Category Archives: Records, All

SV Sunil, Veteran India Hockey Striker, Retires At 32

Amazing Feats, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

SV Sunil’s decision to call time came a day after drag-flicker Rupinder Pal Singh and defender Birendra Lakra announced their international retirements.

SV Sunil said it was time for him to make way for younger players and help to build a winning team for the future. Courtesy: The Hockey India

Veteran India men’s hockey team striker SV Sunil on Friday announced his international retirement, bringing the curtains down on a 14-year-long career during which he was a part of the 2014 Asian Games gold-winning side.

Sunil’s decision to call time came a day after drag-flicker Rupinder Pal Singh and defender Birendra Lakra, who played starring roles in the Indian hockey team’s historic bronze medal-winning Tokyo Olympics campaign, announced their international retirements on Friday.

The 32-year-old Sunil, hailing from Karnataka, was not a part of the team that competed in the Tokyo Olympics. Sunil, said it was time for him to make way for younger players and help to build a winning team for the future. The senior player appeared in 264 India matches, striking 72 goals.

“… time to take a break. More than 14 years after I wore India colours for the first time, I have decided to make myself unavailable for the national camp which begins next week,” Sunil, who gew up playing hockey with a bamboo stick due to his family’s limited resources, said in a statement on his Twitter handle.

“It was not the easiest decision to make, but it was not the toughest either, given that I did not make it to the team for the Tokyo Games. The omission put a question mark on my future as a player, in the 11-a-side format.

“With the 2024 Paris Olympics three years away, I think, as a senior player it is important that I make way for youngsters and help in building a winning team for the future,” he added.

The Arjuna awardee from Somwarpet in Coorg made his international debut in 2007 at the Asia Cup which India won after beating Pakistan in the Final.

There was no looking back for the speedy striker after that and he was a part of India’s incredible rise in global hockey.

The two-time Olympian (2012 and 2016) remained a key player in the Indian forward-line for over a decade with fine performances.

He was in the Indian team that won gold in the 2011 Asian Champions Trophy and silver in the same event in 2012.

He also won gold and bronze medals in the 2014 and 2018 Asian Games respectively besides a gold in the Asia Cup 2017.

He played an instrumental role in the team’s historic silver medal wins at the 2016 and 2018 FIH Champions Trophy.

In his long career, Sunil also led the forward-line in 2015 World League Final where the team won a bronze Medal and he was also part of the team that won bronze in the same event in 2017 in Bhubaneswar.

He also has a silver medal from the Commonwealth Games 2014 to his credit.

Congratulating Sunil for his contribution to Indian hockey, Hockey India President Gyanendro Ningombam said, “SV Sunil has been an inspiration to an entire generation of young hockey players.

“His commitment to the game and discipline was unmatched and he has given Indian hockey some very memorable performances.”

Sunil said he will continue to be available to play the shorter form of the game (5-a-side hockey).

He said the gold in the 2014 Asian Games was the turning point of his career.

“I am grateful that I represented my country at two Olympic Games — in London in 2012 and in Rio in 2012.

“I have seen a lot on and off the pitch in the past 14 years. I have battled personal tragedies, career-threatening injuries and other setbacks to remain focussed on giving my best for the country.”

source: http://www.outlookindia.com / Outlook / Home> Sports / by Outlook Web Desk / October 01st, 2021

Public opinion elicited for SWM plant

Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology

The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board and the Kodagu district administration conducted a meeting in Madikeri on Thursday to elicit public opinion on establishing a solid waste management plant at 2nd Monnangeri village.

The Deputy Commissioner B.C. Satish underlined the imperatives of establishing such a plant for scientific disposal of solid waste being generated in Madikeri and sought public cooperation.

A section of the people from 2nd Monnangeri village expressed reservation that their source of drinking water would be polluted.

World Tourism Day celebrations  

The Kodagu district administration will launch a slew of programmes with stakeholders of the hospitality sector to mark World Tourism Day on September 27.

There will be a walkathon in Madikeri at 6.30 a.m. while a plastic clearance drive will also be launched on the day.

The stakeholders sought concessions on vehicle entry tax for 10 days so as to encourage tourists from other States to visit Kodagu.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / Mysuru – September 22nd, 2022

Fond memories from our first-ever T20 World Cup win are still fresh in my memory: Robin Uthappa

Amazing Feats, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

Robin Uthappa has said that the memories from India’s 2007 T20 World Cup win are still fresh in his memory. Uthappa also hopes that Rohit Sharma and the current Indian team will be able to win the T20 World Cup this year.

Uthappa was an integral part of the Indian team that won the T20 World Cup in 2007 (Courtesy: Reuters)

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Robin Uthappa was an integral member of the 2007 T20 World Cup squad
  • Uthappa opened up on the memories from the triumph
  • The former cricketer hopes the current Indian team can win this year’s World Cup

Former cricketer and member of India’s first T20 World Cup triumph, Robin Uthappa, has said that the memories from the outing in 2007 are still fresh in his memory.

India won the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup exactly 15 years ago on this day and Uthappa was an integral part of the team. He scored a fifty in India’s opener against Pakistan and was also one of the bowlers who had success during the famous bowl out as well.

As quoted by NDTV, the former cricketer said that the memories from the World Cup triumph are still fresh in his memory and also wished the current Indian team all the best ahead of this year’s edition.

“I cannot believe that it has been 15 years since we won the T20 World Cup. For me, it feels as if it was just a few years ago. The fond memories from our first-ever T20 World Cup win are still fresh in my memory. I can still remember bowling in the bowl-out and tipping my hat in celebration as we won!”

“I would like to wish the Men in Blue all the very best as they go Down Under to try and repeat history and get us back the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup with ‘Mission Melbourne’. It’s a special experience to win the World Cup and I wish Rohit and the boys play their hearts out to repeat the feat we achieved 15 years ago!”

Uthappa also said that he still gets goosebumps thinking about the final against Pakistan and said he is hoping that Rohit Sharma and his men can repeat the feat.

“I still get goosebumps when I think about the finals and how we won it in the last over. We played our very best in that World Cup and to be rewarded in the end with the trophy was just one of the most special feelings in my life.”

“I can still picture the team and the crowd celebrating for India as Sreesanth caught Misbah in that final over. I hope that the Indian team is fully prepared for ‘Mission Melbourne’ and aiming to bring the trophy once again to India. I wish them all the very best!” said Uthappa.

source: http://www.indiatoday.in / India Today / Home> News> Sports> Cricket / by India Todat Web Desk / New Delhi – September 26th, 2022

India’s Two Scotlands

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, All, Travel, Tourism & Homestays (wef. Oct 03rd, 2021), World Opinion

Meghalaya’s Shillong and Karnataka’s Coorg are similar, says Ratan Bhattacharjee

Coorg

One of the most popular poems by Wordsworth is ‘The Solitary Reaper’ about a highland girl reaping the harvest in a pasture in Scotland with a song on her lips. This is a familiar sight for a visitor to Shillong or Coorg.

Shillong is the 330th most populous city in India with 143,229 people according to the 2011 census. It is said that the rolling hills around the town reminded the British of Scotland. So did Coorg down south in Karnataka. They found the mist-laden pastures of Shillong and Coorg to be the closest to the paradise they knew back home and began referring to these two hill stations as the Scotland of the East.

There are indeed many similarities between Shillong, Meghalaya’s capital, and Scotland. Shillong’s landscape is beautified with rolling, cloud-kissed hills bestowed with lush greenery. It is often difficult to tell Scotland from Shillong from photographs without any captions. One has to take a backseat in a car on the roads to Cherrapunji, Mawlynnong and the curvaceous Shillong Bypass and let the hair flutter in the breeze and draw in the hypnotic sub-Himalayan panorama. The glittering waterfalls along the roads and the lakes in and around Shillong – boating on Umiam or Ward’s Lake is otherworldly – have a stunning resemblance to those in Scotland. Then there are several places untouched by mass tourism where you can pitch a tent and connect with nature. Shillong and Scotland also have culture connect – the Scottish are as colourful as the Khasis and are proud of their heritage.

Located along the Western Ghats, Coorg is a coffee-producing hilly area well-known for its jaw-dropping scenery and opulence. This misty landscape nurtures a rich culture and a unique clan – the Kodavas who are specialised in martial arts and are widely known for their hospitality. Heavenly Coorg is ideal for lazing around or going on a challenging trek or indulging in an adventure at Abbey Falls or relishing the spicy curries and the heart-melting handmade truffles.

Shillong

Coorg is also called Scotland of India because of its hills – Karkala, Savandurga and Nodda – lording over the coffee plantations. They are lush green mountains of foggy rolling hills with miles of walking trails. The climate is as cool as in Shillong, albeit a shade warmer than in Scotland. Madikeri or Mercara, the headquarters of Coorg is a beautiful hill town. The Chiklihole Reservoir is a wonderful place far from the madding crowd. The Dubare Elephant Camp will please wildlife enthusiasts as much as the Harangi Dam or Honnamana Kere Lake. Kotebetta is the third highest peak in Coorg. Mallalli Falls is one of the best places reminding at every moment of the beauty of the Scottish Highlands or Elephanta and Seven Sisters Falls in Meghalaya.

Coorg is the coffee cup of India and there is no doubt that the people there have Celtic roots, as their traditions and rituals reflect. They celebrate many festivals such as Makar Sankranti, Ugadi and Easter. The locals celebrate Christmas by lighting candles in their homes. The traditional dress of the Coorgis is similar to the Scottish kilt. Their attires have interesting patterns and designs. The cuisine of Coorg, like Shillong’s, has something in common with Scottish dishes made from pork and beef.

Coorg is also home to some magnificent forts and palaces that date back to the medieval era. These structures are a testament to its rich history and culture. One of the most popular forts in Coorg is the Madikeri Fort. Mudduraja, the prominent Haleri king built this fort in the 17th century. It is made from granite and features several turrets and bastions. The British army rebuilt this imposing structure in the late 1800s, and it now serves as a hotel and museum. Other notable colonial bungalows include the Raj Bhavan (Governor’s House) and the Deva Raya Paana (Toddy Tapper’s House). The British built them between the 18th and 19th centuries.

Like Shillong, Coorg is known for its “perfect weather” in spite of the incessant rains. The temperature is mild and comfortable, and the weather is usually sunny with a few scattered showers. This makes Coorg a popular tourist destination like Shillong, especially during the summer months. Coorg and Shillong are also connected to Scotland through the celebration of music in its many forms. All are great hosts of music festivals.

That’s astounding nature, as many would say. Just like Shillong and Coorg that find so many points of commonality, other places in India find resemblances with foreign destinations too. Some of them to find appropriate mentions would be Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Phi Phi Islands, Thailand, Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir and Switzerland, Gurudongmar Lake, Sikkim and Jökulsárlón Lake, Iceland, Thar Desert, Rajasthan and Sahara Desert, Africa and Chitrakote Falls, Chhattisgarh and Niagara Falls. There are many more, as travel enthusiasts would enlist them. However, it resounds that scenic beauty in India is infinite beginning with Shillong, itself.

Just like the Scottish hold immense pride in their culture, land and its people, similarly,  the Khasis of Shillong, and the Kodava’s of Coorg hold their culture and indigenous identities in high regard, worshipping their ancestors and preserving their folklores.

Julia London once said about Scotland: “There are few places in my life that I’ve found more ruggedly beautiful than the highlands of Scotland. The place is magical – it’s so far north, so remote that sometimes it feels like you’ve left this world and gone to another.” This holds true for Shillong and Coorg too.

(Ratan Bhattacharjee is a contributor at The Shillong Times)

source: http://www.theshillongtimes.com / The Shillong Times / Home> Sunday Pullout / by Ratan Bhattacharjee / September 25th, 2022

Madikeri Dasara To Be Inaugurated Today Evening

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Leaders, Records, All, Travel, Tourism & Homestays (wef. Oct 03rd, 2021), Women/Girls (wef. Sept 03rd, 2022)

Madikeri:

The Karaga Utsav of Madikeri Dasara will be inaugurated at 5 pm today at Pampinakere in the town.

The Karagas of Sri Kundurumotte Chowti Mariamma, Sri Dandina Mariamma, Sri Kanchi Kamakshiamma and Sri Kote Mariamma will be decorated with flowers and the Madikeri Dasara will be officially launched by offering pujas to the four Karagas.

The Karagas will be brought to Bannimantap, where special pujas will be performed and later, pujas will be performed at Sri Kodandarama Temple, Sri Chowdeshwari Temple and Pete Srirama Temple.

Madikeri MLA M.P.  Appachu Ranjan, DC Dr. B.C. Satish, Madikeri CMC and Dasara Committee President Anitha Poovaiah, Working President K.S. Ramesh, General Secretary Rajesh Yallappa and others will be present.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / September 26th, 2022

Plea To Establish Haradasa Appacha Kavi Study Chair In Mysore University

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All, Samajas, Associations, Clubs (wef. Sept. 03rd, 2022))

Mysore/Mysuru:

Maintaining that Haradasa Appacha Kavi was a great Kodava  poet and Philosopher who followed ‘Dasa Parampare’, Rangayana Director Addanda C. Cariappa said that the Kodava community should press the Government for the establishment of Appacha Kavi Study Chair in University of Mysore.

He was speaking at Appacha Kavi birth anniversary celebrations organised by Mysuru Kodava Samaja at Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa Community Hall in Vijayanagar here recently.

Asserting that Appacha Kavi’s poems, plays and other writings were worth a study by the Kannada literary world, Cariappa argued that the Study Chair will largely help in carrying forward the rich legacy left behind by the great poet, to future generations. Kodava Samaja should exert pressure on the Government for the setting up of the chair, he added.

Continuing, Cariappa said no one should forget that  Appacha Kavi was the first Indian playwright to adapt the mythological Yayathi story into a popular play.  Appacha Kavi, who studied only till fourth standard, became a Sanskrit scholar and wrote exemplary plays. Through his memorable and magnificent writings, he came to be known as Kalidasa of Kodagu, he observed.

Stating that Appacha Kavi, who was born on Sept.21, 1868, was known as a Poet-Saint, he regretted that it is unfortunate that the Kannada literary world is yet to accept him and there are also no serious discussions on his plays, poems and other works. This may be because that most of his works are in Kodava language, he opined.

Celebrating the great poet’s birth anniversary  as ‘Kodava Sahitya Day’ is just not enough and it should be celebrated in a more purposeful manner to attract the attention of the entire State, he added.

Artist Nellamakkada B. Kaverappa, who is also the Founder-President of city’s Bharani Art Gallery, spoke on the life and works of Appacha Kavi.

Mysuru Kodava Samaja President Mechanda Shashi Ponnappa welcomed. Kodava Samaja Cultural and Sports Club President Kuttimada D. Muthappa and others were present.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / September 26th, 2022

Price of Robusta coffee touches all-time high as Brazilian production declines

Business & Economy, Coffee News, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg), Records, All, World Opinion
The average coffee production in Brazil is 60 million bags a year, whereas in India, it is below six million bags.

Farm gate price of raw berries touch a record ₹106 a kg against ₹80 last year

Lending fresh hopes to coffee farmers, the price of the Robusta variety of coffee has reached an all-time high, thanks to a sharp decline in production.

The farm gate price of raw Robusta coffee berries touched a record ₹106 a kg in Wayanad market on Friday, as against ₹80 a kg during the corresponding period last year.

The State government had announced that it would procure coffee from farmers at a minimum support price (MSP) of ₹90 a kg when the market price of raw coffee was ₹61 a kg two years ago.

A sharp decline in coffee production in Brazil, a major coffee-producing country, owing to severe frost was the major reason for the rise in price, trading sources said.

The average coffee production in Brazil is 60 million bags (a bag of 60 kg) a year. But the production declined to 50 million bags this season. A drought-like situation in the coffee-growing regions of that country during the post-harvest period also contributed to price hike, sources said.

The average coffee production in India is below six million bags a year. A huge disparity in production and supply was the major reason for the price hike. Moreover, the depreciation of Indian rupee to US dollar was also reflected in the rise in price, sources added.

“However, the current upswing in price will not benefit coffee farmers in the country as most of them have already sold the produce at a low price,” Prasanth Rajesh, president, Wayanad Coffee Growers’ Association (WCGA), told The Hindu.

“The fortune of Indian coffee farmers depends on the misfortune of farmers in Brazil,” Mr. Rajesh said, adding that such a situation should change as it would not offer a sustainable income to farmers.

A quick intervention by the Coffee Board to increase internal consumption of coffee is the need of the hour, he said .

Though the State government had announced an MSP of ₹90 a kg, most farmers are yet to benefit from it as the government has fixed a ceiling limit of one acre for procurement, he said.

All farmers, irrespective of land holding, should get the MSP since input cost, especially that of fertilisers, had gone up by more than 200%, he added. The Coffee Board has projected a crop size of 3.42 lakh tonnes in the country during 2021-22 in its final estimates.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Kerala / by E.M. Manoj / Kalpeta – September 24th, 2022

Annual General Body Meeting (AGM) of Kodagu Sahakara Sangha tomorror

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All, Samajas, Associations, Clubs (wef. Sept. 03rd, 2022))

The Annual General Body Meeting (AGM)  of Kodagu Sahakara Sangha for the year 2021-22 will be held at the Sangha premises in Jayalakshmipuram on Sept.25 at 10.30 am.

Sangha President A.C. Nanjamma will preside.

On the occasion, the children of Sangha members who have excelled in the 2021-22 examinations by scoring high marks will be felicitated.  

Mysuru Chamarajanagar mattu Kodagu JPJ/PPKS/SS mattu

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> In Briefs / September 24th, 2022

This Coorg Homestay Lies By The Serene Harangi River In The Middle Of A Bamboo Forest

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Records, All, Travel, Tourism & Homestays (wef. Oct 03rd, 2021)

Imagine staying in a beautiful property near the tributary of a river in a picturesque location of a village. The thought itself is so tranquil, imagine the level of tranquility the stay would offer. Well, this imagination can turn into reality.

All you have to do is pack your bags and travel to Coorg. Yes, Firefly by the river is a lovely Coorg Homestay which lies right beside Harangi river and in the middle of a bamboo forest. Keep reading to know more. 

Firefly By The River, A Coorg Homestay

Nina and Captain Prio Chaubey are a Bengaluru based couple who built this Coorg Homestay in the most scenic location.

Firefly by the river offers an experience of waking up in a room which is surrounded by coconut, cinnamon, and betel palm trees, paddy fields, orchards, and coffee and pepper farms. It has 5 double rooms which are rustically designed with earthy colours to keep the soothing vibe intact. The lovely garden room has its own private entrance. The two superior and two deluxe rooms are designed as two separate cottages. The rooms have wooden closets, luxury mattresses and are super spacious. There is a hammock placed just beside the river for you to relax. 

Satiate Your Taste Buds With Delicious Coorg Delicacies

Near the well is an elegantly designed common area right in the centre of this Coorg homestay where you can relish meals. You can sit back near the river listening to the sound of water as you enjoy delicious food.

The food is customised as per the taste palate of the guest keeping their preferences in mind. All the meals are prepared using local and fresh ingredients.

The property manager, Rithvik is a local from Coorg and serves meals which are experimented out of his Grandma’s recipes. The food is cooked by the locals using local spice mixes, who are hired for the same. Delicacies like Pandi Curry , Akki Roti, Coorg-style River Pomfret, Nool Puttu, Coorgi mutton pulao and their special south indian breakfast. 

So make sure to consider this place in Coorg for you next close to nature stay !

Instagram: fireflyhomestays / www.fireflyhomestays.com

source: http://www.curlytales.com / Curly Tales / Home> Hotels & Resorts> Travel / by Vaishalee Kalvankar / blog of Kamiya Jani / September 23rd, 2022

Wildlife Biologist From Kodagu In Project Cheetah Core Team

Amazing Feats, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Nature, Records, All, Travel, Tourism & Homestays (wef. Oct 03rd, 2021), Women/Girls (wef. Sept 03rd, 2022)

Mysore/Mysuru:

A wildlife Biologist and Ecologist from Kodagu is in the team that brought eight Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) from Namibia to Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park which were released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sept. 17.

C.M. Bipin of Kodagu is in the core management team of Dr. Yadvendradev Vikramsinh Jhala, Lead Scientist for Project Cheetah and Dean of Wildlife Institute of India.

Bipin conducted extensive fieldwork and ground study before the extinct felines were reintroduced in India. Project Cheetah is the world’s first inter-continental large wild carnivore translocation project.

C.M. Bipin has been working on Project Cheetah since 2011 as a Project Associate at the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, autonomous wildlife research and natural resource service institution under the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Government of India. Bipin’s name figures prominently among the survey team for the project.

Hailing from Kanoor village near Ponnampet in South Kodagu, Chottekmada Bipin is an Industrial Engineering Management graduate who pursued his passion for wildlife and nature. He finished his schooling at St. Anne’s School, Virajpet and college at Sathya Sai Loka Seva Trust, Alike. His parents Monnappa and Tara Monnappa, retired teachers, are settled in Kanoor.

Bipin (extreme right) seen with Project Cheetah team members in Namibia where they underwent training.

Engineer to Ecologist

Speaking to Star of Mysore from the Kuno National Park where he is monitoring the Cheetahs, Bipin said that though he worked for an electronics company in Bengaluru soon after his engineering at the RV College, nature and wildlife was his passion.

“I was feeling suffocated, so I left and joined a conservation and ecology team at the Centre for Wildlife Studies, Bangalore, in 2004 working on monitoring tigers and prey populations in Karnataka. During this period, I felt the need of educating, better-equipping and training myself in wildlife science and nature conservation and I completed my M.Sc. in Wildlife Biology,” he said.

Bipin later joined National Centre for Biological Sciences in Bengaluru in 2008 for his Master’s and subsequently joined the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun in 2011 and has been involved in Project Cheetah.

“As part of the project, the landscape of five States — Rajasthan, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh — were studied. 10 places were identified as suitable for Cheetah reintroduction and among them, five were shortlisted with the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, Shahgarh landscape and Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan and Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh being identified as priority ones,” Bipin revealed.

Court case

When the project work was on, in May 2012, the Supreme Court stalled the plan to reintroduce Cheetahs into Kuno sanctuary fearing they may come into conflict with a project to reintroduce lions into the same sanctuary.

But in 2020, the SC lifted its stay, clearing the project after an affidavit filed by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to take the plunge — under the guidance from an expert committee headed by Dr. M.K. Ranjitsinh, the architect of Wildlife Protection Act — and go ahead with plans to bring the African cat to India.

“During the period of stay, I started work on the population recovery and habitat improvement of the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard, the grassland and open forests habitat of which the Cheetahs roamed in our country once and I re-joined the Cheetah Project after the Court clearance,” he said.

Picture shows the landscape of Namibia that is ideal for the Cheetah habitat being studied by Bipin and a colleague. Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh where the Cheetahs have been reintroduced has a similar landscape.

Training in Namibia

Bipin was sent to Namibia and South Africa with the team during June 2022 for a training in handling the Cheetah, habitat management, research, methods of conservation at different levels and how to avoid conflict with villagers living on the forest fringes.

“I gave technical inputs after ground studies along with my team and additionally wore many hats as and when needed including providing assistance required in administrative, financial, legal and policy matters. As the days for the release drew close, though rainy season in India is a difficult period to release Cheetahs in India due to inaccessibility to many forest areas and logistical constraints, it would have been wise to wait for the monsoon to end,” he explained.

September was the ideal month and the occasion was PM Modi’s birthday. The officers of Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, NTCA and MoEF&CC at various levels very efficiently coordinated and performed their roles meticulously in making the project a reality, Bipin added.

Adequate prey base

“The Kuno National Park, situated on the northern side of Vindhyachal mountains, can handle 35 Cheetahs and has an inviolate area of 748 sq.km. where the Cheetahs have a suitable area of up to 6,800 sq.km surrounding them. We had identified four more areas apart from Kuno National Park and the project Cheetah entails bringing 50 big cats from Africa in the next five years and in the long run establishing a viable cheetah metapopulation in the country,” he said.

The Kuno National Park has a good prey base for Cheetahs, comprising the four-horned antelope, chinkara, nilgai, wild pig, spotted deer and sambhar.

Cheetahs will help restore open forest and grassland ecosystems in India and its dwindling wildlife. This will help conserve biodiversity, consolidate and enhance the ecosystem, mitigate climate change and boost the local economy with various livelihood opportunities.

“Extensive hunting of Cheetahs and habitat loss led to their extinction. The ‘African Cheetah Introduction Project in India’ was first mooted in 2009 by Wildlife Trust of India and we have come a long way in finally bringing the fastest animal on earth to India,” Bipin added.

Standing L-R Bishan (Brother), Bipin, Monnappa (Father), Sitting L-R Rema Bishan, Sachitha Bishan, Tara (Mother), Amrita.

Mother happy

 Elated over her son being in the core Project Cheetah team, Bipin’s mother Tara Monnappa told Star of Mysore that the family is proud of Bipin’s achievements. “I don’t have any words to express and he has been passionate about nature since childhood. I am glad he could pursue his passion with full vigour,” she said.

In fact, Bipin’s wife Amritha too is a sociologist and conservationist and works for The Nature Conservancy, a global environmental organisation, working in areas in Assam. Her specialisation is communities living in villages on the fringes of forests and their interactions with wildlife and nature.

Bipin’s elder brother C.M. Bishan is an Orthopaedician in Gonikoppa, Kodagu and an avid wildlife photographer.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News> Top Stories / September 22nd, 2022