranda family that won the Muddanda Cup Women’s Hockey Festival 2025.
VIP speeches delay action
The final was marred by significant delays and drew heavy criticism from spectators. Many expressed frustration over poor planning and coordination, blaming the organisers for nearly four-hour delay in starting the final.
Originally scheduled to begin at 11 am, the final was postponed due to an extended inaugural ceremony where several Ministers and elected representatives delivered prolonged speeches, pushing the start time to around 2 pm.
Home Minister Dr. Parameshwara addressing the gathering.
Mere minutes after play commenced, heavy rain lashed Madikeri, leading to the abandonment of the match. “When a match is scheduled for 11 am, starting it at 2.30 pm is simply unacceptable — especially with rain forecasts and spectators waiting, hungry and eager, to watch the finals,” many said.
“Are we here to watch hockey or to listen to endless speeches?” one frustrated fan remarked. Spectators further noted that in professional tournaments, VIPs attend to witness the sport, not to hold the mic and deliver lengthy lectures, disregarding the value of spectators’ time.
Among the speakers were Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara, Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh, Higher Education Minister Dr. M.C. Sudhakar, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, Virajpet MLA and CM’s Legal Advisor Ajjikuttira S. Ponnanna, Madikeri MLA Dr. Mantar Gowda, MLC Mandepanda Suja Kushalappa, Kodava Hockey Academy President Pandanda Bopanna and Muddanda Hockey Festival Committee President Muddanda Rashin Subbaiah.
Just minutes after the final match between the Mandepanda and Chendanda began, heavy rains lashed Madikeri, leading to waterlogged grounds.
World Wide Book of Records recognition
The Silver Jubilee Muddanda Cup set a new record with 396 men’s teams comprising 5,544 players competing in 397 matches, alongside 58 women’s teams with 464 players competing in 57 matches during the five-a-side tournament.
The festival was officially entered into the World Wide Book of Records, with Sindhuja, a representative from the record book, announcing the recognition at the closing ceremony and presenting the certificate to the Muddanda family.
The 26th Kodava Family Hockey Festival will be hosted by Chenanda family at Napoklu in 2026. The family ceremoniously accepted leadership during a flag procession held on the Muddanda Cup Grounds.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News> Sports / April 28th, 2025
Another Mysurean Drithi Bopanna, pursuing M.Sc., in Global Business Management at Rennes School of Business, France, has been selected as a scholarship delegate for United Nation Organisation’s Annual “Change the World” Conference to be held at the UN Headquarters, New York City, in March 2019.
An alumnus of St. Joseph’s Central School and Sapient College, Vijayanagar, Drithi is the daughter of late Puliyanda Nithin Bopanna and Dr.Sujatha Bopanna, Dean of Studies, De Paul Degree College, Mysuru.
About the conference
The “Change the World Model United Nations (CWMUN)” is an annual international meeting attended by 2,500 students from all over the world, where they debate the major issues of international political agenda.
RAdm IB Uthaiah, took over as the Director General, Warship Design Bureau, New Delhi, from RAdm Bimal Kumar.
Commissioned into the Indian Navy in Nov 1987, RAdm IB Uthaiah is an alumnus of the Naval College of Engineering, INS Shivaji, Lonavala, and holds an M. Tech and M. Phil degree in addition. In a career spanning over 35 years, he has served the Indian Navy in various capacities; with appointments at the Warship Design Bureau, Training Academies, Naval Dockyard (Vzg), all Naval Commands and the Naval Headquarters.
On being elevated to Flag Rank, the officer has tenanted appointments as Additional Director General (Technical), Project Seabird; Admiral Superintendent, Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam, and Chief Staff Officer (Technical), at the Headquarters, Eastern Naval Command, prior taking over his current assignment.
source: http://www.aviation-defence-universe.com / Aviation & Defence Universe / Home> Navy / February 01st, 2023
This summer was bitter for many homes in Kodagu. Their wells almost dried up before the monsoon broke. But 47-year-old Suraj Ajjikuttira in south Kodagu didn’t have to worry.
His recharge well, probably the first one in hilly Kodagu, ensured that his open well had ample water during the dry season.
Buoyed by his success, Ajjikuttira made it his mission to spread his knowledge of harvesting rain through videos, workshops and meetings. People can even phone and ask him. As a result, awareness is spreading and the recharge well is increasing in popularity. Kodagu now has at least 40 to 50 recharge wells.
Ajjikuttira’s interest in rainwater harvesting began two decades ago, when his 50-foot well, dug in 1979, started going dry. By 2002 he thought he had no option but to dig a bore well for drinking water. Then, fortuitously, he participated in a seminar on rainwater harvesting in Mysore. He picked up the nuances of groundwater recharge very quickly.
Ajjikuttira went home determined to apply his newly acquired knowledge by recharging his bore well. He dug a 10-foot-deep mini well around it. After filling up the mini well with aggregate matter, he diverted run-off from the nearby area into his bore well. The next year itself, the water level in his bore well rose considerably.
“That convinced me about the efficacy of groundwater recharge,” reminisces Ajjikuttira. He doubled his efforts and started a serious attempt to catch all the rainwater he could on his estate. He turned his attention to rainwater falling on his roof, on the vast frontage of his home and the adjoining coffee-drying yard or ‘kana’.
Earlier, all this water used to disappear into a drain. Ajjikuttira now ensured that all run-off got collected at one spot and then flowed out. A leaf separator was attached at the exit point to prevent leaves from clogging this stream of water.
The usual custom is to make a rain pit for such run-off to percolate. But, in this case, the water that was flowing was excessive. After racking his brains, Ajjikuttira dug a recharge well, five feet in diameter, to catch this water. He placed concrete rings along the inner walls of the well 12 feet deep, to prevent its walls from collapsing. The diameter was then reduced. Another six to eight feet were dug and filled with stones to firm up the second stage of the recharge well.
Suraj Ajjikuttira near a large tank which now collects rainwater
Consequently, rainwater collected from about 1,500 square feet of space goes straight into Ajjikuttira’s recharge well and is fully absorbed there. “At the most we get one inch of rain per day. I have designed the recharge well in such a way that even this one inch of water is captured,” he explains. The water that is percolating is estimated to be around two lakh litres.
Ajjikuttira’s well was 42 feet deep when his father got it dug in 1979. In 1994, when the well dried up, it was deepened by another eight feet and eight rings were fixed on its walls. After that the well never dried up. Even during the 2016 drought, Ajjikuttira’s well had eight feet of water. Last year, when wells dried up in Kodagu, Ajjikuttira’s well had 11 feet of water.
The recharge well is a new concept invented in Chennai in the 1990s. Later, the idea was embraced by residents of Bengaluru. The city now probably has around 50,000 recharge wells. The sole purpose of the recharge well is to recharge groundwater. The well can be very small in diameter, as low as three feet.
COFFEE AND RAIN
Kodagu district’s main crop is coffee. Coffee plants are rain-fed. The first showers or ‘blossom showers’, received in February and March, are very important for coffee farmers. If it doesn’t rain at this time, farmers have to pump up water from tanks and sprinkle or irrigate the plants.
After the blossom showers are over, coffee plants require a second spell of irrigation within 15 to 20 days. These showers are called ‘back-up’ showers. If the rains fail to arrive then farmers who still have water do a second round of sprinkling.
The water in Ajjikuttira’s tank was hardly sufficient for even one round of irrigation. About 200 metres away from his tank is a huge seven-acre tank called Katibetta Kere. This water body belongs to the revenue department. It has a catchment of around 500 acres. But the tank’s bund had breached in one area and it wasn’t retaining water. Ajjikuttira built a check dam with sand bags in the catchment area so that the tank would retain water and help his own tank absorb some water.
Katibetta Kere is at a higher elevation than Ajjikuttira’s irrigation tank. Subsequently, the department built a concrete check dam for Katibetta Kere. Recalls a happy Ajjikuttira, “Since then, this tank has enhanced water availability in my own tank. Now, even if we do three rounds of irrigation, the tank still has water.”
Rainfall figures differ across Kodagu district. Ajjikuttira’s place receives 54 inches — coffee planters still measure rain in inches — whereas not-so-distant Virajapet gets 70 inches. Wetlands here are dwindling and so is forest cover. Due to various reasons, water availability is worsening in the district. Unfortunately, awareness about rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge is abysmally low.
Once Ajjikuttira succeeded in augmenting water availability in his estate, he started spreading the idea of water harvesting. In the last 15 years, he has conducted more than 300 awareness sessions on rainwater harvesting in schools, government departments, workshops for citizens and so on.
“In most Kodagu estates, the house is located at a higher level. In the past, the yard for drying coffee beans and paddy used to be built near the paddy fields in a lower area. But due to security reasons the yard is now constructed close to the house. So the typical house would have a large area in front with a drying yard close to it. This entire stretch is either built with concrete or lined with interlocking tiles. So a huge amount of clean water flows on this surface,” says Ajjikuttira.
“We need a structure that can hold this run-off and make it percolate fast. I experimented with the recharge well. Although it is expensive, it does the job efficiently.”
Ajjikuttira is approached by people on the phone or in person for guidance in harvesting rainwater. “If we make arrangements to catch all the run-off from the front area and the drying yard, summer rains alone will ensure the well doesn’t dry up,” he says confidently. A recharge well costs approximately Rs 60,000-70,000.
Ajjikuttira carries out a simple test to check whether the bore well can be artificially recharged. A few barrels of water are kept nearby and poured into the bore well one after another. If the bore well overflows, it indicates that it won’t absorb water and recharge. The idea is then abandoned.
SPREADING AWARENESS
Ajjikuttira has put together a three-part video to spread knowledge on rainwater harvesting in Kodagu. Uploaded on YouTube, it tells people how to use rainwater directly, how to recharge defunct and working bore wells and how to use a recharge well for groundwater recharge.
After taking advice from Ajjikuttira, Tej Thammaiah Ajjikuttira constructed a recharge well 10 feet in diameter and 22 feet deep last year. The well is a big one because Thammaiah’s bungalow, front yard and ‘kana’ spread to about a hectare. The well has cost him Rs 130,000.
Thammaiah’s open well, 60 feet deep, didn’t dry up completely. But by the end of summer it would have only four to five feet of water. Last summer it had 30 feet of water because he followed in Ajjikuttira’s footsteps.
Rakshith of Sulagodu is another estate owner who sought Ajjikuttira’s advice. He has an open well which is 100 feet deep. It used to dry up in summer and he found it difficult even to provide water to his labourers. He built a recharge well which cost him Rs 70,000. Two years later his water woes are over.
“Now I have water up to 25 feet,” he says. “By the end of summer, water levels recede by seven to eight feet. I don’t have to worry about drinking water for many decades to come.”
Soil in Kodagu collapses very easily. Ajjikuttira has noticed that many people dig a recharge pit quite close to the well. “This is highly risky. Many wells have collapsed because pits were dug very close to them. It’s always better to locate the pits about 15 or 20 feet away,” he warns.
He points out that each estate is endowed with expansive areas from where water can be easily harvested. “The shifting of the drying yard from lower areas near paddy fields to the area adjoining the house in an elevated area has also caused water scarcity in open wells. This is because we cement all these areas and never permit water to percolate.” Planters who have realised this are taking corrective measures to allow for percolation.
Coffee estates require huge quantities of water for irrigation to induce flower blossoming. “There are several earthen tanks or keres in Kodagu. You can see these tanks on Google earth. But, unlike the old days, tanks are dug unscientifically. The selection of the site should be such that we can divert streams of water into it. Many new tanks don’t have this.”
Another important groundwater recharge structure in these estates is a legacy of British planters called ‘thottilu gundi’ or cradle pits, so called because of the shape. Thottilu gundis were systematically and periodically dug and cleaned amidst rows of coffee. They would convert surface run-off from the hills into sub-soil seepage that would reach the tank after many months. “Due to the high cost of labour and poor labour availability, many of us have bid goodbye to digging of this very useful system,” laments Ajjikuttira.
Contact Suraj Ajjikuttira at 9901012970
source: http://www.civilsocietyonline.com / Civil Society / Home> Environment / by Shree Padre, Kodagu / August 29th, 2019 (updated December 03rd, 2020)
Raja Seat is one of the prime attractions for tourists in Madikeri. | Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO
Kodagu continues to be one of the top tourist destinations in the State, drawing 45.72 lakh visitors in 2024, surpassing its record in 2023, which drew 43.99 lakh tourists.
The increase of two lakh visitors highlights the district’s growing appeal, particularly as a hub for coffee tourism.
Deputy Director of Tourism Anita Bhaskarremarked, “It appears to be a golden era for tourism, with a surge in visitors seeking to experience Kodagu’s landscapes. The district remains a preferred getaway, as seen in the footfall in the last two years.”
During an interaction with reporters on Thursday, Ms. Bhaskar said that steps are being taken to successfully implement the Tourism Police 2029, keeping the focus on increasing footfall and understanding the tourism potential of Kodagu.
The post of the Deputy Director for Tourism in Madikeri was vacant for many years, and it was filled about a year ago, with the district being an important tourist destination.
She said 23 tourist sites in Kodagu have been identified for development under various schemes. Steps have been taken to appoint nine guides in various tourist sites. Ten more “Pravasi Mitras” will be appointed for other sites in the coming days, she added.
One district,one destination
Ms. Bhaskar said Mandalapatti hill station has been identified under the “One District, One Destination” programme, and facilities will be provided to tourists at the popular site, which attracts a large number of adventure enthusiasts.
For the first time, Kodagu is being included under a tourist circuit, the details of which will be announced soon.
Steps have also been taken for developing “Coorg Village” near Raja Seat in Madikeri. The department has joined hands with the orange growers cooperative society in Gonikoppal for popularising Kodagu oranges among tourists.
Thanks to the efforts of Deputy Commissioner Venkataraja for promoting Kodagu tourism, a lot of tourists are visiting Kodagu to explore the coffee land’s beauty, and one of the reasons for the rise in footfall is the social media promotion of “Coorg tourism”, she said.
Ms. Bhaskar said a sum of ₹1 crore has been sanctioned for the development of Abbey Falls, Iruppu Falls, and Malatirike Hills in Virajpet due to the efforts of MLA A.S. Ponnanna.
Ms. Bhaskar urged the owners of homestays, hotels, and lodges to put up signages on their premises, stating the ban on single-use plastics in the hill station, where several steps had been taken to make the place “trash-free”. The effort will impact tourists, and they shall be discouraged from littering to establish eco-friendly tourism.
She suggested transportation facilities to some key destinations, including sites of adventure tourism.
During the interaction, suggestions came for reintroducing toy trains at Raja Seat and also organising Pravasi Utsava in Kodagu to boost footfall, besides restricting traffic at Raja Seat to ensure that it will not cause inconvenience to locals.
B.G. Ananthashayana said steps must be taken to crack down on low-quality wines, chocolates, and spices that are being sold to tourists. This will affect the brand Kodagu. Kodagu journalists’ association president H.T. Anil presided over the interaction. The deputy director was felicitated on the occasion.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / April 04th, 2025
Kodava family hockey tournament celebrates silver jubilee
Madikeri:
Stage is set for the premier Kodava Family Hockey Festival which begins at Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa College Grounds from tomorrow.
This year’s ‘Muddanda Hockey Namme’ also marks the 25th edition of the tournament. A total of 396 teams have registered to take part in the tournament compared to 360 teams in last year’s Kundyolanda Hockey Fest. The tournament will be inaugurated by Legal Advisor to Chief Minister and MLA Ajjikuttira S. Ponnanna at Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa College Grounds at 12 noon. Prior to the inaugural event, a traditional Kodava rally will be held from Gen. K.S. Thimayya Circle in the town till the College grounds.
Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Wadiyar, District Minister N.S. Boseraju, Madikeri MLA Dr. Mantar Gowda, MLC Mandepanda Suja Kushalappa, Ajuna Awardee Anjaparavanda B. Subbaiah and Madikeri Kodava Samaja President Manduvanda P. Muthappa will be chief guests. Deputy Commissioner Venkatraja, SP K. Ramarajan and Kodagu University Vice-Chancellor Ashok Sangappa Alura will be the guests.
The inaugural ceremony will also feature an exhibition match between Kodagu Hockey Academy XI and Karnataka XI.
This year matches will take place at Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa College Grounds and at Police Parade Grounds. As part of the festival’s silver jubilee, a special ‘Kreeda Jyothi’ (Sports Torch) marathon will be held, visiting the Ainmanes (ancestral homes) of Kodava families. The marathon was flagged off by MLA A.S. Ponnanna and Leela Kuttappa, wife of Pandanda Kuttappa, the Founder of Kodava Family Hockey Tournament, on Mar. 25 at the Ainmane of Pandanda family in Karada village.
The Kreeda Jyothi has passed through the ancestral houses of Cheppudira, Alamenganda, Kallichanda, Machamada, Chekkera, Maneyapanda, Kuppanda, Nellamakkada, Mandepanda, Thathanda, Mandetira, Muddanda, Iychettira, Ballachanda, Biddanda among others.
To commemorate 25 years of the festival, a women’s hockey tournament has been introduced as part of the Muddanda Hockey Festival. So far, 40 women’s teams have registered and more entries are expected before Apr. 10 deadline. The women’s matches will be played at the Police Parade Grounds in Madikeri.
Tournament organisers have announced Rs. 5 lakh cash reward and a trophy for the winners of Muddanda Hockey Fest. Runners will receive Rs. 3 lakh cash reward along with a trophy and the losing teams in semi-finals will receive Rs. 1 lakh cash along with trophies.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News> Sports / March 27th, 2025
The 24-year-old Mysurean, Drishti Karumbaya, who emerged the Ladies’ Golf Champion at Trump International Golf Club in Palm Beach County, Florida, celebrated her victory with the 78-year-old US President Donald Trump, who won the Men’s Golf Championship.
“I just won the Golf Club Championship, probably my last, at Trump International Golf Club, in Palm Beach County, Florida,” Trump wrote on social media on Sunday afternoon.
Drishti, daughter of Dentist Dr. P.G. Karumbaya (Palachanda Chethan) and Swetha Karumbaya (Kandrathanda), residents of Yadavagiri in Mysuru, is working as a Golf Coach at Palm Beach Atlantic University and is a member of Trump International Golf Club.
An alumnus of St. Joseph’s Central School and NPS International in Vijayanagar, Mysuru, she is a double major in Sociology and Human Development from California State University.
Having initiated into golfing when she was 9 years old at JWGC, Mysuru, Drishti had a Career Best Ranking of #5 in the U-13 category in India, was the runner-up in the Wester India Ladies & Junior Girls Championship in 2014, winner of the CGL Indian Gold Union South Zone Event by 11 strokes in 2015 and winner of the Prestige Golfshire IGU South Zone Junior Championship in 2016. She has also won various Championships representing California State University.
At the Trump International Golf Club Championship, Drishti won Stableford on day-1 and Matchplay on day-2 and 3.
Drishti’s younger brother Dhruv Bopanna is also a pro-golfer in Mysuru.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News> Sports / March 19th, 2025
This NGO is helping participants understand areas of mental health like communication, empathy, inter-personal relationships and more.
As part of the annual mental health awareness campaign, participants paint the walls of The Wheel Cafe in Madikeri
Bengaluru :
Every alternate Sunday morning, a group of individuals gather in the tranquil embrace of Cubbon Park, Bengaluru, for a unique mental health session called ‘Sundays for Mental Health’, organised by a Kodagu-based NGO Mind and Matter.
As the gentle breeze sets the stage, participants attend the event not just to meet, but to connect. Through a variety of carefully curated games, activities, paintings, etc, the NGO assist the participants to understand areas of different mental health such as communication, empathy, inter-personal relationships and more. In case someone comes up to them with a serious problem, the NGO refers it to mental health professionals.
Venkatesh, a chartered accountant who attended the event on Sunday, said, “There’s unmistakable warmth here. It helped me a lot. The session has given me a chance to look into my soul. It helped me understand myself much better.”
Another participant, Somnath, said, “This is my second campaign with Mind and Matters, and I understood how to look at the same situation from a different perspective.”
In a world where problems related to mental health often take a backseat, Mind and Matter stands as a beacon of hope, offering support to individuals in need. The NGO has stepped into the fray with free programmes which it organises in Bengaluru, Mysuru and Kodagu, and plans to expand to cities like Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai as well. It aims to break the stigma around mental health with a short yet moderate plan under expert guidance, a holistic approach and compassionate care.
Trustee and founder of Mind and Matter Deepika Appaiah said, “We work with schools, colleges, parents and teachers. Our initiative has impacted about 13,000 children and over 700 parents and teachers. Our organisation is run by volunteers, so we invite people to join us and provide them training from the Department of Psychiatric Social Work, Nimhans, in Bengaluru.
As of now, we have 150 volunteers.” From housewives to working professionals, the numbers joining the initiative are only growing. Registered in 2021, Mind and Matter has collaborated with Nimhans and is witnessing a spike in enrolment.
Mental health programme in schools in Mysuru
Dr Aravind Raj, Department of Psychiatric Social Work of Nimhans, and one of the pioneers of the initiative, said, “Mental health professionals are often confined to hospitals, where stigma deters people from seeking help. It is one of the reasons to take mental health initiatives outside hospitals.” He stressed the need for more awareness campaigns in society.
Mental health includes different methods of handling situations: understanding one’s potential, dealing with stress in a positive way, being productive and contributing to society. “Our motto is to promote all these among people, so their vulnerability to developing mental disorders comes down,” he said.
According to several reports, it has been identified that rural residents have inadequate mental health knowledge, tied to entrenched stigma and low literacy. In urban areas, people are grappling with work stress, especially Bengaluru’s techies. Dr Raj said Mind and Matter wants to penetrate that area and make them recognise the importance of mental well-being. “We also train Anganwadi workers and teachers and provide care in rural areas,” he added.
Mental illness affects 8% of population
According to the 2015–2016 National Mental Health Survey (NMHS), conducted by Nimhans and considered one of the best benchmarks, 8 per cent of Karnataka’s population, which is 1 out of 12 people, suffers from mental illnesses and requires care. Dr Raj and Appaiah say this is primarily because of a lack of awareness.
“The kind of transformation I have witnessed in people drives me to continue this work. Over time, I understood after attending the programmes we organise, that people feel it is okay to ask for help,” she noted. “If the initiative had never worked, people wouldn’t come back to us. More importantly, there is no monetary benefit involved, which means it has personally impacted me,” Appaiah said, a smile on her face. “I believe my family is my biggest support, and thank my entire team for their contribution.”
While the NGO is run for a noble cause, Appaiah says that sometimes, it is difficult to continue the initiative on such a large scale if there isn’t enough financial support. Appaiah, who also runs a café in Coorg, said it provides support. “We don’t go out to ask for donations. People who have worked with us donate money. The café is an extension of whatever we do here. However, now we are trying to collect funds from corporates or through CSR activities,” she said. Dr Raj also stressed that resource management is important.
A group of youngsters chit-chat after the Sundays for Mental Health programme in Cubbon Park, in Bengaluru / Photo | Express
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Bengaluru / by Saptarshi C / March 03rd, 2025
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