Monthly Archives: January 2019

Bopanna: ‘I faced Stefan Edberg when he was coaching Roger Federer’

January 30, 2019Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Leaders, Records, All, Sports, World Opinionadmin

In an interview to GQ India the doubles player Rohan Bopanna revealed who has been his biggest idol in life. Bopanna picked the six-time Major winner Stefan Edberg not only for his on-court successes but behaviour as well.

“I had the opportunity to meet him, and he was just as I’d imagined him to be”, confessed Bopanna. “Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi and I we were playing against Roger Federer and Stanley Wawrinka [in 2014], and Stefan Edberg happened to be coaching Roger Federer.

He happened to be sitting in the box obviously, watching Federer. It was crazy – I couldn’t have imagined playing against some of the best tennis players in the world, and then having your idol watch the match.”

Bopanna also revealed he changed his eating regime in recent times: “I did a food intolerance test in India, which showed that my yeast intolerance was very high. So I’ve completely stopped having bread; it’s been about two years now.

Perhaps before a match, I’ll have fish and white rice, which gives me the energy I need. While playing, I’ll have a banana and you need electrolytes and water of course – especially when it’s hot. Otherwise, I keep things as simple as possible.

Fitness wise, I travel with my trainer, and that’s made a huge difference in terms of stretching at the right time, cooling down – especially as you get older and recovery becomes more important.”

source: http://www.tennisworldusa.org / Tennis World / Home> Tennis News> Roger Federer / by Luigi Gatto / January 28th, 2019

Kodagu Mahila Sangha Holds Contests

January 30, 2019Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Leaders, Records, Alladmin

Chendrimada Sushila Subramani seen lighting the lamp to inaugurate the cultural competitions organised by Shree Kaveri Kodagu Mahila Sangha at Kodagu Sahakara Sangha in Jayalakshmipuram here yesterday as Chendanda Nirmala Subramani, Mahila Sangha Secretary; Ponjanda Lovely Appaiah, Vice-President; Moovera Bollamma Kuttappa, President; Ittira Dotti Cariappa, Advisor-cum-Founder-President and Machanda Jaya Muthappa, Treasurer, look on.

Sangha members and their children took part in various cultural competitions like Dance, Drawing, Singing, Kodava Paat and Pick-and-Speak.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Photo News / January 21st, 2019

Mysureans Seek ‘Bharat Ratna’ For Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa

January 30, 2019Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Leaders, Records, Alladmin

Mysuru:

Kodandera Madappa Cariappa is a man known for many firsts, but he is best remembered as the legend who made the Indian Army truly Indian. Perhaps this is why people feel the time has come to honour the late Field Marshal with the ‘Bharat Ratna.’

This morning too, the demand for ‘Bharat Ratna’ was raised by Mysureans on the occasion of 120th birth anniversary celebrations of Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa. The event was marked by showering of flower petals on the bust and garlanding of a huge portrait of the late Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces at Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa Circle (Hotel Metropole Circle) on JLB Road.

Speaking on the occasion, former Mayor M.J. Ravikumar said that when he was the Mayor a few years ago, he took measures for installation of Cariappa’s bust at the Circle following a demand from Kodava Samaja.

Stating that both Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa and Siddaganga Seer late Dr. Sri Shivakumara Swamiji very much deserved ‘Bharat Ratna,’ he said that the Union Government must consider this demand of the people.

Former Vice-President of Mysuru Kodava Samaja Cultural and Sports Club N.M. Thimmaiah said that he had written to the MCC and the Government demanding the installation of a life-size statue of the great warrior at the Circle in city. Recalling the achievements of Cariappa as Army Chief, he said Cariappa deserved ‘Bharat Ratna’ for his courage, bravery and valour.

Maj. Gen. C.K. Karumbaya (retd.), Corporators Prameela and M.U. Subbaiah, former Mayor H.N. Srikantaiah, Kodava Samaja Vice-President Prof. K.C. Belliappa, Secretary M.M Ponnappa, Cultural and Sports Club President M.P. Nanaiah and others were present.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / January 28th, 2019

Few flavours of what sustained the British remain in Coorg

January 30, 2019Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, World Opinionadmin

In Coorg, regional cuisines bear the imprint of a long-gone era.

I’m not a fan of Anglo-Indian cooking (nor of the omnipresent curry powder that got dunked into its gloopy, bland sauces). Yet, the diverse ways in which English tastes combined with regional ingredients and cooking styles across India during the Raj continue to fascinate me.

On a recent visit to Coorg, I found myself wondering what it must have been like for the British sahibs and memsahibs as they found themselves amidst the seclusion of its forested hills. Watching the mists drift across the plantations of Siddapur in south Coorg, Karnataka, I tried to imagine how these foreigners recreated a taste of British cities and shires in this isolated station, where estates were often 20 to 30 miles apart.

Gazatteer of Coorg, first published in 1870, notes that following the opening of Mercara Estate in 1854 by one Mr Fowler, the first European planter, dozens of extensive estates sprang up in Coorg within a short time. “Here seemed to have been discovered the Eldorado of honest industry in a delightful climate and home-like country,” it notes.

Yet “home-like country” it wasn’t. As the British initiated the planting of coffee in a big way in Coorg, Hassan and Chikmagalur, they were confronted by brutal heat, unfamiliar customs, frightening wild animals, blood-sucking leeches and a lengthy monsoon that could stretch up to six months.

Bread pudding at the Evolve Back Chikkana Halli Estate in Siddapur.

But the interplay between diverse people, larders and culinary traditions led to the development of a distinct culture on the plantations. A lively snapshot of the time appears in Cathleen Ballantyne’s account of plantation life, Plenty Salaams, first published in 1954. Ballantyne arrived in Coorg during the 1880s for a visit and stayed with her husband George, a planter, for 50 years.

Describing the thrum of daily life, Ballantyne writes, “On a coffee estate, the day began early. At 6.30, one was wakened by the clanging of the estate bell, which summoned coolies to muster-roll before starting their day’s work…Then at 7, out on the verandah, chhota hazri — a substantial meal of porridge, eggs and bacon, coffee and fruit. For the dorai (the master), there came the morning round of the estate. For the wife, the walk, or ride, before engaging in the usual household routine, such as the ordering of meals, the weighing out of all the commodities required for the day, and, by using a lactometer, finding out that the milk had not been watered…”

Celebrations served to break the monotony and hardship of plantation life, and Ballantyne’s droll account is replete with instances of tomfoolery and merry-making during parties and picnics. My favourite is a description of a slapstick food fight at a picnic on the banks of Cauvery, where “rolls, potatoes, curry puffs and other eatables were flung about with great dexterity.” The beloved foods of the foreigners came out during these outings. Ballantyne mentions “lobster salad, chicken in aspic, cold saddle of mutton, curry puffs (pastry enclosing curried mince), an assortment of cold sweets”. Milk punch and whiskey flowed, heightening the attractions of these riotous, unending rounds of feasting.

Evolve Back Chikkana Halli Estate in Siddapur, my perch during this visit, has devoted some time to researching this slice of life. Over a meal of pepper water, mutton-ball curry, delicate coconut rice, and pan-roasted roast chicken, chef Naveen Alvares talked about the months of research that led to the planter’s menu currently served at their restaurant Peppercorn. Disappointed with their initial recces of Anglo-Indian restaurants in Bengaluru, Alvares and his team took the help of late Ranee Vijaya Kuttaiah, the author of the highly regarded Cuisine from Coorg, to master colonial-era planters’ dishes. The roast chicken, for instance, is a simple recipe that requires chicken to be marinated with salt, pepper and vinegar, caramelised with a little sugar and then cooked in its own juices in the pan.

No Anglo-Indians remain in Coorg today. In the absence of first-hand testimonies and experiences, reminiscence and nostalgia play a vital role in forming a clearer picture of life in those times. Vivian Rodrigues, whose family has owned coffee and pepper plantations in Pollibetta in Coorg and Saklespur in Hassan district for over a century, painted a vivid picture of the clubs that sprung up during the 19th century as places for the planters and their wives to relax and socialise. “The bar was the most important fixture in the club and the choicest single malts and gin were stocked. The cuisine was obviously British. Local cooks became butlers and were rechristened with British names that were easy to pronounce. We had an Anthony from Ooty who used to be Arokiaswamy!” he recounts.

Bridget White-Kumar, author of several books on Anglo-Indian cooking, says, “The British and Europeans in Coorg ate largely what they ate back home. Yet, over time, some regional influences came into their cuisine and they began eating rice with a curry made with minimal spices.” Various blends of curry powder were concocted, including Bolst’s hot curry powder, which became an instant rage.

Though locals never quite took to curry powder, they inherited an abiding love for baking from the British, and recipes of cakes dating back to the colonial times continue to be religiously followed in homes, clubs and bakeries. “It’s typical in Coorg to come home to a freshly baked cake in the evening,” says Muthu Bopanna, the owner of coffee plantations and a heritage homestay in Madikeri.

Roasts and barbecues are just as beloved. Vancouver-based blogger Shalini Nagappa cherishes her childhood memory of a Christmas spent feasting on roast turkey at her uncle’s farm near Kushalnagar. “What a moment of high excitement it was! And while it was not the exaggeratedly plump, meltingly tender, cartoon bird of my dreams, my uncle’s penchant for adding ‘more butter’, a la Julia Child made it divine,” she writes in her blog, A Cookery Year in Coorg.

After India gained independence in 1947, British planters sold their estates to Kodavas and other south Indians. The food served on these estates today tends to be a mix of traditional Kodava, Mangalorean, Bunt, Lingayat and Chettiar cuisine — depending on the ownership — and their personal eclectic influences.

Former journalist David Housego, writing about the cooking of the Raj, observed that in contrast to the Portuguese, who left a strong culinary footprint on the cuisine of former colonies like Goa, the British largely ignored the rich regional cuisines of India. As a result, no truly great hybrid dishes came out of this East-West encounter. This is evident in Coorg, where the local cuisine remains largely unaffected by British influence. Yet, one still gets a whiff of the time when the intermingling of British, Irish, European and Indian culinary accents created a unique Anglo-Indian aroma across the coffee estates, planters’ clubs and dak bungalows of Coorg.

This article appeared in print withe headline ‘Curry Puff Days’

source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Eye / by Sona Bahadur / January 20th, 2019

Rohan Bopanna on his home away from home, the Australian Open and the future of Indian tennis

January 30, 2019Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Sports, World Opinionadmin

We caught up with tennis star and coffee connoisseur Rohan Bopanna at his swanky Airbnb pad in Melbourne, who told us why taking a power nap is the best thing to do before a match

Tennis player Rohan Bopanna is in Melbourne to play doubles at the Australian Open, one of his favourite Majors, “because the weather is always incredible at this time of the year; and the hospitality is amazing.” For instance, players have access to an exclusive concierge desk that’ll organise everything from bookings at the hottest restaurants in town; or a seat at the cricket match.

While they’re here, Bopanna and his crew are staying at a stunning four-bedroom penthouse at The Birdcage building in South Yarra, a 20-minute drive away from the iconic Rod Laver arena. When we visit, Bopanna brews us a cup of his master blend for Flying Squirrel, using beans sourced from his Coorg estate. “It’s quite popular on the circuit,” he says. “Some players have already complained that I haven’t replenished their supply from last year.”

It’s clear that Bopanna’s at home here. On the kitchen slab lies a packet of granola by The Muesli Guys, and a test tube of Rooftop Honey. In typically Aussie style, this is a hyper-local project run by urban bee-keepers, who harvest honey from beehives placed on the rooftops of some of Melbourne’s coolest bars and cafes.

The previous day, Bopanna and his doubles partner Divij Sharan lost to Spaniards P. Carreño Busta and G. García-López in an early round at the AO, but he appears to be in good spirits. “It’s still a new partnership, and we’re working to develop our rhythm.” It’s a combination that’s worked in the past, with the duo winning a gold at the Maharashtra Open earlier this month, and at the Asian Games in Indonesia last year. Before he heads out for a practice session, Bopanna chats about why he prefers living in an Airbnb to hotels and the best spots in his South Yarra hood.

This is a great neighbourhood. You have the Chapel Street Bazaar, Prahran market close by – all very indie and cool.

I love walking around, and I love that there are so many great restaurants within walking distance. If I want to go out for a cup of coffee, I’ll go down the road to The Pound Café. In terms of places to eat, I love Mr Miyagi for its Japanese. There is Chapelli’s for Italian, and Oriental Tea House, which has great dumplings. One of my favourite restaurants in the city is Neil Perry’s Spice Temple [at the Crown hotel].

You’ve been using Airbnb’s instead of hotels for a while now. Why?

The space really makes a big difference. When you’re travelling more than 30 weeks in a year, it can get tough to just live out of a room and a bathroom. For some years, I’ve been travelling with my coach and trainer, and it’s nice to be able to travel together and stay together. Tennis can be a lonely sport.

I have friends in Melbourne, and it’s nice to be able to call them over. The other advantage is having your own kitchen, which I use to make a little breakfast etc. I don’t cook a lot, but whenever I do, I can control the oil that goes into the food. This building has a gym, which is something I also look for when I’m looking at Airbnbs.

This feels more like living like a local, than say living in the CBD, which is always so busy. Not a lot of tennis players live here, which I like, because you get a bit of a break. Otherwise, it’s like going to office – tennis is office for me – and then coming back home and seeing the same people.

Who are some of your tennis icons?

Stefan Edberg – for the way he conducted himself off-court too. I had the opportunity to meet him, and he was just as I’d imagined him to be. Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi and I we were playing against Roger Federer and Stanley Wawrinka [in 2014], and Stefan Edberg happened to be coaching Roger Federer. He happened to be sitting in the box obviously, watching Federer. It was crazy – I couldn’t have imagined playing against some of the best tennis players in the world, and then having your idol watch the match.

How do you get yourself in the zone before a game?

I sometimes take a 10-12 minute power nap before I get in the game, just to relax my body. I visualise the game, and then get into it. Otherwise, there’s so much going on on the tennis court, in the locker room… This is to just cut off and be prepared to focus on my game.

Props to you to be able to pass out before a match, despite the anticipation and the pressure.

Absolutely, once I lie down, I can knock out within a minute or two. And it really helps me get in the zone.

How has your fitness and diet changed over the years?

I did a food intolerance test in India, which showed that my yeast intolerance was very high. So I’ve completely stopped having bread; it’s been about two years now. Perhaps before a match, I’ll have fish and white rice, which gives me the energy I need. While playing, I’ll have banana and you need electrolytes and water of course – especially when it’s hot. Otherwise, I keep things as simple as possible. Fitness wise, I travel with my trainer, and that’s made a huge difference in terms of stretching at the right time, cooling down – especially as you get older and recovery becomes more important.

What makes the Australian Open Special for you?

The culture, the tournament, the way they treat us – it’s one of the best experiences for players. The tournament always goes out of the way to constantly make sure that players get the best possible facilities, and that’s why a lot of players love coming to the Australia Open. Melbourne is a great city, especially for someone like me who’s a huge foodie. There are fantastic restaurants across the city; and the weather is great this time of the year. Even if you just walk around the courts at Melbourne Park, irrespective of who is playing, there’s always a big crowd that’s very passionate about tennis. You see [people from] different cultures, and it’s a delight to see how they cheer and help their players get through those tough rounds. It’s a great opportunity for anyone to come and experience this atmosphere.

Which are some of your other favourite tournaments to play at?

Luckily for me, my tennis takes me to some wonderful cities, London for Wimbledon for example. And you get to see them at their best when you travel at the highest level. I love Palm Springs too [which hosts the Indian Wells Masters in March]. Indian Wells is a small place, but it’s really nice there, you can drive around and explore the town. It’s very quiet and has a lot of golf courses. I love golf, so I get in a game whenever I can. In terms of places I just love visiting, it would have to be New York. Manhattan for the buzz. But when I’m there it’s for 10-12 days, two weeks, I don’t know if I could live there.

What do you think of the current state of Indian tennis? Any younger players to watch out for?

I’d love to see more international tournaments – like ITF’s Futures, ATP’s Challengers – being played in India. And we need a more robust grass-root system. The former is important because it would help Indian players to play more in their own country. Because tennis is an expensive sport and to constantly travel to different countries to play becomes tough for many athletes. So if each state in India, could just bring in one or two tournaments, it would be great. Right now, we only have one ATP event in India [the Tata Open Maharashtra in Pune].

Do you see this happening in the near future?

No, but I think it depends on corporates, federations, players, everyone coming together and really building that system. In Bangalore, I have tied up with this gentleman who runs the Sports School. It’ll have boarding, lodging, and offer multiple sports. Every kid will have to play two hours of mandatory sport; and after they’re 11 or 12 they can specialise in the sport of their choosing. I already have the Rohan Bopanna Tennis Academy in Bangalore, and have a bunch of Serbian coaches who are constantly there. Now we will coach exclusively via the school, which has seven ITF-approved tennis courts. It’s a similar concept to the schools you have in the US – where sports is the priority, but you also get a well-rounded education.

Building a new system from the ground up will take time to bear fruit.

It will definitely take another 10-15 years, because it’s a process at the end of the day. Not everyone is going to become a world champion, but you have to do the right things to get the right results. And I’m fortunate to have access to some of the world’s top coaches, the latest developments in the field of sports science. So we’ll have a sports science centre too – and kids will have access to the correct diet, to nutritionists, psychologists, best practices in fitness, recovery…

Who are some of the most exciting young players on the circuit now?

There are a couple of youngsters who are doing well – Siddhant Banthia. Mahak Jain, who’s playing well and has a lot of potential. I think we have some great juniors in India, but sometimes the coaches need to understand that there’s a better facility, a better system for their students. Abroad, coaches will train a particular age group, say from six or seven, till 12 or 13. Then someone else takes over and takes their game to the next level. Here you may have a great talent, but coaches will coach kids till they’re 18, and that doesn’t always give you the best results.

Is the tennis community quite tight-knit in India?

It is everyone doing their own thing at the moment, but I think we all need to come together for the better of the sport. I think that’s what will make a difference at the end of the day.

source: http://www.gqindia.com / GQ / Home> Live Well> Travel / by Shika Sethi / airbnb.com / January 25th, 2019

‘Excellence is taking pride, being best in work’

January 30, 2019Business & Economy, Coffee News, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg), Education, Records, All, World Opinionadmin

Athlete Vandana Rao was felicitated at the valedictory function of Besant centenary celebrations organised at Dr T M A Pai International Convention Centre in Mangaluru on Saturday.

Bengaluru-based Coffeelab Limited President Sunalini N Menon stressed on Saturday that excellence is taking pride in work and being the best at the work.

She was speaking at the valedictory function of the Besant centenary celebrations organised by Women’s National Education Society (WNES) at Dr T M A Pai International Convention Centre here.

She said, “Nobody remembers how fast the job was done, but how well the job was done. Whether be it washing utensils in the kitchen or sweeping the floor, being the best in your work is a self-portrait of what you are and the best insurance in the future for a job,” Sunalini said.

She said creativity and eye for detail are a must for the perfect execution of goals.

Sunalini, reflecting on her four decades of experience as a coffee taster, described the coffee tasting as a fascinating journey. “It is not a mere cup of coffee. There is so much of science and knowledge that you will learn humility,” the internationally recognised coffee-taster said.

She also invited the students present in the hall to learn more about the profession.

She said Indian Coffee Board offers ‘Kaapi Shastra’ on how to brew a perfect cup of coffee and there is a PG diploma course on coffee quality and another course on coffee entrepreneurship from Indian Institution of Plantation Management (IIPM).

She said her Coffeelab analyses samples from across the world.

“We are more as a facilitator, depending on what the market wants and what the grower can provide,” she said.

Presiding over the programme, former vice-chancellor of SNDT Women’s University Prof Rupa Shah urged women not to be fearful about the outcome. “I will compete and emerge successful should be the motto,” she stressed.

The Besant group of institutions felicitated alumni achievers including writer Kasturi, gynaecologist and well-known athlete Vandana Rao.

Kasturi and Devayani, who had emerged as toppers and declared as Vasantha Ranis while in school in 1959, were felicitated on the occasion.

Devayani thanked the management for remembering them after 50 years.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by Harsha, Mangaluru / January 19th, 2019

Four From Coorg Battalion To Attend R-Day Parade

January 30, 2019Uncategorizedadmin

Kushalnagar:

Four cadets from 19/KAR NCC Battalion (Coorg Battalion) in Kodagu have been selected for the annual Republic Day Parade in New Delhi on Jan. 26. They will perform in the NCC contingent that will march through the Rajpath greeting dignitaries including President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. One of the cadets will also participate in the cultural events.

The cadets are N.N. Ponnanna, a second year BA student of Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa College, Madikeri. He is the son of Napanda K. Nanjappa and Nayana. He will take part in the All India Rajpath Rally.

Cadet B.S. Thejas, also from Field Marshal Cariappa College, is the son of B.S. Shreedhara and Sheela. He is a second B.Com student and will participate in the Prime Minister’s Rally.

Sergeant D. Preethi is from Vivekananda Degree College, Puttur and is the daughter of D. Rama and Hema. She is studying in Second Year B.Sc and will take part in the All India Rajpath Rally.

Sergeant Debayana Bhaumik is a 9th Standard Student of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Kodagu Vidyalaya, Madikeri. She is the daughter of Debraj Bhaumik and Sanchita Bhaumik. She will take part in the All India Cultural display.

The cadets have been selected based on their capacity and excellent performance. They have been selected by Commanding Officer Col. V.M. Naik, AO Lt. Col. Sanjay Apte and ANO Maj. B. Raghav of Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa College.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / by January 24th, 2019

‘Republic Ride’ by South Coorg of Roads

January 30, 2019Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Sportsadmin

‘South Coorg of Roads’ team will organise an awareness rally ‘The Republic Ride’, a bike rally from Southern Kodagu to Northern Kodagu, on January 26.

The rally will cover 187-km area. The rally will be flagged-off near the General Thimmaiah and Field Marshal Cariappa statues at Kaveri College premises in Gonikoppa at 7 am. 20 bikes will take part in the rally.

The rally will progress through Piriyapattana, Kushalnagar, Somvarpet, Mallalli falls, Madikeri fort, Ammatti, Ontiyangadi and will culminate at Gonikoppa in the evening, stated a press release.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by Ashwani Kumar N K R / DH News Service, Madikeri / January 17th, 2019

The woman who brewed change

January 30, 2019Coffee News, Records, All, Uncategorized, World Opinionadmin

Asia’s first woman coffee taster, Sunalini N. Menon, is now opening a museum for coffee

Susheela Nair

The aroma of coffee wafts through the air as one steps into the Coffee Lab in Sadhashiva Nagar, a posh locality in the heart of Bangalore. Every nook and corner of the lab is adorned with mugs, coasters, antique jugs, filters and other coffee paraphernalia collected from all over the world. The Coffee Lab bears the semblance of a mini museum with its walls lined with a variety of packaged coffee and curios from around the world — exquisite grinders, scented candles, filters, mugs, and a whole shelf of good old-fashioned tumblers, a stark contrast to a regular sparkling white laboratory filled with shiny apparatus used for coffee accreditation and testing.

It also houses memorabilia, including tribal products from coffee growing areas, areca nut pickers, ancient milk measurement units and coffee pots. Each equipment throws light on the culture of the country it comes from. For instance, Italian pots have ornate carvings; the ones in Iran are known for their silver and filigree work; Pakistan has a recurring crescent moon pattern while Egypt sports designed Cleopatra. The star attraction of the Coffee Lab is the painting of Mona Lisa in coffee powder.

In the middle of the lab, inhaling deeply from one of the deftly prepared samples of green and roasted beans, in front of her, is the first woman coffee taster in Asia and ‘quality-control expert’ Sunalini N. Menon. After acquiring a Master of Science in food technology, Sunalini’s first choice was to become a dietician, but destiny had something more fascinating in store for her. She had to choose between further studies at the New York Institute of Dietetics or a job with the Coffee Board. But she chose the latter which was a turning point in her life.
From an assistant taster at the Coffee Board of India to the head of the quality control department (at the age of 28), and director (quality control) until 1995, Sunalini has traversed a long way fighting a lone battle against all odds at every stage of her career. Steering her way through the male-dominated world of coffee tasters and growers, recognition and acceptance as an accredited international cupper came her way belatedly, almost two decades later. She is a walking encyclopaedia on coffee and knows the coffee bean inside out. This coffee veteran takes 100 sips of coffee — all in a day’s work. Known as Asia’s first woman of coffee, she moved on to set up her own lab, the Coffee Lab in Bangalore, in 1997 for evaluating the technical nuances of Indian coffee.

The advent of liberalisation in the Indian coffee market inspired Sunalini to set up her own lab in 1996. She established Coffee Lab Private Limited, the first private sector lab of its kind equipped with modern equipment and accredited by the Coffee Board of India, in Bangalore.
Explaining the main objective of her Coffee Lab, Sunalini says, “From the seed to the cup, we offer the entire gamut of services. We delve into the technical aspects of coffee-making, quality testing, advising growers on how and when to sell the beans, and preparing special coffee brands. Coffee Lab uses the time-tested techniques of visual and organoleptic evaluation for the quality analysis of Indian coffee. We conduct appreciation courses for homemakers and also classes for farmers.”

True to her social commitment of empowering women economically, Sunalini has employed women to handle the sensitive and critical steps of green coffee evaluation. Though there are innumerable problems plaguing the coffee industry, the coffee veteran believes that the burgeoning coffee culture in the country has the potential to impact the market.

Revealing her plans to start a Coffee Museum, Menon says, “A trust will be formed as it is a non-profit initiative. We will start the story of Baba Budan (who brought coffee to South India) and traverse through the cultural aspects of coffee, diversified cultivation pattern and types of seed material. We are planning a layout that is representative of a typical Indian coffee plantation. The exhibits will include antique coffee roasters, grinders, brewing equipment, mugs, cups and coffee powders from different parts of the world.”

source: http://www.tribuneindia.com / The Tribune / Home> Trends / January 26th, 2019

Mane Mane Kavigoshti At Madikeri On Jan. 20

January 30, 2019Arts, Culture & Entertainmentadmin

The 3rd Edition of Mane Mane Kavigoshti – 2019 spearheaded by Akashavani-DD artiste and District Kannada Sahitya Sammelana-2017 President Monnanda Shobha Subbaiah will be held on Jan.20 at Ashoka Bhavan in Madikeri.

Interested may register their names by sending WhatsApp message to Mob: 94483-66715 or 94818-83194, according to a press release.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> In Briefs / January 17th, 2019

Kodagu First

a Celebration. Positive News, Facts & Achievements about Kodagu, Coorgs and the People of Kodagu – here at Home and Overseas