Tag Archives: Madikeri

Treading the green path: Delhi man’s solo mission to beautify Madikeri

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Delhi resident in search of pure air makes Madikeri his home, beautifies neighbourhoods

Armed with his ‘litter picker’, Piyush Agarwal picks up trash in his neighbourhood in Madikeri. He aims to beautify every lamppost in the city with a flower pot and a dustbin.(Photo | Express)

Madikeri :

A stroll on a quaint street near Government Junior College in Madikeri introduces one to a beautification project where flower pots hang on retaining walls of public spaces. In between the flower pots, dustbins are also placed for public use. This beautification project was not taken up by the City Municipal Council or any other government body; it is the effort of an individual from Delhi who moved into the city two years ago in search of clean air.

Piyush Agarwal has grand plans to make Madikeri one of the quaintest cities to live in. Piyush, who started on a road trip across India in search of a place with clean and pure air to lead a retired life, says, “Madikeri fit the bill the best for my retired life.” So, what made him undertake the journey from Delhi to Madikeri? “I was in search of a place with a low Air Quality Index (AQI), which I wanted to make my home,” he says.

The businessman and entrepreneur developed bouts of cough due to high air pollution in Delhi. “I had difficulty breathing and developed cough bouts. COVID happened, and my business suffered a bit. That is when I decided that Delhi was not the place I wanted to live in, and it was time for me to get out,” he shares.

Road trip across 27 states

He set off on a road trip across India, travelling from East coast to West coast, the AQI meter as his travel buddy. He checked the air quality in every place he visited. Ooty, Chikkamagaluru, Goa, Kerala, Kanyakumari – Piyush travelled the length and breadth of India and covered 27 of 29 states; this was in 2022.

“I had a few parameters in mind. While air quality was the priority, the other parameters included the kind of people, a not-so-large city, greenery. And Madikeri fit the bill the best,” he explains.

His travel experience also revealed that the majority of the country is polluted, as air quality level across several regions is above 50. “Madikeri had an AQI level of 16, and became my ideal place to settle down for a retired life. Kodagu is among the best districts and nowhere in the country can you find such forests with abundant greenery. Even coffee cultivation is done using shade trees,” he opines.

(Photo | Express)

Piyush rented out a house and has been a resident for two years. He wants Madikeri to become one of the most beautiful cities in the country and his efforts can be seen in the beautification and cleanliness projects he has undertaken silently. During his first year, Piyush caught the attention of the City Municipality Council after he was spotted picking up litter and clearing garbage in his neighbourhood, equipped with a ‘litter picker’ stick and gunny bag.

Impressed, then CMC president Anita Poovaiah invited Piyush to her office and appreciated his efforts. “I am 65 years old and cannot bend down to pick up litter. I bought the ‘litter picker’ stick online and have a few collections of these sticks. Every Indian wants to keep their house clean, but when it comes to their surroundings, they are not bothered, this is a very Indian sentiment. The road and neighbourhood are an extension of my house and I often clean my surroundings. This introduced me to CMC councillors and now, I have started an initiative to install public dustbins across the city,” he says.

During his chats with CMC officials, Piyush got permission to instal dustbins (pinned to retaining walls of public spaces) across several wards in the city. Similarly, he put up dustbins in busy public spaces, including tourist spots and outside schools.

“I approached the youth empowerment department for permission to instal dustbins across the District Ground premises,” he says.

He got the nod, and installed over 15 dustbins in the grounds, but they were all stolen within 48 hours. “I don’t want to fix the dustbins permanently as it would be difficult for civic workers to clear them. Cleaning dustbins must be a simple process. However, of the hundreds of dustbins installed across wards, over 50 per cent were stolen. This is when I realised that people of Madikeri don’t want dustbins,” he points out. Piyush faced several hurdles in the cleanliness project, but this did not stop him from beautifying the city.

After the dustbin project, he undertook beautification work by installing flower pots across the city limits. Flower pots with self-watering technology (originally designed by him) are lined up across city limits.

(Photo | Express)

‘Proud to live in Madikeri’

Piyush has more such initiatives in mind. He aims to install a flower pot and a dustbin on all lampposts. However, getting permission, especially from the CESC department, remains a Herculean task.

“Imagine if every lamppost was lined with a flower pot and a dustbin. Madikeri will become one among the cleanest cities in the country, and I would be proud to live here. I don’t want any government support and I am ready to invest completely on my own. However, CESC denied permission for it and there is nothing I can do to change this,” he says, disappointed.

Nevertheless, Piyush continues to involve himself in environment-friendly beautification projects. He has planted over 350 varieties of trees across his neighbour’s private estate and invented eco-friendly measures to water these saplings.

“I sought permission from one of my neighbours to plant saplings in his estate. I told him I don’t want any support or returns, but only oxygen from these saplings. I collected 10,000 plastic water bottles from restaurants and hotels. During monsoons, I collected water in these bottles and these bottles continue to water the self-watering flower pots and saplings I have planted so far,” he explains. His routine includes cleaning the neighbourhood of trash, taking a stroll across the estate to take care of his saplings, cycling and golf. While he visits the estate during the morning hours, he ensures to put his food in a solar cooker and keep it under the sun. “By the time I am back, I know my food is cooked and this is my routine during summer days,” he shares.

While the initiative undertaken by Piyush is not known to the majority in the city, people who know him are inspired by his efforts. “When I was growing up, pollution was not among the biggest concerns. The environment then was pristine, and we could swim in any stream as the water was clean. I have seen nature deteriorate in my lifetime and river Jamuna in Delhi is proof of that deterioration. Now, I do my bit to keep nature clean,” he concludes.

He also hopes to garner support from people’s representatives as he is ready to fund the beautification project, provided he has all the permissions in hand.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Bengaluru / by Prajna GR / May 25th, 2025

Deepa Bhasthi felicitated in Madikeri

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Writer Deepa Bhasthi, whose English translation of Banu Mushtaq’s Kannada work Edeya Hanate (Heart Lamp) won the prestigious International Booker Prize 2025, was felicitated in Madikeri by her alma mater and local leaders on Saturday.

The Old Students’ Association of Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa College, where Ms. Bhasthi pursued her education, college principal, lecturers, and office-bearers of the association visited her residence to honour her remarkable literary achievement.

B. Raghav, principal of the college, extolled Ms. Bhasthi for her literary accomplishment and noted that the international recognition has brought immense pride to the institution.

“The achievement of one of our old students was a matter of pride for the college,” he added.

The association president B.B. Aiyappa highlighted the difficulty of translating regional literature without losing its emotional depth, commending Ms. Bhasthi’s masterful rendering that resonated with a global audience.

MLA for Madikeri Mantar Gowda also felicitated Ms. Bhasthi at her home on Saturday. Commending her contribution to literature, he said her accomplishment had placed Kodagu on the global literary map. He said the government would support her future literary initiatives and described her as an inspiration for students and young writers.

Mr. Gowda also remarked that it was heartening to see literature of such calibre emerge from the serene surroundings of Kodagu. Plans are under way to organise interactions between Ms. Bhasthi and students from local institutions to foster interest in literature and translation, he added.

Ms. Bhasthi said the translation took nearly three years of dedicated work and she is now preparing for literary engagements in London and other cities. Ms. Bhasthi’s husband Chettira Nanaiah, her parents Prakash and Sudha Bhasthi, were among those present.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / May 31st, 2025

Kodagu rains: Over 1,400 electricity poles damaged; restoration work on

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To speed up the restoration of the electricity network, the Madikeri division of the CESC has deployed 231 personnel. | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

Relentless rain and strong winds have impaired the power infrastructure in Kodagu, damaging a total of 1,442 electricity poles, 11 transformers, and 13.105 km of power lines.

Despite the current adverse weather, power supply restoration efforts are under way. The authorities of Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC) have so far replaced or repaired 1,091 poles and nine transformers. On average, about 100 poles are being replaced every day. However, the continuous downpour and gusty winds are hampering progress and causing further damage, a release issued by Executive Engineer (Operations and Maintenance Division), CESC, M. Ramachandra said.

To speed up the restoration of the electricity network, the Madikeri division of the CESC has deployed 231 personnel. In addition, 52 staff members have been brought in from other divisions, along with 75 outsourced workers and 124 contract staff — all equipped with tools and equipment. The teams are working on a warfooting to restore normalcy, the release added.

Officials have acknowledged that the past 10 days of incessant rain have slowed down repair work and caused repeated disruptions to the power supply. Therefore, they have urged the public to cooperate as the restoration work is in progress in the district.

Field officers and technical staff remain engaged in power restoration efforts. Because of the workload, section officers may not be able to respond to customer calls promptly. Instead, the authorities have set up a dedicated toll-free helpline for the Madikeri division to handle consumer complaints. Consumers can report power-related issues by calling the toll-free number: 1800-599-0061.

The executive engineer has assured the public that every effort is being made to restore power supply at the earliest.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / June 03rd, 2025

Rain, gusty winds continue to batter Kodagu, coast

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And there is no respite from inclement weather as the IMD has forecast heavy showers for next two days and sounded red alert for three coastal districts and as many Malnad districts.

Scores of visitors flock to Abbey Falls in Kodagu district following heavy rain. Credit: Dh photo

Heavy rain continued unabated, damaging houses, roads and power infrastructure and triggering flash floods in  coastal districts and Malnad region.

And there is no respite from inclement weather as the IMD has forecast heavy showers for next two days and sounded red alert for three coastal districts and as many Malnad districts.

Two people died in rain-related incidents in Dakshina Kannada. Lily D’Souza (52), a native of Iruvailu near Moodbidri, was electrocuted when she stepped on to an electric wire snapped due to gusty winds, near her house on Wednesday morning.

Suryanarayan (49), a professional photographer from Kasargod, died after his car plunged into an overflowing stormwater drain at Kodikal in Mangaluru.

Three people travelling in a car escaped with minor injuries after a tree fell on the vehicle at Mulki.

Two houses were completely destroyed while several of them suffered a partial damage in the incessant rain that’s lashing Dakshina Kannada for the past few days. As many as 225 electricity poles were uprooted while 13 transformers and eight bridges suffered damages.

In Udupi and Karwar, intense erosion along the coast is posing a threat to people living close to it. At several places, boulders dumped to prevent sea erosion have been washed away due to strong currents. Udupi district, including Udupi town, continued to see heavy rainfall on Wednesday.

Kodagu is shivering under heavy downpour, coupled with strong winds. Several residential areas in Madikeri are forced to spend nights in darkness due to power outages.

The Kodagu administration has declared holiday for schools and colleges for next two days. With Cauvery river flowing in full steam, the forest department has barred visitors to Dubare elephant camp.

However, hundreds of tourists and locals, braving chill weather, visited the Abbey Falls near Madikeri to catch the glimpse of the cascading waterfall.

The water level in Harangi reservoir has reached 2,841.93 feet, just 15 feet short of reaching its maximum level. Meanwhile, Hemavathi dam at Goruru in Hassan clocked 22,000 cusec inflow on Wednesday. It is only 18 feet short of reaching full reservoir level. Yagachi dam in Belur taluk is full to the brim. Excess water is being released downstream.

Vehicular movement to Kukke Subrahmanya was hit following a tree fall on Bisle ghat road in Sakleshpur taluk.

Relentless showers have left the paddy growers in Shivamogga worried. Ready to harvest paddy cultivated on vast tracts lying on farms due to inclement weather even as the grains are sprouting.

Agumbe in Thirthahalli taluk has recorded 150 mm of rain in the last 24 hours while Maani in Hosanagar taluk registered 130 mm.

Up north, Manjra and Bhima rivers are flowing above the danger mark in Bidar and Kalaburagi districts, courtesy heavy rain in Kalyana Karnataka districts and upstream in Maharashtra. Kamalnagar (Bidar), Shahpur (Yadgir) and Raichur city experienced heavy rain intermittently on Wednesday, posing hardships to the people living in low-lying areas.

In the last 24 hours (ending 8.30 am), Almatti dam in Bagalkot district received a massive 4.88 tmcft of water. The reservoir has been receiving heavy inflows due to unyielding showers in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra. The dam, as on May 28,has 40.787 tmcft of water.

Many parts of north and south interior Karnataka received light to moderate spells of rain on Wednesday. The weather department has predicted more widespread rain for the state in the next few days.  

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> India> Karnataka / by DHNS / May 29th, 2025

Kodagu jumps to 4th place in SSLC results after 25 students pass in revaluation

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A total of 25 students from the district have passed following a revaluation. Let’s find out more…

Kodagu district, which had grabbed fifth place in the state in Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) results, has now occupied fourth place after a revaluation process.

A total of 25 students who applied for revaluation have passed and the district has attained 82.40%, according to the report by The New Indian Express.

As per the results on May 2, Kodagu was in fifth position in the state with a percentage of 82.21. However, after the revaluation process, the district’s percentage has increased by 0.19, and the district has overtaken Shivamogga in the SSLC results.

A total of 25 students from the district have passed following a revaluation. Among those who applied for revaluation, 11 in Virajpet taluk, 13 in Somwarpet taluk and one student in Madikeri taluk have passed.

Earlier these students were in the failed list. With these 25 students joining the pass list, the district is moving up to the top position with a 0.19 percent increase in the pass percentage.

Meanwhile, supplementary examination is being held in two centers each in three taluks of the district. A total of 68 students have passed but are retaking the examination to improve their performance, as per the report by The New Indian Express.

Apart from these, students who have failed in various subjects are also writing the second examination as repeaters.

source: http://www.edexlive.com / EdEx Live / Home> News / May 29th, 2025

In their farm with five pet dogs, Booker winner Deepa Bhasthi’s husband celebrates in Kodagu

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While the literary world applauded in London, back home in Kodagu, her win was met with joy, disbelief, and a bit of solitude.

Deepa Bhasthi won the  International Booker Prize for her translation of Kannada author Banu Mushtaq’s Heart Lamp short story collection, in London on May 20, 2025. | Photo Credit: Deepa Bhasthi/Instagram

While Karnataka’s Kodagu-born writer Deepa Bhasthi celebrates a historic International Booker Prize win in London, her husband Chettira Sujan Nanaiah is celebrating in his own quiet way — on a farm, with five pet dogs, and congratulatory phone calls at their peaceful home in Madikeri.

On Tuesday night, Ms. Bhasthi, along with writer-activist Banu Mushtaq, was awarded the prestigious GBP 50,000 International Booker Prize for her translation of the latter’s short story collection, Heart Lamp. While the literary world applauded her in London, back home in Kodagu, the win was met with joy, disbelief, and a bit of solitude.

Speaking to The Hindu over the phone on Wednesday morning, Sujan Nanaiah — an artist-turned-farmer — shared his happiness. “She’s still in shock and joy. We spoke briefly in the morning. I couldn’t be there with her due to other commitments, but I’m extremely happy and proud,” he said.

Quiet life in Madikeri

The couple, who moved to their native Madikeri during the COVID-19 pandemic, have been living a quiet life on their farm surrounded by lush greenery. “It’s a simple life. We grow our own food, look after our pets, and enjoy being close to nature,” he said.

Mr. Nanaiah, who studied fine arts at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath in Bengaluru, first met Ms. Bhasthi seven years ago at an art exhibition where he was a participant. What began as a friendship evolved into marriage and a shared life in Kodagu.

As calls poured in from family and friends, Mr. Nanaiah was busy tending to farm duties and looking after their pets. “I didn’t expect her to win, but I’m thrilled for her and the recognition it brings to Kannada literature,” he said, adding that he was the one who shared the good news with Bhasthi’s parents on May 21 morning. “They were emotional and proud. It’s a big moment for our family,” he added.

Born and raised in Madikeri, Ms. Bhasthi studied at Kodagu Vidyalaya before moving to Mangaluru for a degree in Mass Communication. She worked with print publications in Bengaluru before transitioning to freelance writing and literary translation.

Mr. Nanaiah said that Deepa’s return to Kodagu is expected around May 26, though her schedule is still uncertain. For now, as she enjoys her moment on the international stage, her immensely proud husband continues to hold fort at their serene Madikeri farmhouse.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Karnataka / by Darshan Devaiah B P / May 22nd, 2025

Monsoon preparedness: DC tells officials to take precautionary measures in Kodagu

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Deputy Commissioner Venkataraja presiding over the district disaster management authority meeting in Madikeri on Friday. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Kodagu Deputy Commissioner Venkataraja on Friday directed nodal officers and engineers concerned to take necessary precautionary measures for monsoon preparedness.

He was speaking while presiding over the district disaster management authority meeting, held at his office in Madikeri.

The Deputy Commissioner said monsoon is likely to begin in June, and precautionary measures must be taken to prevent disasters caused by heavy rainfall.

Mr. Venkataraja stressed the importance of ensuring that there is no loss of human or animal life during the monsoon.

Nodal officers have already been appointed and must take necessary measures within their respective jurisdictions, with extra vigilance in sensitive areas, he told the meeting.

Fire and emergency services personnel must gear up to safeguard people in flood-prone areas and coordinate with the National Disaster Response Force teams during the season, he added.

Officials from the Department of Health and Family Welfare were told to stock necessary medicines and raise awareness to prevent the outbreak of communicable diseases. The Deputy Commissioner instructed engineers from the Public Works and Panchayat Raj Departments to repair roads in their jurisdiction.

Additional Deputy Commissioner R. Aishwarya, Additional Superintendent of Police Dinesh Kumar, and other district and taluk-level officials were present.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / May 09th, 2025

Kodagu popular getaway this Labour Day long weekend

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Bengaluru travel and hospitality companies have shifted itineraries to accommodate the holiday rush.

A Jayanagar-based travel company has switched from tempo travellers to mini buses to meet the high demand for trips within Karnataka this long weekend. Credit: MuddieTrails

With the Labour Day holiday falling on a Thursday (May 1), Bengalureans are turning the mid-week break into a long weekend by taking Friday off from work. Some are heading out on treks and road trips across Karnataka, while others are flying to destinations in other states or even abroad.

Harshitha Karunakar is off on a four-day vacation to Sri Lanka starting Thursday. She admits their schedule is “a bit packed for an international trip”, but the timing worked well for her family — her mother, a schoolteacher, is on summer break, and her retired father is free to join. “I applied for leave a month ago,” said the content writer. Their itinerary includes Buddhist temples, colonial landmarks, beaches, and sites linked to the ‘Ramayana’.

Former communications professional Brian Ammanna and his friends are limiting their road trip to three days. They are returning Saturday to avoid Sunday traffic. They will explore eateries in Mysuru before heading to Kodagu to unwind. Since most stays in Kodagu were expensive due to the long weekend rush, they booked one near Madikere, half an hour away.

Product manager Bharat Vijay and his mother Uma Devi, a field engineer assistant, are using the flexibility of remote work to start their trip on Wednesday. They will backpack through Kodagu, trekking up the Tadiandamol peak, and visiting monasteries and coffee estates.

Advocate Shamanth Surendra has settled for a day trip. Along with his biker friends and cousins, he plans to ride up to the Mallappa Konda hill — on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu-Andhra border — and the Bolumalai Fort in Tamil Nadu.

But some like IT professional Preeti K had to drop her family travel plans. She said most “decent hotels and resorts” in places like Kodagu, Kotagiri and Wayanad are either sold out or charging twice or more due to the long weekend demand.

‘Enquiries up by 2.5 times’

Travel and hospitality companies have shifted itineraries to accommodate the holiday rush. Muddie Trails, Jayanagar, saw enquiries more than double and responded by increasing their group trips to Ooty, Kodaikanal, and Munnar from one to three each. “One trip will start Thursday night,” said operations manager Shirky Sreemath.

Plan The Unplanned, Hulimavu, has scheduled two treks for May 1 — to Makali Durga and Kaiwara, both within 80 km of Bengaluru. As of Tuesday, each had 8-10 enquiries, mostly from 21-to-35-year-olds, but no confirmed bookings. “Long weekend plans are usually last-minute, so we are hopeful the slots will be filled by Wednesday,” said founder Jatin Munvar.

Chazing Sunsets, Chickpet, had sold 11 of 15 slots for a four-day jungle trail by Monday. “Mostly families with young children are booking. It becomes a short summer vacation for them,” said founder Rohit Kumar.

Nomadic’s hostel in Kodagu, which can accommodate 16 visitors, is fully booked. “Some guests have even opted to sleep on extra mattresses. We have had to decline more requests,” said founder Sandeep T K. And their D D Hills campsite in Tumakuru, which holds twice as many, has only a few tents left. “All these bookings are from Bengaluru,” he added.

Those seeking a long vacation had factored in the May 1 break well in advance. Sreemath’s company, for instance, had secured 50-60% of its bookings to Arunachal Pradesh as early as January, anticipating the holiday. Of these, 70% of travellers are from Bengaluru. “Booking early helps avoid expensive flights,” he explained.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> India> Karnataka> Bengaluru / by Barkha Kumari / April 30th, 2025

FMD vaccination drive to begin in Kodagu from April 21

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As part of the National Cattle Disease Control Programme, the 7th round of the foot and mouth disease (FMD) vaccination drive will be conducted in Kodagu district from April 21 for 45 days.

At a recent meeting in Madikeri, Deputy Commissioner Venkataraja instructed officials to make all necessary arrangements to ensure the success of the drive. Stressing the importance of livestock health, he said that FMD poses a serious threat to the farming community by causing significant financial losses. He called on all stakeholders to work together to eliminate the disease through timely vaccination.

Lingaraja Doddamani, Deputy Director of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, noted that FMD is a highly contagious disease affecting livestock such as cattle and pigs. He emphasised that regular vaccination, twice a year, is crucial in preventing the spread of the disease.

Vaccination will be administered to calves older than three months, with a booster dose scheduled three to five weeks after the initial shot. Even pregnant cows and buffaloes can safely receive the vaccine, he added.

Kodagu district is home to 76,920 livestock, and a dedicated team of 75 veterinary staff has been mobilised for the drive. The vaccine is being provided free of cost, and officials have urged farmers and livestock owners to extend full cooperation to the field staff during the campaign.

The vaccination drive is a vital step toward safeguarding animal health and ensuring economic stability for farmers across the district, the officials said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / April 19th, 2025

Kodava Family Hockey Namme turns 25: Stage set for Muddanda Cup Hockey Festival from Mar. 28

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Madikeri:

The Kodava Family Hockey Namme (Festival) celebrates its 25th edition this year, with the Muddanda Cup Hockey Tournament set to begin on  Mar. 28 and continue until Apr. 27.

Matches will be played across three different grounds, with 370 teams already registered for the competition.

Addressing the media in Madikeri yesterday, Kodagu Hockey Academy President Pandanda K. Bopanna noted that while 360 teams participated in last year’s Kundyolanda Hockey Fest, this year’s registrations have already reached 370, with a few more days left for additional entries.

He announced that the inaugural ceremony will feature an exhibition match between Kodagu Hockey Academy XI and Karnataka XI.

Tournament Director Badakada Deena Poovaiah and Coordinator Muddanda Roy Thammaiah will oversee the event.

Cheppudira Cariappa will serve as the main commentator, assisted by Maletira Srinivas, while Kecchettira Prasanna will be in charge of match coordination. The inauguration will also include a special felicitation ceremony honouring the Kundyolanda family, which achieved a Guinness World Record last year.

Umpire training

Hockey Academy Working President Mekerira Ravi Pemmaiah revealed that a training programme for hockey umpires will be conducted on Mar. 19 and 20 at Cauvery College, Virajpet, urging young hockey enthusiasts to participate.

Academy Vice-President Kukkera Jaya Chinnappa stated that several dignitaries, including Virajpet MLA and Chief Minister’s Legal Advisor A.S. Ponnanna, Madikeri MLA Dr. Manthar Gowda, Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, MLC M.P. Suja Kushalappa, Rajya Sabha MP Ajay Maken, Kodagu Deputy Commissioner Vekatraja, and Kodagu SP K. Ramrajan, will attend the grand opening ceremony.

Kreeda Jyothi

Muddanda Hockey Festival Chairman Muddanda Rashin Subbaiah confirmed that matches will take place at Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa College Grounds and the Police Parade Grounds. As part of the festival’s silver jubilee celebrations, a special ‘Kreeda Jyothi’ (Sports Torch) marathon will be held, visiting the Ainmanes (ancestral homes) of Kodava families.

The marathon will commence at 8 am on Mar. 25 from the Ainmane of the Pandanda family in Karada village, the pioneers of the Kodava Family Hockey Festival.

It will pass through eight Ainmanes in Ponnampet and surrounding areas before concluding on Mar. 28. On the inaugural day, a rally carrying the sports torch will proceed from General Thimayya Circle to Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa College Grounds, flagged off by MLA A.S. Ponnanna.

To commemorate 25 years of the festival, a women’s hockey tournament has been introduced as part of the Muddanda Hockey Festival. So far, 30 women’s teams have registered, and more entries are expected before the Apr. 10 deadline.

The women’s matches will be played at the Police Parade Grounds in Madikeri. Star Indian hockey players Lalremsiami Hmarzote from the women’s national team and Indian men’s team captain Harmanpreet Singh will visit Madikeri during the tournament.

Matrimonial meet

The festival will also feature a thand-bendhu (matrimonial meet) and a quiz competition at the venue. A special cyclothon is scheduled for Apr. 26, and DJ music will entertain spectators from the pre-quarterfinal stage through the final.

An open ‘Maja Run’ from Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa Circle has also been planned as part of the celebrations. Parking arrangements have been made for 2,000 vehicles, and Bengaluru-based Vandana Trust will assist in waste management throughout the month-long event.

Additionally, a shooting competition will be held on Apr. 20 at Ground No. 2, featuring three categories: 50-metre .22 rifle shooting, 30-metre 12-bore gun shooting, and 15-metre air rifle egg shooting. A traditional coconut shooting competition will also be organised.

Muddanda Family President Muddanda B. Devaiah urged members of the Kodava community to participate in large numbers in the rally from General Thimayya Circle to Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa College Grounds, marking a significant milestone in the history of the Kodava Family Hockey Festival.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports / March 16th, 2025