Many take part in programme despite intermittent drizzle
Providing a reprieve from the stress and strain of a vigorous monsoon which tends to wreak havoc in Kodagu, was the slush field sports conducted by the district administration, on Saturday.
The monsoon in Kodagu tends to conjure up images of flood and landslips. But with the rains abating, the people put their worries behind to take time off and participate in the 30 th State-level slush field sports organised at Kaggodlu village in Madikeri taluk.
It was conducted by the Kodagu district administration, Zilla Panchayat and Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports and inaugurated by Appachu Ranjan, MLA. He recalled that in earlier days, every farmer or landlord in Kodagu used to take part in slush sports after sowing and it helped bring the community together and strengthened bond.
The competition drew people from different parts of the district who braved the intermittent drizzle and encouraged the participants who were drenched in muddy water and slush and gave a display of their prowess in different games. The festival was open to boys and girls as also men and women and included 50 metrerace, 200 metre race, 400 metre race , throwball, volleyball, tug-of-war etc.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / July 23rd, 2022
Chikkamagalur received 132% more rainfall from June 1 to 17, while Hassan received 124% more and Kodagu, the largest coffee-producing district, received 109% more. This is causing crop losses, putting an end to growers’ hopes for a bumper crop.
Excessive and continuous rains in the first two weeks of July triggered diseases such as root rot, leaf rot, and wet feet conditions, causing the leaves and berries on coffee plants to turn black and drop, according to growers. This is causing crop losses, putting an end to growers’ hopes for a bumper crop.
To date, the ongoing monsoon season has brought heavy rains to key coffee-growing regions in Karnataka, which account for 70% of the country’s coffee output. Chikkamagalur received 132% more rainfall from June 1 to 17, while Hassan received 124% more and Kodagu, the largest coffee-producing district, received 109% more.
The average rainfall in the South Kodagu region during the July 9-15 week was 272 percent higher this year than the previous 10-year average. Some areas, such as Balele, received 349 percent more rainfall than the 10-year average, while Gonikoppal and Virajpet received 310 and 288 percent more, respectively.
“Not only have the heavy and continuous rains harmed the standing crop due to black rot, stalk rot, and wet feed conditions, but planters have also suffered collateral damage from shade tree falls caused by the strong winds.” Flooding has occurred in some areas, and planters have suffered losses as a result of water logging. While it is too early to estimate crop losses, they could be around 25% in Chikamagalur and 20% in Kodagu,” according to N Ramanathan, Chairman of the KPA.
The percentage of dropping is higher in several villages that have historically received more precipitation. Coffee Board officials stated that they are assessing the impact of the excessive rains and have been advising growers on how to manage premature berry drop and black rot/stalk rot diseases in the root zones of the plants.
According to Jeffry Rebello, vice-president of UPASI, the situation is fluid because it is still the first half of the monsoon season and too early to assess crop losses. “If there are more bouts of heavy rains, there could be more impact,” Rebello said, estimating current losses at around 15%.
Other plantation crops, such as cardamom and pepper, have suffered losses, according to B S Jayaram, a coffee grower in Mudigere. “We have requested that the district authorities survey crop losses in order to quantify the impact,” said Jayaram, former president of the Karnataka Growers Federation.
In its recent post-blossom or early estimates, the State-run Coffee Board put the crop size for the year 2022-23, which begins in October, at a record 3.93 lakh tonnes, 15% more than the previous year’s 3.42 lakh tonnes.
source: http://www.krishijagran.com / Krishi Jagran / Home> Agriculture World / by Shivam Dwivedi / July 23rd, 2022
Seen those signboards proclaiming ‘Kumbakonam Degree Coffee’? Learn about this delicious brew as we unravel the history of South India’s favourite, filter coffee.
Like in many South Indian households, one will always find two things in my home — dosa batter and filter kaapi.
The latter is no less than an ‘on’ switch for the day, and watching the coffee brew — as the black-brown of the fresh concoction mingles with the white of the boiling hot milk to form just the right shade of brown — is a kickstart to most of my days.
Today, filter kaapi has become an integral part of many Indian households, to the extent that true connoisseurs cannot imagine starting their day without it. But the origin story of this drink takes us far away from India.
India’s tryst with coffee
Have you tried pongal, sambar and filter kaapi? Photo credits: Vidya Raja
According to common folklore, India’s tryst with coffee began in the early 17th century, when Baba Budan, a Muslim saint from Chikmagalur, smuggled in seven coffee beans from present-day Yemen while returning from Hajj. The use of the word ‘smuggled’ is intentional as in those days, it was considered illegal to transport green coffee beans out of the Arabian Peninsula. This was to ensure that the region continued to have a monopoly on its trade.
Baba Budan managed to bring it to Chikmagalur in India and began growing the crop. Firstpost writes, “Qahwakhanas (coffee houses) were soon established, and many upper-class Indians took to the drink. In fact, across the Islamic empires of the world at that time, coffee was the beverage of popular choice.”
The rest, as they say, is history. Chikmagalur, known as the birthplace of coffee in India, produces almost 34 thousand metric tonnes of Arabica coffee beans per annum.
In Southern India, coffee was popularised by the British sometime in the 1800s, writes NDTV Food. A British manager named J H Holly first realised how conducive the climatic conditions of the region were to growing coffee, and convinced the king of Mysore to give away some land in return for a share of profits. From here, it slowly began to be exported to Europe, while some was left behind to be consumed by the so-called elites in India.
Tamil historian A R Venkatachalapathy said, “The incursion of coffee into Tamil society was marked by a cultural anxiety which was matched only by the enthusiasm with which it was consumed.” He also noted that many believed that the drink would lead to “westernised behaviour” and “addiction”, but ultimately, its popularity emerged victorious.
Meanwhile, NDTV Food notes that to emulate those higher on the social hierarchy, more and more people began consuming coffee, replacing the kanji, a nutritious mix made of leftover rice or millets.
Coffee gained nationwide popularity some time in the mid 1940s, with the Coffee Board of India establishing the Indian Coffee House.
According to an article in The New Indian Express, Indians were not permitted in many coffee houses. It was in response to this that an “Indian coffee house” was first opened by the Coffee Cess Committee in Churchgate, Bombay [Mumbai], in 1936, and then, across the country.
However, after Independence in the ‘50s, the Coffee Board decided to close these coffee houses down. At this point, Communist leader A K Gopalan led the formation of workers’ cooperative societies to take over and run these coffee houses. This was how The Indian Coffee House (ICH) was born. As branches of ICH began spreading across India, coffee’s popularity only grew stronger.
Degree Coffee, Filter Coffee: What’s in a name?
Have you tried the degree coffee yet? Photo credits: Ashish Choudhary/ Twitter
The Indian filter coffee is commonly known as filter coffee, degree coffee, Mysore filter coffee or Kumbakonam coffee. Most variations of the name depend on the method used to make the coffee.
Rakesh Raghunathan, a food historian and raconteur based in Chennai, recalls his grandmother’s technique of making filter kaapi. “Way before all these electronic coffee machines made their way into our homes, my paati (grandmother) would painstakingly make her own coffee powder and then the decoction. First, she would roast the coffee beans. Next, she’d grind them in her hand grinder till she achieved the desired level of coarseness. Then, she’d collect this power and heap it into a thin muslin cloth,” he tells The Better India.
He continues, “She’d pour hot water and the decoction would percolate. This would then be used to make the perfect cup of filter kaapi.”
Rakesh Raghunathan
The term degree coffee comes from the usage of the decoction. According to Deccan Herald, the coffee decocted for the first time before mixing with the milk is known as “first degree coffee” because it is very strong and flavourful, unlike “second and third degree coffee”, which undergo decoction more than once. It is said that the first degree coffee was the ‘affluent’s cup of tea’ (or should we say coffee?), while the second and third was that of the common man’s.
Rakesh says, “There are several stories as to why it is referred to as degree coffee. While some say it has to do with the temperature to which the milk is boiled, others say it comes from the degree to which the water is boiled. However, it is none of this.”
“Degree is nothing but a measure of the milk quality being used. Just as one would use measurement units like kilometre and centimetre, one would use the term ‘degree’ to ascertain the quality of milk being used to make the coffee. It is nothing but a measurement to certify the purity and quality of milk,” he says.
Now that you know how filter coffee became so popular in Indian households, how about brewing your own cup?
Do you like filter coffee?
You will need good quality coffee powder, milk (fat percentage can be your choice), and sugar. · Once you have made the decoction, take a steel davara (glass). Add 1/4th portion of decoction to this. The boiling milk will fill the remaining 3/4th of the davara. · If you wish to add sugar, do so at this stage. · Swish the coffee around and allow the sugar to dissolve into the milk and decoction well. · Consume hot.
Yesterday morning as I sat at my working desk, there sat a brown cover addressed to me on the table.
It came from Palanganda T. Bopanna, a journalist author from Bengaluru. Inside was a thin book with a thick hard cover embellished with the photograph of the author in his ethnic Kodava headgear of a peta adorned with a pattern of golden strap crossing each other as if hugging the peta.
The title of the book is quite revealing and says what it contains:
Round And About With P.T. Bopanna’ with a bottom line: Bopanna looks at the lighter side of Coorg. Himself being a Kodava (Coorg), his writings here are of Kodagu related subjects or about himself with VIPs. I finished reading it in one hour and here I am writing about it. This was possible because each of the 25 pieces inside, including the Foreword by the Kodava iconic Fashion Guru of India Prasad Bidapa and the Epilogue, are no longer than two or three pages in fairly larger font and pictures. Good reading for those familiar with Kodagu (Coorg) and the people written about in the book.
There is a Preface also by the author and I was delighted to find the names of Mr. Boverianda Chinnappa and Mrs. Nanjamma Chinnappa, now residents of Mysuru, being mentioned for their “valuable suggestions” in bringing out this thin book of 68 pages. “The couple has been a source of strength to me in my book and web ventures,” he writes in gratitude.
As a Kodava myself, I know there are any number of Kodavas all over the world engaged in different activities and pursing professions who have become great achievers. Kodava people belong to a microscopic minority as a population who lived in a land of their own known as Kodagu ruled by Nayaks and then Kings and then the British, now a district in Karnataka.
The land area cannot increase but population increases. As a result when the family grew, its land-holding was not sufficient for running the family. Perforce they got themselves educated and some members had to leave Kodagu and then Kodava (Coorg) diaspora became a reality. Fortunately those who went out of Kodagu, a great majority of them, are doing well and very well. Some of them became celebrities and some are recognised by the governments. But there are other achievers who remain without public recognition but doing very well in their given profession, business or industry.
One example for anonymous achievers and distinguished persons among Kodavas is given in the book itself in the person for whom the book is dedicated (page 3). He is Pemanda Monappa Belliappa, a retired IAS Officer of Tamil Nadu.
Acknowledged as an outstanding administrator, Belliappa was decorated with MBE (Member of the British Empire) by the Queen of England. More than this, he established ‘Pemanda Monappa Scholarship’ in Cambridge University in perpetuity, in the name of his father, Pemanda Monappa, former Karnataka Inspector General of Police. Nearer home, he has also made handsome donation to the Coorg Education Fund, Madikeri. People like Belliappa are indeed the pride of Kodagu. There are many such Stars of Kodagu!
Bopanna, who claims to be a chronicler of Kodagu or Kodavas, may also venture to trace all those achievers among them, after independence of our country (1947) and publish a book with their biodata. This would be a great contribution from him to the Kodava people.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Columns > Abracadabra / by K.B. Ganapathy / July 20th, 2022
TRUGlobal, a leading IT services provider having headquarters in Dublin CA, US and multiple offices in other US locations and Bangalore now has expanded its operations in Pune City.
TRUGlobal is a top global IT services firm working with a diverse clientele across the world including many Fortune 500 Companies. TRUGlobal is well renowned to solve complex business challenges for their clients through rich industry knowledge and vast experience of implementing thought leadership enabled end-to-end solution architecture.
The facility was inaugurated at the hands of Ibrahim Sharif, Founder & CEO, TrueGlobal and Famous Cricketer Robin Uthappa. Also present on the occasion was, new operation head for in Pune. Also present was Zaid Mahvi, VP of Global Delivery. TrueGlobal.
TRUGlobal has worked with some of the world’s best companies like Facebook, Twitter, Nvidia, LinkedIn, Penumbra, Symantec, Genentech and more. TRUGlobal has its headquarters in Dublin CA, with offices in Dallas TX, Washington DC, and Global Operations Centre in Bangalore. TRUGlobal is now coming up with a new state-of-the-art office in central India’s IT Hub Pune, to help expand their global footprint.
Ibrahim Shariff, Founder and CEO of TRUGlobal expressed his pleasure in opening and said, “The new Pune office “Coming to Pune will help us expand our operations and aid us in aligning with our client’s goals and objectives for better and efficient delivery.
He further said, “Our teams in Pune will be working on cutting-edge technological solutions involving the very latest and sophisticated applications in the domain of AI/ML, RPA, Immersive virtual reality, while boosting Cloud transformation and mitigating threats by fortifying security solutions. To give a glimpse, we are extremely excited to be working on an autonomous car project which will disrupt the driver-less car space, along with a very intuitive rehabilitation tool utilizing immersive virtual reality. Coming to Pune was a natural choice for us. Pune, being a world renowned industrial and IT hub, the city offered great infrastructure, vibrant culture, while providing access to India’s best academic institutions.”
TRUGlobal has a turnover of INR 200 crores and registered an impressive growth of 215% in the last financial year. TRUGlobal’s operations centre in Pune has 102+ seating capacity, the future plan of the company is to add twice as more seats to their Pune operations in coming years. This will help them scale-up and adapt to solve their customer’s business and technological challenges.
TRUGlobal is a top global IT services firm servicing client across Fortune 500 Companies. A customer centric technology company with a laser focus on delivering excellence with the right blend of skill, competency, and passion, with well-defined processes enabling quality delivery, best suited for global customers.
A young dynamic and energetic entrepreneur, who is a truly techno-business leader. A leader who strongly believes in doing right things with highest morale. He is driven by a passion to build the company on the fundamental principles of commitment, trust, and excellence. Ibrahim is a well-known name in the technology circle of Silicon Valley.
This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN)
source: http://www.theprint.in / The Print / Home / ANI Press Release / by ANI PR / July 18th, 2022
This original series is directed by Syed Ahmad Afzal.
An OTT platform will soon launch ‘Shiksha Mandal’, a hard-hitting narrative inspired by true events that revolve around the biggest scam in the educational system in India.
‘Shiksha Mandal- Power Paise Ka… Scam Shiksha Ka’ will reveal corruption, fraud, cheating and criminal conspiracy that affects vulnerable students in India.
This original series is directed by Syed Ahmad Afzal and stars Gauahar Khan, Gulshan Devaiah and Pavan Malhotra in lead roles.
Gauahar Khan will be seen as a no-nonsense cop, Gulshan Devaiah will enact the role of a simple, hardworking young man running a coaching centre with aspirations for his family and Pavan Malhotra will portray the role of a villain who is behind many illegal activities.
With a socially relevant premise and equally talented cast, audiences can expect to see a riveting storyline inspired by true events.
source: http://www.freepressjournal.in / The Free Press Journal / Home / by FPJ Web Desk / July 19th, 2022
The government has started post and pre matric hostels and residential schools to impart free education to the students.
MLA K G Bopaiah hands over a laptop to a student at the Government First Grade College in Madikeri. Credit: DH Photo
MLA K G Bopaiah said that students should make use of the facilities from the government for their bright future.
He was speaking after distributing free laptops to the SC/ST students who had secured highest marks in the II PUC exam during 2020-21 at the Government First Grade College.
The government has started post and pre matric hostels and residential schools to impart free education to the students, he added. Deputy Director PU department Puttaraju said that laptops have been distributed to 24 students.
“I am happy for receiving the laptop. One of my lecturers has helped me financially to continue with my education,” Aloor Siddapura PU College student K Vijaya said.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Karnataka Districts / by DHNS, Madikeri / July 16th, 2022
In 2021, he had safeguarded 17 eggs of a snake found in the coffee estate of Panyada Ananda Basappa.
Many people cause harm to snakes but only a few rescue and release them into the forest. Snake expert Pushpadhara is one among them.
A resident of 7th Hosakote in Suntikoppa, he is popularly called ‘Snake Shaji.’ On getting information on snakes entering houses or shops or other places, he rushes to the spot, rescues and releases them into the forest.
He has been engaged in rescuing snakes for the last 20 years. He has rescued around 4,000 snakes (both venomous and non-venomous).
A majority of the rescued snakes are cobras. More than 30 pythons were caught and released into the forest.
“I am also trying to create awareness among people on snakes. Many have a notion that touching snakes will decay a part of their body. I am trying to create awareness on the superstitious beliefs on snakes,” he said.
In 2021, he had safeguarded 17 eggs of a snake found in the coffee estate of Panyada Ananda Basappa. After the hatchlings came out of the eggs, they were released into the forest.
“People should not panic on noticing snakes inside the house or farmland or inside the vehicles. Nobody should hurt the reptiles. If they dial me, I will rescue the snakes,” said Pushpadhara.
“Snakes play a pivotal role in maintaining balance in nature,” he said.
The snakes eat rats and rodents that damage crops in the field and help in saving the crops. These creatures are helpful to farmers, he added.
He has caught snakes not only in the district but also in Sringeri, Mysuru, Sullia, Kushalnagar, Suntikoppa, Madikeri and Periyapattana. “I don’t ask money for rescuing a snake but some people give money for the fuel expenses of the vehicle,” he said.
For details, people can contact Shaji at 94487 92261.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Karnataka Districts / by DHNS, Suntikoppa / July 16th, 2022
84 school buildings, 39 anganwadi centers partially damaged in torrential rain
Even as Kodagu received 458.5 mm rain in the last one week, the forecast for the next 24 hours indicated an orange alert and the district authorities are keeping a close watch on the rain situation. The local authorities cleared roadblocks caused by fallen trees and electric poles following heavy rains with gusty winds in several parts of the district.
Based on the previous experiences of handling the flood situation in Kodagu, the administration has identified 44 villages as “vulnerable” to floods and another 43 villages prone to landslides. All five taluks are rain-affected with about 580 persons so far affected by the rain fury.
The district administration has told the local administrations in the taluks to extend all possible assistance to the rain-affected and persuade the people in “unsafe” zones to shift to the relief camps for safety reasons.
Meanwhile, compensation has been paid to 76 families whose houses were damaged in the rain. Out of 180 houses damaged in the rain till date, 4 were fully damaged, 33 severely damaged and 143 partially damaged.
Out of 1,378 damaged electric poles, a total of 1,175 have been replaced by the CESC personnel besides replacing 132 transformers.
As many as 39 anganwadi centres were partially damaged besides 84 school buildings across Kodagu.
With regard to the damage to road infrastructure, 437-km long roads, maintained by the Panchayat Raj Engineering Department, have been damaged in the rain and landslides and the cost of repairing them has been estimated at ₹70.62 crore. The PWD-maintained roads of 9.47 km length that were damaged in the rain would require about ₹24.60 crore for the repair.
Kodagu recorded 1,116.3 mm rain in a span of 45 days – from June 1 till date. The district received 65.8 mm rain in the last 24 hours.
So far, 49 bridges under PRED (Panchayat Raj Engineering Department), 8 bridges under PWD, 123 culverts under PRED have been damaged due to incessant rain and 437-km long roads maintained by the PRED were damaged due to torrential downpour and landslides in parts of Kodagu since the onset of the monsoon.
As many as 122 families displaced by the rains have taken shelter in five relief camps. The district administration has identified a few more locations for converting them into relief camps for accommodating the displaced if the situation demanded based on the rain conditions.
Madikeri, Napoklu, Somwarpet, Kodlipet, Kushalnagar, Shanivarasanthe, Shanthalli, Suntikoppa, Virajpet, Ammatti, Hudikeri and Sriramangala have been recording heavy rains. As many as 23 houses were partially damaged in the rain havoc since Thursday besides 103 electric poles.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / July 15th, 2022
Through her institute Karaumbiah’s Academy for Learning and Sports, Olympian Ashwini Nachappa is aiming to bring potential athletes from Kodagu on the right track.
After a foray into films in the 90s, Nachappa in 2004 established her own institution, Karaumbiah’s Academy for Learning and Sports or KALS (named after her husband Datha Karumbiah) in Gonikoppal, Kodagu.
While sports enthusiasts around the globe are hooked on to the World Athletics Championships that kicked off in the USA, in Bengaluru, Karnataka’s very own former track and field athlete Ashwini Nachappa is single-mindedly focused on reviving activities at her sports academy in Kodagu after a “difficult two years”.
A Kodava by birth, Nachappa’s drive for athletics picked up when she was just eight years’ old. While her father worked in Kolkata, Nachappa lived with her mother and sister Pushpa, who is also an athlete, near Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. Little did Nachappa know that the stadium would be a turning point leading to her accomplishments in the track and field discipline.
“My sister and I used to love running on the tracks of the stadium every morning. The late Mohinder Singh (triple jumper) saw us and bribed us with sweets and wanted to see us more on the field. For every round, he would offer sweets and I ended up taking more sweets. Since then, there was no looking back,” said the Olympian, who bagged her first gold at All Indian Open Nationals in Bengaluru in 1980.
Nachappa began her career in track and field as a hurdler and long jumper, before making the switch to sprints. She participated in two Asian Games, one held in 1986 at South Korea, and the other in 1990 at Beijing, China where she bagged a silver medal in 4 × 100 m relay. She also represented India in two World Championships, one in 1987 in Rome, and the other in 1991 in Tokyo, as a member of the 4 × 400 m relay. She also won the 200 m gold at the 1990 National Open Meet in New Delhi ahead of P T Usha, clocking 24.07 seconds.
After a foray into films in the 90s, Nachappa in 2004 established her own institution, Karaumbiah’s Academy for Learning and Sports or KALS (named after her husband Datha Karumbiah) in Gonikoppal, Kodagu. Later in 2010, Ashwini’s Sports Foundation, a non-profit organisation, was built in the same academy to nurture potential athletes from Kodagu.
“We realised that Kodagu produced some excellent sporting talent but the children either had to travel to Mangalore or Bangalore to pursue their dreams. That is when we decided to blend academics and sports through the foundation and the school to embolden the sporting culture from the grassroots level in Kodagu,” said Nachappa, who is also associated with Parikrma Humanity Foundation, an NGO providing English language education to the poorest from the slums of Bengaluru. In fact, she was also associated with the Special Olympics programme for 12 years, offering year-long sports training to specially abled children.
A venture that started with 25 students has now grown with 850 students who are into athletics, hockey, and air rifle shooting. Some of them have made it to the Indian hockey team in the junior category and have represented the state at National Athletic Championships and National Shooting Championships. The sports academy consists of a synthetic athletic track and an astro turf for hockey.
“It has been a difficult two years for all, financially and emotionally. At our academy, we have re-started sporting activities this year with a new set of athletes across three core sports. Keeping in mind the impact of the pandemic over students, we have also started addressing physical and emotional challenges of children through small initiatives,” said Nachappa, adding that raising funds for the academy remains a challenge.
“Raising funds has been quite a challenge over the years for the sporting academies. However, we are using the revenue generated from the KALS to develop the amenities at our academy. We have also received grants from the national and state’s sports funds,” said Nachappa who believes that the participation of women in sports has increased over the years.
“During my early days as a sportsperson, I never thought gender would be a barrier to achieve your dreams. It’s all about talent and it is important to keep doing what you do. For me, life has been a learning experience, even now. With the pandemic putting a full stop to sports for the last two years, we are going to restart training processes at our academies and go on to produce more young athletes for the country,” said the Arjuna awardee.
source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bangalore / by Sanath Prasad, Bengaluru / July 16th, 2022
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