Tag Archives: Anand Prakash Meena

Millet dishes take centre-stage at traditional food revival competition in Madikeri

January 17, 2026Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, AllAnand Prakash Meena, Anand Prakash Meena - CEO - Kodagu Zilla Panchayat, Chandrasekhar - Joint Director of Agriculture - Madikeri, Coorg, Joint Director of Agriculture - Madikeri, Kodagu, Kodagu District, Kodagu District Administration, Kodagu First, Kodagu Zilla Panchayat, Madikeriadmin

Millet dishes take centre-stage at traditional food revival competition in Madikeri.

Dishes prepared from millets grabbed the attention at a cooking competition organised in Madikeri to revive forgotten culinary traditions. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Traditional dishes prepared with millets emerged as the highlight of a cooking competition organised in Madikeri, in Kodagu district of Karnataka, to revive forgotten culinary traditions.

Over 60 teams participated in the district-level competition, organized by the Kodagu district administration, Zilla Panchayat, and the Department of Agriculture. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Over 60 teams participated in the district-level competition, organized by the Kodagu district administration, Zilla Panchayat, and the Department of Agriculture at the office of the Joint Director of Agriculture in Madikeri earlier this week.

The exhibition showcased an impressive variety of snacks and dishes prepared using diverse millets, including jowar, ragi, foxtail millet, pearl millet, kodo millet, barnyard millet, and little millet.

Among the creative entries were ragi dosa, nippattu, chakli, kodu bale, kajjaya, millet payasa, millet pulao, ragi biscuits, white jowar biscuits, millet cake, millet paddu, millet laddu, brinjal cutlet, and foxtail millet dosa.

Separate prizes were awarded across three categories: spicy dishes, sweet dishes, and forgotten traditional dishes. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Other notable dishes were jackfruit cutlet, buki kajjaya, ragi laddu, gulige payasa, sajje nadu, foxtail millet cutlet, papaya halwa, pearl millet halwa, millet vade, and fenugreek leaf vade.

Separate prizes were awarded across three categories: spicy dishes, sweet dishes, and forgotten traditional dishes. First prize winners received ₹5,000, second prize ₹3,000, and third prize ₹2,000.

Speaking at the event, Joint Director of Agriculture Chandrashekar emphasized the nutritional benefits of millets, and encouraged people to incorporate them in their daily diet. He highlighted that millet consumption strengthens bones and provides essential calcium.

Awareness rally

Prior to the competition, an awareness rally on the importance of millets was flagged off by Kodagu Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Anand Prakash Meena.

NCC students, farmers, and officials from the Agriculture and Horticulture departments participated in the rally, which began from the fort premises in Madikeri and concluded at Gandhi Maidan.

Addressing participants at the fort premises, Mr. Meena stressed that millets are nutrient-rich. He called for greater awareness about their benefits. He opined that incorporating millets helps maintain a balanced diet, and can aid in managing diabetes and blood pressure.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / January 16th, 2026

Karnataka: ‘Swacha Kodagu-Sundara Kodagu’ mega-cleanliness drive to be held on Oct. 15

October 15, 2025Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, AllAnand Prakash Meena, B R Nagendra Prasad, B S Sundar, Clean Kodagu - Beautiful Kodagu, Coorg, Gonikoppal, K Ramarajan - Kodagu SP, Kodagu, Kodagu Chamber of Commerce, Kodagu District, Kodagu District Chamber of Commerce, Kodagu District Cooperative Central Bank, Kodagu First, Kodagu Homestays Association, Kodagu Hotels and Resorts Association, Kodagu University, Kodagu Zilla Panchayat, Kundyolanda Dinesh, Kundyolanda Dinesh Kariappa, Kushalnagar, M P Sunach Kushalappa, M P Sunach Kushalappa - MLC, Mantar Gowda, Mantar Gowda - Madikeri MLA, Naseer Ahamed - General Secretary - Kodagu Hotels and Resorts Association, Naseer Ahmed, Rohith, Somwarpet, Swacha Kodagu - Sundara Kodagu, Taluk Homestay Association, Teethir Dharmaja Uthappa, Venkat Raja - DC Kodaguadmin

The ‘Swacha Kodagu-Sundara Kodagu’ (Clean Kodagu-Beautiful Kodagu) campaign has received an overwhelming response from across the district and a mega-cleanliness drive will be held on Wednesday, October 15, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. as part of the initiative.

Kundyolanda Dinesh Kariappa, president, Kodagu Hotels and Resorts Association, said that the campaign is being organised under the banner of the association, in collaboration with the district administration, Kodagu Zilla Panchayat, Kodagu Chamber of Commerce, Kodagu Homestays Association, Rotary and Lions Clubs, Department of Tourism, Red Cross, local organisations, and various educational institutions. More than 220 associations and organisations in the district have extended their support to the drive.

MLA for Madikeri Mantar Gowda will inaugurate the district-level campaign near General Thimmaiah Circle in Madikeri at 8 a.m. Deputy Commissioner Venkataraja, Superintendent of Police K. Ramarajan, Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Anand Prakash Meena, and other dignitaries are scheduled to be present.

M.P. Sunach Kushalappa, MLC, will inaugurate the drive at Gonikoppal, while B.R. Nagendra Prasad, president, Kodagu District Chamber of Commerce, will launch the programme at Kushalnagar. At Virajpet, Teethir Dharmaja Uttappa, District President, Guarantee Scheme Implementation Committee, will launch the drive. Rohith, president, Taluk Homestay Association; and B.S. Sundar, vice-president of the Hotels and Resorts Association, will inaugurate the campaign at Somwarpet.

As part of the initiative, 1,500 NSS students from 23 colleges affiliated with Kodagu University will participate in cleanliness activities within their respective campuses. Similarly, students from schools and colleges across the district will take part in cleaning the respective premises of their institutions.

Officials and staff of the Kodagu District Cooperative Central Bank among others have also pledged their support.

Traders have been urged to clean the surroundings of their business establishments.

Mr. Kariappa said that public participation is being sought on a voluntary basis and the waste collected on October 15 will be transported to the solid waste management plant in Mysuru with the assistance of panchayat and local body officials.

Association general secretary Naseer Ahmed said government office staff, private school teachers, bank employees, and students may also participate between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. on October 15. The campaign primarily focuses on cleaning major roads and highways across the district.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India / by The Hindu Bureau / October 14th, 2025

Karnataka: Kodagu hotels, tourist centres directed to ensure 60% Kannada usage on nameboards

October 11, 2025Business & Economy, Records, AllAnand Prakash Meena, Anand Prakash Meena - CEO - Kodagu Zilla Panchayat, Barike Dinesh Kumar, Coorg, Dinesh Kumar - Additional Superintendent of Police - Kodagu, Kodagu, Kodagu Deputy Commissioner Venkata Raja, Kodagu District, Kodagu First, Kodagu Hotels, Kodagu Zilla Panchayat, R Aishwarya, R Aishwarya - Additional Deputy Commissioner - Kodagu, Signboards in Kodagu, Venkataraja - Kodagu Deputy Commissioneradmin

Kodagu Deputy Commissioner Venkataraja chairing a meeting in Madikeri on Friday. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Hotels, restaurants, homestays, and commercial establishments in Kodagu — known for its coffee and one of Karnataka’s primary tourist destinations — have been directed to ensure that 60% of the text on their nameboards is written in Kannada.

Kodagu Deputy Commissioner Venkataraja on Friday instructed all departments to ensure strict implementation of the State government order mandating Kannada usage on nameboards.

He was speaking at a meeting held at his office in Madikeri following the government’s notification enforcing the rule across all establishments, including shops, commercial complexes, industries, schools, colleges, government offices, and tourist centres in the hill station.

Mr. Venkataraja said that the Karnataka Comprehensive Development of Kannada (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which received the Governor’s assent on February 25, makes it mandatory for all industrial, commercial, and business establishments to display at least 60% of their nameboard content in Kannada. Local bodies and concerned departments have been asked to take necessary measures for its effective enforcement.

The Act applies to all institutions that have obtained approval or permission from the government or local authorities. Private schools, colleges, hospitals, laboratories, entertainment centres, and hotels must ensure Kannada is prominently displayed on their nameboards, he said.

Emphasising the need to promote Kannada, particularly in border areas and private educational institutions, the Deputy Commissioner warned that non-compliance would attract penalties. A penalty of ₹5,000 for the first offence and ₹10,000 for the second has been imposed; repeated violations may also result in the cancellation of licences.

Zilla Panchayat CEO Anand Prakash Meena shared details about the enforcement of Kannada nameboard regulations within local body limits.

Additional Deputy Commissioner R. Aishwarya, Additional Superintendent of Police Barike Dinesh Kumar, and Assistant Director of Kannada and Culture Department Kumar also spoke at the meeting.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India / by The Hindu Bureau / October 10th, 2025