Leading sports management firm, IOS Sports & Entertainment announced the signing of Arjuna Awardee Ashwini Ponnappa, the sensational doubles and mixed doubles badminton player of India.
Ashwini Ponnappa became a household name for Indians after winning a gold and silver medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in the Women Doubles and Mixed Doubles category respectively and another gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games Gold Coast in the Mixed Team Event. She also played an important role in winning a silver medal for the Mixed team at the 2022 Commonwealth Games Birmingham. Other victories of Ashwini Ponnappa include a bronze medal in women’s doubles at the Badminton World Championship in 2011 and 2018 Commonwealth at Gold Coast and a series of gold and silver medals at the South Asian Games and Asian Championships.
“As a professional badminton player, you always look forward to new and unique opportunities, challenges and goals to achieve and excel as a person and as a player in the process. I am truly honored to be able to represent my country for so many years now and I look forward to winning more medals for India at major events particularly with the Asian Games and qualifications for Paris 2024 Games coming up. That being as said, we all need support to manage our off-the-field opportunities and I am delighted & excited to be welcomed by Team IOS Sports and Entertainment. They have a proven and long-standing history of working with athletes from other major Olympic and Paralympic disciplines along with my fellow shuttlers.” said Ashwini on her signing on with IOS Sports & Entertainment.
Ashwini, who is currently World Rank 23 (in Women Doubles) has been a doubles player ever since her professional journey started. Her first victory at the national level came at the 2004 National Championship in the Sub-Junior Girls Doubles category. A year later, at the 2005 National Championship, she retained her title and in 2006, she got a taste of victory by clinching a Gold at the South Asian Games in the Women Doubles event.
“It’s very exciting to have one of the best doubles badminton players of India onboard with us. Ashiwni’s role in showcasing Indian women’s doubles badminton’s prowess in world badminton cannot be missed and we are looking forward to having Ashwini as a part of IOS and wish her all the luck.” said Neerav Tomar, Managing Director, IOS and Entertainment.
IOS Sports has so far managed and worked with more than 100 Indian sports stars, including the likes of Suresh Raina, MC Mary Kom, Saina Nehwal, Sandeep Singh, Hima Das and now they’re all set to add another name in this list as Ashwini Ponnappa.
source: http://www.adgully.com / Adgully / Home> Marketing / by Adgully Bureau / November 16th, 2022
Mysuru entrepreneur Kuppanda Chayaa Nanjappa Rajappa has been appointed as the National President of Association of Business Women in Commerce and Industry. She is a first generation rural woman entrepreneur and Founder-Managing Partner of Nectar Fresh.
Nectar Fresh, backed by Khadi and Village Industry Board, has its unit in Srirangapatna, Mandya district. It offers various products like honey, jams, sauces, chia seeds and natural vinegar.
A recipient of various awards like CNBC-TV18 and Women Entrepreneur Award in 2014-2015, Chayaa was also honoured by Indian Federation of Culinary Association for breaking the monopoly of the international brands. She bagged the Business Person of the Year Award by Mysore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI) in 2019.
Nectar Fresh has been the first brand in India to be using the ‘Women Owned’ logo of ‘We Connect’. Their latest venture ‘Veeravrutham’ is the first social enterprise in ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ which will support over 3,000 tribals and rural artisans locally. Tribal and rural artisans’ products will gain place not only in the Indian market but will also find place in the international market.
Born to Paruvangada Nanjappa and Poly Nanjappa of Nalkeri village in Kodagu, Chayaa is married to Kuppanda Rajappa, who was the first businessman to bring in the concept of supermarket (Nilgiris) to Mysuru. The couple has donated one acre of land for a Bharat-Israel Study Centre through Diya Minora Foundation, a sister concern of Veeravrutham Foundation. It will be a culture and technology exchange platform between India and Israel.
Chayaa is motivated by the principles of Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS) and has implied the principles in her profession besides working in various fields apart from business. She is the first woman to hold a national-level position in Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and also holds a position in the State Committee of RSS’ Laghu Udyog Bharti.
She is a member of the executive committee of the R&D Institute for Food and Technology at Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology (IIFPT) and is one of them from the industry to be chosen as part of the National Honey Mission.
IIM Professors chose Nectar Fresh story as a case study for the Ivy League Competition, adding another feather to the cap of Nectar Fresh that grew up as a brand with ethics and quality than investing in marketing.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / June 25th, 2021
‘Kodava Namme,’ the annual cultural and sports festival organised by the Federation of Kodava Samajas will be held from Nov. 18 to 20 at Balugodu in Virajpet, Kodagu.
The three-day festival will begin with the inauguration of the hockey tournament tomorrow morning while the cultural programmes will be inaugurated at 10 am on Nov. 20.
The finals of hockey match will be held at 2 pm followed by prize distribution, according to a press release from the Federation President.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> In Briefs / November 19th, 2022
A girl, who had saved an elderly man from drowning in a lake, has been honoured with Keladi Chennamma Bravery Award by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot at the Children’s Day function held at Jawahar Bal Bhavan in Bengaluru on Nov. 14. The bravery award is instituted by the Department of Women and Child Development.
The girl, who bagged the award is Namratha, daughter of Shabareesh and Shantha couple of Seegethodu in Gonikoppal of Kodagu district.
A student of Sarvadaivatha PU College at Arvathoklu in Gonikoppal.
Namratha, on Nov. 6, 2021, was walking towards her home after finishing her college, when she noticed an elderly man drowning in the lake, next to her house. Without thinking twice, Namratha jumped into the lake and dragged the elderly man out of the water, thus saving his life.
The officials of the Department of Women and Child Development, who took notice of this bravery act, recommended the name of Namratha for the Keladi Chennamma Bravery Award.
Namratha has dedicated the award to her parents, College Principal and her School Head Master. Her mother Shantha said she was very happy for her daughter who has saved a life. Namratha has participated in National-level throwball and also bagged many prizes.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / November 16th, 2022
By Mandetira N. Subramani, President, VeKare Ex-Servicemen Trust, Mysore.
Most of the Ex-Servicemen of yore, who joined the British Indian Armed Forces during early 1940s, and participated in World War-II, are no more. However, there are still numerous widows of World War-II veterans, around 70 odd years of age, living in Mysore and Kodagu region, who narrate their helplessness and pathetic stories.
It was customary for men of yesteryears to marry a life partner who is younger to them by 10 to 15 years. It is quite but natural that most of such wives become widows and may live for 10 to 15 years, or even longer, after the demise of their husbands. Trends have changed. The present day men don’t mind marrying a life partner elder to him by 3-5 years and the educated ladies consider it as out of fashion and a mismatch to marry men who are 3 or 4 years elder to them.
Reverting to the subject of helplessness of widows of World War-II veterans, a gentleman barged into my office a few days ago with a complaint that his 76-year-old mother, living in a remote village called Kiggal, near Murnad, Kodagu (erstwhile Coorg), is not being granted defence family pension even after a lapse of 12 years after the demise of his father, due to some vague reasons projected by the Army’s EME Record Office, Secunderabad. The hapless widow happened to be one Mrs. Kaveriamma, widow of a World War-II veteran, Naib Subedar Ballachanda Nanjappa Ayyappa.
Mrs. Kaveriamma & late Nb Sub B.N. Ayyappa.
I, being not only an Ex-Serviceman myself but also a son of a World War-II veteran who served in the Corps of EME and died unsung and unheard 22 years ago, decided to help the Late Nb Sub Ballachanda N. Ayyappa’s widow Kaveri-amma with whatever little bit of knowledge and expertise I had gained during the course of taking up the cause of Ex-Servicemen and widows of Ex-Servicemen since the past 22 years after I quit the Armed Forces.
I believe in “seeing is believing.” Hence, I told late Naib Sub B.N. Ayyappa’s son, Ganapathy, that I wished to see his mother Kaveriamma personally, without doubting his (Ganapathy’s) version of the pathetic story of his mother. Without a second thought, Ganapathy informed me that his 76-year-old mother has been suffering from all sorts of old age ailments and that if I wished to see her, I would have to visit his ancestral Ballachanda House in Kiggal village in Coorg, which is well over 150 kms from Mysore. He also suggested that I could accompany him the following day itself to his village to see his mother. Though there was a clash of opinions between my mind and heart regarding his suggestion, I decided to listen to my heart, which is always weaker than the mind. The widow’s old age and ill health became a priority over my next day’s assignments and engagements all of which I had to abort.
It was indeed a huge expedition on the next day. It took almost nearly three-and-a-half- hours to reach the 100-year-old ancestral house of late Nb Sub Ayyappa in his village, which resembled a bit of British architecture. However, it took me waiting for nearly two hours to get the audience of the grand-old-lady, as she took time to wake up from her sleep, get ready and come out of her bedroom with the support of her son.
B.A. Kaveriamma, widow of late Nb Sub B.N. Ayyappa.
During the waiting period, in Kaveriamma’s house, I had to perforce spend my time speaking to an 87-year-grand-old gentleman, who was resting in his easy chair. I was amused when he kept showing extra attention and courtesies to me than what I really deserved. This grand-old-gentleman, however, kept firing some uncomfortable questions to me such as, when did I join the Armed Force? When did I quit? Why did I quit? What was the last rank held by me? What I have been doing after quitting the forces etc… etc… as if I were put in a witness box for some crime committed by joining the Armed Forces! If someone around my age had asked me those questions, I would have blown my trumpet about my life in the Armed Forces, my last rank held as equivalent to one of those one star or two stars rank etc. But, I held back, because, in my subconscious mind I saw something very special in him that made me to tell him only the truth, including the last rank held by me, that is, Sergeant in the Indian Air Force.
While answering all the questions fired at me by this grand-old-gentleman, I was also looking at the walls of the huge verandah to deter him from firing anymore questions. However, I found some old photographs of late Naib Sub Ayyappa’s father, who was a Sub-Inspector of Police during the British regime, hung on the wall. Among the numerable old photographs on the walls, I also noticed a certificate framed and hung in a remote corner, which I could not read because of the size of the certificate, and my failing eye sight. I was compelled to remove the framed certificate and read it just out of curiosity. To my surprise, it was a citation of a gallantry award, that is, “Mention in Dispatches” awarded to Flight Gunner Sgt. Ballachanda N. Medappa.
Ex-Warrant Officer B.N. Medappa, M-In-D
I became very curious and asked Ganapathy as to who this Flight Gunner was ? Ganapathy pointed out at the grand-old- gentleman who was sitting on the same easy chair busy reading a Kannada daily Mysooru Mitra and said, “he is my father Nb Sub Ayyappa’s younger brother Ex-Warrant Officer of the Indian Air Force.” I realised that he is really an ‘Ex-Air Warrior,’ a term commonly referred to all Ex-Air Force personnel of late. I too sometimes proudly call myself as an Ex-Air Warrior to my advantage but it proved to be otherwise all the time with my retired rank ‘Ex-Sergeant.’
In the meantime, the widow of Nb Sub Ayyappa managed to come up to the verandah with the support of her son. As per the customs of the Coorgs’, I touched her feet to seek her blessings, and took a few photographs of her from my worn camera. After speaking to her for a few minutes I casually told her that I would try to resolve her defence family pension issue, at which she nodded her head casually, without any anxiety or hope of receiving it in the near future. I understood that she was fed up of trying for her defence family pension for the past 12 years.
On our way back to Mysore from Coorg after having met the widow, my thoughts were more on the unassuming Ex-Air Warrior I met that day than the problem of the widow of World War- II veteran Ayyappa. I tried to make a guess as to how many such great war heroes were still living or dead, unheard and unsung, among the tiny Kodava Community besides the number of General Officers this tiny Coorg District has produced till date. I even started calling up all my fauji friends, as if there was an impending war.
All armed forces veterans who served three decades ago know that there was a separate Coorg regiment, which largely included people from non-Kodava backgrounds while the Kodavas themselves served in different other regiments; this is in keeping with the Army’s non-bias policy. Field Marshal Kodandera Cariappa of the Rajput regiment and General Kodandera Thimayya of the Kumaon regiment are the most distinguished Army men among the Kodavas. Other illustrious Kodavas from all ranks lead from the front in their own way, not only during wars but also in war-like situations and counter insurgencies.
Lt. Gen. Apparanda Aiyappa is best remembered for his contributions towards the Corps of Signals and towards Bharat Electronics Limited. There were several war heroes as well such as Nadikerianda Bheemaiah, a JCO who was the first among Coorgs to be awarded the Vir Chakra for conspicuous bravery in J&K Operations during 1947, and Air Marshal Cheppudira D. Subia, a daring fighter pilot, was awarded the Vir Chakra during 1950 for his courageous and relentless attacks on the enemy targets which has largely contributed to the successful capture of Garais in Jammu & Kashmir.
Squadron Leader Ajjamada B. Devayya (known as the ‘wings of fire’), a fighter pilot of rare acumen, was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra after the 1965 Indo-Pak War, posthumously. Lt. Col. Ganapathi Puttichanda Somaiah (then known as the ‘Major who kept his cool’) was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for his conspicuous bravery of fighting against the militants under odd condition while deployed in Sri Lanka as part of Indian Peace Keeping Force.
Lt. Col. Anjaparavanda Ganapathy was decorated with Vir Chakra for his valour during the 1965 war. Maj. Gen. Kuppanda Nanjappa and Colonel Mandettira Ravi were decorated with Vir Chakra for their valiant display of courage and gallantry in the face of the enemy on land during the 1971 Indo-Pak war. Sqn. Ldr. Mandepanda Ganapathy was awarded Vir Chakra for shooting down one of the first Pakistani Sabre Jets, which intruded into Indian air space during the 1971 war.
Wg. Cdr. Ballachanda Karumbaya is another war hero to be decorated with the Vir Chakra for displaying his gallantry in the air during the 1971 war. The youngest among the above said war heroes is the then Capt. Baleyanda M. Cariappa to be decorated with Vir Chakra on 21st June 1999 for displaying repeated acts of valour, bold leadership, unparalleled courage, leading from the front and devotion beyond the call of duty in the face of the enemy.
Kodagu being one of the smallest districts across India, today boasts of the highest density of devoted, daring, dedicated, disciplined and duty-bound gentlemen soldier officers, with many adorning the highest echelons of the defence services in India.
At any given point of time, till 1980, the number of persons serving the forces far exceeded the proportion of any other set of people from any other region in India. The contribution of Coorg to the cause of the nation has been phenomenal and Armed Forces Martyrs from Kodagu District are innumerable.
The appended list of Army General Officers the tiny District of Kodagu [population 5 lakh and population of Kodavas is about 1.3 lakh] has produced over the last 65 years is testimony to the fact that the District is a cradle of mighty Generals:
1. Field Marshal Kodandera M. Cariappa, OBE; 2. General Kodandera S. Thimayya, DSO; 3. Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Apparanda C. Aiyappa PVSM, MBE; 4. Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Biddanda C. Nanda PVSM, AVSM, ADG; 5. Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Codanda N. Somanna PVSM; 6. Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Bittianda K. Bopanna PVSM, AVSM, VSM; 7. Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Ballachanda K. Chengappa; 8. Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Guddanda C. Somanna; 9. Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Kongetira M. Chengappa; 10. Maj. Gen. (Retd) Kotera C. Bheemaiah; 11. Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Codanda K. Karumbaya SM; 12. Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Cheppudira I. Jay Appachu AVSM; 13. Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Somaiyanda K. Kariappa AVSM, YSM; 14. Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Madaiyanda M. Belliappa AVSM, VSM; 15. Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Bovverianda M. Aiyanna; 16. Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Bachamanda A. Cariappa; 17. Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Moovera C. Nanjappa AVSM, VSM; 18. Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Kuppanda P. Nanjappa AVSM, VrC; 19. Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Kelapanda B. Swaraj; 20. Maj. Gen. Kodandera Arjun Muthanna; 21. Maj. Gen. Paruvangada M. Cariappa VSM.
Courtesy: Star of Mysore
source: http://www.ex-servicemen.in / Ex-Servicmen India / News>Views>Articles / by M N Subramani / October 19th, 2012
Kuppanda Pushpa Muthanna (Maletira), wife of Lt. Col. (Retd.) Kuppanda Muthanna, a long time resident of Vijayanagar in city and later settled in Virajpet, Kodagu, passed away in Virajpet this morning. She was 80.
She leaves behind her husband, one son and a host of relatives and friends.
Last rites were held at the Kodava Samaja crematorium in Virajpet this afternoon, according to family sources.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Obituary / November 14th, 2022
He is partnering with Tanmay Bhat and Akshay BD for a start-up in the cryptocurrency space.
Devaiah Bopanna
Devaiah Bopanna, Chief Creative Officer at All Things Small — known for campaigns such as Disney+Hotstar’s #SiwaySRK, and Cred’s ‘Indiranagar ka Gunda’ — has announced that he is leaving the agency to explore a new venture.
Bopanna, who has written several viral ads along with the former AIB team, is set to join hands with Tanmay Bhat and Akshay BD in a cryptocurrency start-up called SuperTeamDao.
Announcing it on LinkedIn, he said, “I got introduced into the world of crypto a few months ago by Tanmay between takes on an ad film shoot.”
“This turned into obsession over a period of time. So I couldn’t be more thrilled in joining Tanmay Bhat and Akshay BD as a founding member of SuperTeamDao, where we will be spending all our time, energy and resources in building a supercharged community that helps service crypto companies in their growth, and find interesting new ways to bring crypto into the mainstream stream,” he added.
Bopanna co-founded All Things Small along with Sidin Vadukut, Supriya Nair, Gaurav Vaz, and Sunil Doshi in 2019. He has also worked with Creativeland Asia, Lowe Lintas and Mudra Communications. He started his career in 2008 as a copywriter with Ogilvy and Mather. In 2015, he became the head writer for AIB.
Info@BestMediaInfo.com
source: http://www.bestmediainfo.com / Best Media Info / Home> Digital / by Best Media Info Bureau / Mumbai – October 05th, 2021
He appreciated the efforts of the people’s representatives in the district in the establishment of a well-equipped court building.
The newly established Kodagu District Court building in Vidyanagar
Madikeri:
It was a historic moment in Madikeri as the iconic District Court building witnessed a grandeur inauguration on Saturday. The Rs 39 crore magnificent Court building was inaugurated by Justice AS Bopanna, the Supreme Court Judge.
“The notion of democracy will be lost if people lose faith in the judiciary. Lawyers must keep this in mind and work for the betterment of society,” spoke Justice Bopanna.
“Courts are upgraded with time and this does not indicate an unstable society. People believe in the judicial system and it is the duty of every advocate to keep a stronghold on this faith of the people,” he added.
Justice AS Bopanna at the inaugural ceremony of the new Court building in Madikeri
He appreciated the efforts of the people’s representatives in the district in the establishment of a well-equipped court building.
Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court, Prasanna B Varale began his speech by singing the traditional Kodava ‘baalopaat’.
“Kodagu is the land of warriors and the district has contributed immensely to the Indian Military. The district has made a mark in every field and General Thimmayya, and FMKM Cariappa have been an asset to the nation. The court is equivalent to a temple and it is our duty to extend justice to the people in need,” he said.
HC judge Cheppudira Poonacha, SC judge Shukure, HC judge ES Indresh and district BAR association president KD Dayananda were among the veterans from the judiciary system present at the event. MLAs KG Bopaiah and Appachu Ranjan assured to extend bus services to reach the newly established court in Vidyanagar premises.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Express News Service / November 12th, 2022
A 30-feet-tall cutout of footballer Christiano Ronaldo is welcoming visitors to Suntikoppa.
Madikeri :
The FIFA World Cup fever is spreading fast across Kodagu even as a magnificent cutout of footballer Christiano Ronaldo has popped up at Suntikoppa in the district. Several youngsters from the district have also signed up for voluntary work in Qatar.
However, the sports enthusiasts in the district lamented the lack of facilities and put forth their demand for a well-equipped ground.
The Ronaldo cutout is 30-feet tall and welcomes all visitors to Suntikoppa. The effigy has been raised to express the passion for the sport.
“All football fans in Gaddehalla of Suntikoppa of Christiano Ronaldo contributed for the effigy and we have spent Rs 25,000 on the same,” shared Sahid Abbas, a member of Amity United Football Club of Gaddehalla.
“The district has very good football players who have participated in several state and national championships. Our club also hosts Football Fives floodlight championships annually to promote the game and support the players. However, there is an absolute lack of facility for the sport in the district,” he added.
Ismail Kandakere, a native of the district, is an avid footballer and holds the certificate of a referee from the Karnataka State Football Association. However, he too mentioned the lack of encouragement and support for the sport.
“The district has 22 clubs registered under the Kodagu Football Association, which is under the aegis of the Karnataka Football Association. But ironically, the district does not have a single football ground,” he said.
Kandakere further explained the need for an establishment of a training facility and a football academy in the district. “But the priority requirement is a well-equipped ground,” he added.
He also said that he learnt the game on his own by studying the FIFA rulebook.
“There are many talented players in the district who have the ability to become national players. But not everyone can spend money to train themselves outside. An establishment of ground and a training centre will help support hundreds of football enthusiasts in the district,” he said.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Sport> Football> FIFA World Cup / by Prajna GR, Express News Service / November 10th, 2022
An invitation from Air Marshall K C Cariappa to join him and his wife Meena for dinner at his home was the highlight of my trip to Coorg.
There is something about the Air Force men that arouse feelings of awe, and this strapping man was even more special. Not only because he was the son of Field Marshall K M Cariappa, but a hero who was once captured as a prisoner of war (Indo-Pak, Sept ’65) My colleagues and I left Mahindra Resort, where we were staying, in good time to be able to reach Roshanara, the ancestral home of the Cariappas in Madikeri. The appointed hour was “10 minutes past eight”.
Driving in the daytime in the Madekeri hills is tricky enough with endless stretches of narrow tree-lined roads, so you can imagine how it was at night. The dark seemed darker and we got quite lost on the hilly roads. Trying to find someone on the lonely path, to ask for directions, was a task in vain. , , , .
We were feeling pretty rotten because you just don’t keep people like the Cariappas waiting. Punctuality is the norm with them.
When we did reach our destination, gracious as he is, the Air Marshall was more concerned about our predicament rather than the fact that we messed up with his idea of “an early dinner”. Brushing aside our apologies, he immediately put us at ease by introducing himself simply as Nanda and insisting we address him so. “Let´s get the drinks out of the way,” he said, “who is drinking, what?” he enquired, rubbing his hands.
The drinks order taken and quickly executed, he returned with a tray in hand and was leading us out the back door and into the back yard where chairs and tables were set, along with a two-seater metal swing under a fabric canopy, painted by his grandchildren.
“So! What brings you to Coorg, my Coorg?” he asked, eyes twinkling. I told him about the magazine and the popular UpperCrust Destination section that our readers look forward to, where we now planned to feature Coorg. But I didn’t tell him just then that I was hoping to include them too and that in my handbag I had a ´verrry´ serious camera.
Instead, I asked him when did he retire and how does it feel. “Oh, it’s been marvellous,” he said. “I retired on Jan 31, 1996 and drove down straight from Jodhpur, where I had given up charge. I reached Coorg on Feb 6 and have been here ever since. I hate leaving Coorg and do so only when I really have to. It’s strange, but just before you retire, you dread it, and now it’s been 15 years and I don’t know where they have gone!”
By and by as one conversation led to another, each of us felt more and more comfortable with the warmth that Meena and Nanda exuded. The night was chilly and we were sitting out in the open, under the stars which were shinning brilliantly in the clear skies. Pointing towards the sloping land and in the direction of the dark shadows, Nanda nonchalantly informed us that there could be wild animals right there. Brrr…
Roshanara is a house with character. Not a showcase kind of a house, but one which tells a tale. Where each artifact has a story to tell, a reason to be there.
I don’t normally ask for a tour of a house I am visiting, that too for the first time, but this one I was curious about.
“Chalo,” said Nanda Cariappa, when I asked if I could prowl around. And actually accompanied me. The anteroom was so rustic. Sports jackets and long coats, mufflers hanging on hooks, walking shoes and boots in another corner, hats, one with a feather stuck to it an a stand… not the kind of things we city people often see in homes. The large living room with a fire place “that works brilliantly and has never ever given us any problems” led to another sunken sitting room, painted a soft blue. The chandeliers, with delicate glass work were obviously antique, but then the house itself qualifies as heritage being 160-years old. “It’s been in our family since 1944. We have some nice drawings and water colours done by the different residents, it is a remarkable house. When Father bought it, it came with some 50-odd acres, but now after bequeathing some to my sister and other people, also the municipality, it´s down to 33, but it´s much more than enough,” said Nanda.
When I asked to be shown Field Marshall Cariappa’s favourite room I saw it was a modest room, opening to the garden and had many picture frames in it.
Again, each with a story. But one was extra special. An original black and white photograph of the Himalayan range with Mount Everest Massif with signatures of members of the first expedition, including those of Edward Hillary, Tenzing Norway and Capt John Hunt. It was then and with some trepidation that I checked if I could click some photographs. Nanda Cariappa looked at me, paused for just a moment and then said a quiet, ‘yes’ and I got to work as inconspicuously as possible. I respect people like Nanda who though fiercely private will not make a fuss about it. It was in that instant that I was reminded of another photo shoot, the very first cover story of this magazine, in 1999.
Co-incidentally it was with Air Marshall Idris Latif and Begum Bilkis Latif in their house in Hyderabad. Publicity shy as they were too, they could not refuse a request from Behram and I. Latif´s only plea was could we eat without interruption the Hyderabadi food which his wife had lovingly cooked. And could I shoot pictures of them and their guests, after we had eaten lunch?
Keeping that memory in mind, I put my camera away after taking just two pictures at the dining table. Some things we have to save in the memory chip of our mind’s eye.
Dinner was typical Coorg fare. Meena is a good cook. Used to entertaining, she had set a good table and at such short notice. But she was apologetic. And invited us to come again when she would do better. Naw…
After dinner, with GJ (Gulab Jamun) nestling in the Air Marshall´s arms and Tojo at his feet, we again sat talking and discussing everything under the sun (moon, actually), like old friends. Life in Coorg, life after retirement, food, wine, music, travel, religions of the world.
Both Meena and Nanda love the quiet life in Coorg. They are happy to spend time by themselves and few close friends. Nanda enjoys his golf, and sometimes goes angling. He used to ride, but has now got himself a mountain bike, which he loves to ride. He likes wearing the traditional Coorg kupiya when he goes for weddings.
At home, at night they both love to listen to Indian Classical Music. Nanda writes a fair amount for journals on subjects like Wild Life, Environment and International Relations. He had in fact spent four months in the U.S. in 2001 writing a paper on ‘Confidence Building Measures’, between India and Pakistan, a collaborative exercise with a fellow Air Marshall from Pakistan. The paper, due to the many unfortunate events (read terror activities) that took place around and since that time, got shelved. A pity.
For the present, Nanda Cariappa finds solace in trekking. Which he says he discovered only after retiring. Every year he goes into the Himalayas for two weeks of intensive walking and climbing. The next one in August is already planned right down to the last detail.
Lastly, I learned that Nanda is pretty fascinated by two other religions, Islam and Sikhism. He reads the Quran in the ´Roman English´ version and its translation in English, going to the local mosque for clarifications from the maulvi, if he does not understand something.
He even recommended a book he was currently reading; Foundation of Islam, The Making of a World Faith by Benjamin Walker. He is so influenced by Islam, his speech is peppered by Insha’allah and Masha’allah.
Come to think of it, when we were leaving, he had said, Khuda Hafiz.
