Former MLC and International Karate expert from Kodagu, Cheppudira Arun Machaiah has been appointed as the new Joint Chairman of the Technical Commission of Karate India Organisation (KIO).
Director of World Shitorio Karate Council and President of All India Shitorio Karate Organisation, Arun is the first Kannadiga to achieve the highest post of KIO.
source/content: starofmysore.com (headline edited)
From nearly 6.30 am, voters started to queue outside their respective polling stations with much enthusiasm to practice their duty.
Voters from all sections of the society enthusiastically took part in the festival of democracy and cast their votes.Photo | EPS
Madikeri :
Smooth polling was recorded across Kodagu and the district recorded a voter turnout of 70.58% at 5pm.
Voters from all sections of the society enthusiastically took part in the festival of democracy and cast their votes. The district had special polling booths even as foresters guarded the booths located in wildlife conflict zones.
The minor glitches in EVMs were sorted out during the mock voting process held in all polling booths from 6 am to 7 am. From nearly 6.30 am, voters started to queue outside their respective polling stations with much enthusiasm to practice their duty.
A total of 23 special polling booths including Sakhi and Model booths were set up across the district. At Maldare, Nagarahole, Hebbale, Malambi, Heruru and CB Halli, tribal themed polling stations were set up to woo the increased population of tribes.
The tribes in large groups participated in the electoral process enthusiastically. The Sakhi polling stations were decked up in polling centers that had increased women voters even as Kodagu ADC Veena BN opted to vote from one of the Sakhi polling booths in Madikeri. Model polling centers with improved facilities also wooed the voters.
However, the officers on election duty at the interior village of Vanachal were made to suffer for some time due to the unavailability of drinking water.
Nevertheless, the voters of the center helped the officers and arranged for a drinking water facility. In Wildlife conflict zones including regions across Siddapura, Kushalnagar and Virajpet, a Range Forest Officer alongside a Rapid Response Team equipped with weapons were deployed to ensure the safety of the voters. Armed Forces from Gujarat guarded the naxal sensitive booths across the district including at Karike and Sampaje areas.
A tragic incident was, however, reported at a polling station in B Shettigeri of South Kodagu. Manohar (58), a traditional drummer who played the ‘chande’ instrument, died of a heart attack outside the polling station.
Sources confirmed that he waited in the queue and cast his vote. However, he collapsed outside the polling center after he suffered a heart attack and died.
MADIKERI: Smooth polling was recorded across Kodagu and the district recorded a voter turnout of 70.58% at 5pm.
Voters from all sections of the society enthusiastically took part in the festival of democracy and cast their votes. The district had special polling booths even as foresters guarded the booths located in wildlife conflict zones.
The minor glitches in EVMs were sorted out during the mock voting process held in all polling booths from 6 am to 7 am. From nearly 6.30 am, voters started to queue outside their respective polling stations with much enthusiasm to practice their duty.
A total of 23 special polling booths including Sakhi and Model booths were set up across the district. At Maldare, Nagarahole, Hebbale, Malambi, Heruru and CB Halli, tribal themed polling stations were set up to woo the increased population of tribes.
The tribes in large groups participated in the electoral process enthusiastically. The Sakhi polling stations were decked up in polling centers that had increased women voters even as Kodagu ADC Veena BN opted to vote from one of the Sakhi polling booths in Madikeri. Model polling centers with improved facilities also wooed the voters.
However, the officers on election duty at the interior village of Vanachal were made to suffer for some time due to the unavailability of drinking water.
Nevertheless, the voters of the center helped the officers and arranged for a drinking water facility. In Wildlife conflict zones including regions across Siddapura, Kushalnagar and Virajpet, a Range Forest Officer alongside a Rapid Response Team equipped with weapons were deployed to ensure the safety of the voters. Armed Forces from Gujarat guarded the naxal sensitive booths across the district including at Karike and Sampaje areas.
A tragic incident was, however, reported at a polling station in B Shettigeri of South Kodagu. Manohar (58), a traditional drummer who played the ‘chande’ instrument, died of a heart attack outside the polling station.
Sources confirmed that he waited in the queue and cast his vote. However, he collapsed outside the polling center after he suffered a heart attack and died.
Outside a polling centre in Madikeri, the officials forcefully shut down shops that were located within 200 meters from the St Michael School polling station. However, DC Venkat Raja intervened and withdrew the closing down order. He, however, cautioned the shopkeepers not to allow campaigning from political parties at the shops.
Venkat Raja, SP K Ramarajan and CEO Varnit Negi cast their votes at the taluk office in Madikeri and later visited the Raja Seat tourist spot to urge residents to go vote. While most of the tourist centers were open in the district, the Dubare Camp was shut for tourist visits as this was turned into a polling station for the tribal voters.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Karnataka / by Prajna GR / April 26th, 2024
India’s High Range Coffee Curing is poised to become the first farm verified by the Rainforest Alliance to ship EUDR–ready coffee beans to Europe later this month.
The coffee farm partnered with the Rainforest Alliance to meet the necessary compliance requirements of the regulation.
Established in 1995, High Range Coffee Curing is located in the Periyapatna and Kushalnagar Coorg districts, among 142 hectares of tropical forests, and is known for its quality beans.
The farm supplies coffee to leading global coffee brands, roasters and traders in India, including Nestle , Unilever, E-Com Commodities, Olam, Continental Coffee, Louis Dreyfus Company , Vidya Coffee and Allanasons.
Zaidan M Saly, director of High Range Coffee Curing stated, “Implementing EUDR [EU Deforestation Regulation] posed significant challenges for our team, but with the invaluable guidance from Rainforest Alliance representatives in our region, we overcame them and gained confidence in the process.
“Their expertise made the seemingly daunting task entirely feasible, facilitating a smooth and successful implementation, which now not only guarantees adherence to EUDR regulations but also sparked a revolution in our approach to traceability.”
Rainforest Alliance certification enables coffee and cocoa farmers to opt in for EUDR-aligned criteria.
This allows companies to source from these farms, track ingredients along their supply chains, and leverage farm data to demonstrate compliance with the regulation’s deforestation risk assessment and mitigation requirements by the deadline, at no additional cost.
Miguel Gamboa, coffee sector lead at the Rainforest Alliance stated, “The EUDR represents an important step forward to shift the global coffee sector towards more sustainable practices.
“Yet, many smallholder coffee farmers need support to align with the requirements, including traceability, deforestation risk mapping, local laws, and practical and technical guidance on key environmental practices.”
The Rainforest Alliance has urged the EU Commission not to dilute or delay the legislation or postpone its deadline in response to calls from some companies and governments.
It has also called on companies not to scale back purchases from smallholder coffee farmers, but rather support them in meeting the deadline of this legislation.
Gamboa added, “We are also piloting a deforestation risk assessment offering for companies buying non-certified coffee and cocoa, which we plan to roll out more widely later this year.
“With this offering, we aim to support more companies in their journey to compliance, but more importantly, to also reach non-certified farmers so their products can still be sold on the EU market.”
source: http://www.esmagazine.com / ESM, European Supermarket Magazine / Home> Supply Chain / by Dayeeta Das / May 06th, 2024
The department had proposed for the release of Rs 8.38 crore as a drought relief fund to be distributed among the farmers of the district.
Image used for representational purposes only,(File photo | EPS)
Madikeri :
A total of 17,297 farmers across Kodagu have been distributed with the drought relief fund from the state. Sources confirmed that many other pending applications are still under scrutiny and will be disposed of shortly.
All five taluks in Kodagu were declared as drought-hit regions this year from the state and over 20,000 farmers from the district applied to avail compensation for the crop loss.
As per the applications received by the agriculture department, 7620.74 hectares of paddy farmland and 2170.36 hectares of maize farmland were affected by drought in total across all the taluks.
The department had proposed for the release of Rs 8.38 crore as a drought relief fund to be distributed among the farmers of the district.
However, applications of 17,297 farmers from the district have been approved so far in ten phases and they have been handed over the total drought relief fund of over Rs 2.83 crore.
Joint Director of the agricultural department, Somasundar confirmed that 17,297 farmers have received only part payment of the drought relief even as applications of 3,263 farmers are still under scrutiny and will be finalized shortly. While a few applications are pending due to technical errors, others are under verification process.
Over Rs 5.54 crore funds are still pending to be distributed to the farmers as per the memorandum submitted to the state from the department.
The Ponnampet taluk is the worst hit region in the district as over 3825 hectares of paddy land has been reportedly affected by drought. A total of 5155 farmers from the region applied for drought relief.
In Somwarpet taluk, 1161 hectares of paddy and 470 hectares of maize farmlands have been affected by drought even as over 7,000 farmers applied for the compensation.
1972 hectares of paddy field in Madikeri and 650 hectares in Virajpet were hit by drought even as 1700 hectares of maize farmland was hit by drought across Kushalnagar taluk.
DC Venkat Raja confirmed that Rs 2.83 crore funds have been so far released to farmers and this includes a minimum compensation amount of Rs 1,000 and a maximum compensation of Rs 2,000 to the affected farmers.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Karnataka / by Prajna G R / May 29th, 2024
Madikeri:
Three journalists have been selected for the Annual Awards given by the Kodagu Press Club.
A.N. Vasu’s report titled ‘Yejentara Mosakke Baliyagi Videshadalli Silukida Mahile’ published in Shakthi Daily has been selected for Best Effective Report Award, instituted in memory of senior journalist K.B. Mahantesh.
P.V. Akshay’s (AG) report in Star of Mysore (SOM) titled ‘Daredevil Act by Kodagu-born Vet Saves Leopard in Mangaluru’ has been selected for Best Humanitarian Report Award, instituted by Koovarkolli Indresh and family in memory of his father B.V. Chandrashekhar and mother Pushpalatha.
Imanda Gopal Somaiah’s report ‘Madikeriyalli Maragala Maaranahoma,’ telecast on TV9 Kannada, has been selected for Best Environmental Report Award, constituted by M.N. Chandramohan in memory of his father M. Narayana and mother N. Padmavathi.
Each of the three awards includes a cash prize of Rs. 5,000 and a plaque. The awards ceremony will take place in Madikeri on June 2 at 12 noon.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / May 29th, 2024
Forest, Environment and Ecology Minister Eshwar B Khandre said Rs 100 crore has been allocated to undertake a sapling plantation drive for this financial year.
Image used for representational purposes only.
Bengaluru :
Forest, Environment and Ecology Minister Eshwar B Khandre on Tuesday said the forest department’s revenue collection has increased and so has recovery of encroached land.
Khandre told the media that revenue has increased from Rs 263.41 crore in 2019- 20 to Rs 417.84 crore in 2023- 24. Reserved forest area has increased by 3395.73 hectares in 2023- 24, and protected area has increased by 184.52 hectares. The department has also recovered 2602.30 acres of encroached forest land worth Rs 1500 crore.
Khandre said the highest land recovery has happened in Kolar division, of 1392.41 acres of encroached forest land. Also, 5.50 acres have been cleared in Madikeri and 17 acres in Bengaluru’s Kothanur forest division. Around 7,500 acres of forest land in Kodagu, Chamarajanagar and Mysuru which were leased to industries and estates by the British will be recovered as soon as their lease period ends. He said companies which occupy these lands have earned crores of rupees.
The minister said Rs 100 crore has been allocated to undertake a sapling plantation drive for this financial year. In the last fiscal, 5.40 crore samples were planted across the state and a three-month audit is being done to know how many of them have survived.
On the task of filing up vacant posts in the department, Khandre said there are around 6,000 vacancies and steps are being taken to fill them up. In the first phase, 310 posts of watchers have been filled up and the process of recruiting 540 guards is under way. Directions have also been issued to conduct quick written exams to fill up posts in 10 forest zones.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Karnataka / by Express News Service / May 29th, 2024
Indian mixed 4×400 relay team set a national record while winning the gold medal but missed the target of entering the Paris Olympics qualification bracket.
Women quartet of Vithya Ramraj, M R Poovamma, Prachi Choudhary and Rupal Chaudhary won the silver in the women’s 4x400m relay at the Asian Relay Championships in Bangkok on May 21, 2024. Photo: X/@India_AllSports
Fielding under-strength teams after having qualified for the Paris Olympics, both the men’s and women’s 4x400m quartets finished second at the inaugural Asian Relay Championships in Bangkok on May 21.
he women’s team of Vithya Ramraj, M R Poovamma, Prachi Choudhary and Rupal Chaudhary clocked 3 minutes 33.55 seconds to finish behind Vietnam (3:30.81) in the women’s 4x400m relay final, which was conducted amid thundershowers at the Suphachalasai National Stadium. Japan won the bronze medal with 3:35.45.
Vietnam runners were ahead all through the race.
Vithya and Prachi were not part of the Indian quartet that clocked 3 minutes and 29.35 seconds to book a Paris Olympics quota during the World Athletics Relays in Nassau, Bahamas earlier this month.
Jyothika Sri Dandi and Subha Venkatesan had teamed up with Poovamma and Rupal on that occasion.
The men’s quartet of Muhammed Anas Yahiya, Santosh Kumar, Mijo Chacko Kurian and Arokia Rajiv also failed to stand on top of the podium as they clocked 3:05.76 to finish second behind Sri Lanka (3:04.48). Vietnam was third with 3:07.37.
The Sri Lankan team was ahead after the first leg but Santosh put India in the lead in the second. Chacko kept India in the lead after the third leg but Sri Lanka’s anchor runner Hewa Kalinga Kumarge overtook Arokia at the final stretch.
Santosh and Chacko were not part of the Indian quartet that clocked 3 minutes and 3.23 seconds to book a Paris Olympics quota during the World Athletics Relays in Bahamas earlier this month.
Muhammed Ajmal and Amoj Jacob had teamed up with Muhammed Anas Yahiya and Arokia Rajiv on that occasion.
Muhammed Ajmal and Amoj Jacob had teamed up with Jyothika Sri Dandi and Subha Venkatesan for the mixed 4x400m race on Monday as India was aiming to enter the Paris Olympics bracket in that event. The quartet was the first choice members of the mixed 4x400m team and they were thus not fielded on Tuesday in the men’s and women’s relays.
On Monday, the Indian mixed 4×400 relay team set a national record while winning the gold medal but missed the target of entering the Paris Olympics qualification bracket.
The quartet of Muhammed Ajmal, Jyothika Sri Dandi, Amoj Jacob and Subha Venkatesan clocked 3 minutes 14.12 seconds to win the race. The earlier national record of 3:14.34 was clocked by the Indian team while winning silver medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year.
Monday’s timing would put the Indian mixed 4x400m team at the 21st place — from earlier 23rd — in the Road to Paris list of World Athletics while the aim was to be either in the 15th or 16th spot.
India, thus, is in a difficult position to make the Olympics cut as only sixteen teams will compete in the mixed 4x400m relay event in Paris.
India’s target on Monday was to at least better 3:13.56 and sit at the 16th spot, but the country failed to do so.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sports> Athletics / by PTI – Bangkok / May 21st, 2024
Rani’s entire career has been dedicated to preserving and promoting the folk dance form, Ummathat, of the Kodava tradition.
Rani Machaiah (seated) was felicitated at a function in Madikeri on Thursday, 26 January. (Supplied)
The news came as mellifluous as the song that accompanies Ummathat, the traditional dance form of Kodagu.
Rani Machaiah — better known as Ummathat Ki Rani — was at her home in Madikeri when she received the news of the nation honouring her with Padma Shri.
Congratulatory calls have been flooding her from relatives, friends, well-wishers, and most importantly, from her large number of students since Wednesday, 25 January.
“A train of thoughts crossed my mind,” the 79-year-old shared her experience with South First. “I have worked for around 50 years, promoting this traditional dance form.”
She has been leading Ummathat since 1984 and she had trained over 10,000 students.
Rani recalled taking her students to different states to showcase the dance form. “Ummathat is performed by a troupe of 20 — two will be singing and the other eighteen will dance to narrate a story,” she explained.
“This dance form is similar to the traditional ones of every other state,” she added.
Rani doesn’t dance anymore. But she still teaches students to master the art form. She had trained several batches of students.
Padma Shri Rani Machaiah. (Supplied)
“Once they get married, they leave and a new batch joins. Girls of any age can join the troupe,” Rani said.
Her students had performed in Lakshadweep, Goa, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Mizoram, Odisha, Punjab, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and several places across Karnataka.
“We get invitations from various places and institutions from all over the country and we perform our traditional Ummathat there,” Rani, who has dedicated herself to preserving and promoting the traditional dance form, said.
Rani was born in 1943 in Siddapura in the Kodagu district. Her husband, the late Machaiah, was an advocate, who passed away when she was 65.
Her son, Sathish Machaiah, 55, is a software engineer in Bengaluru. Rani’s daughter, Saritha Devaiah, is a homemaker in Kodagu. Her husband Devaiah owns a plantation.
When asked about her inspiration to take up Ummathat, Rani said it was personal interest.
Rani is the chairperson of Kaveri Kalavrunda Sangha, an organisation she founded. She is the recipient of the Rajyotsava Award and many other honours.
She was a former president of Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy and at present, she is encouraging groups of Kodavas working on designing a lipi — alphabet or script — for the Kodava language to preserve its literature since the language doesn’t have a lipi now (traditionally, Kodavas use the Thirke script, which is an abugida).
“It will look somewhat similar to Kannada and it will have phonetics and extra words that are used in the Kodava language in Kannada lipi,” Rani said.
source: http://www.thesouthfirst.com / South First / Home> States / by Bellie Thomas / January 27th, 2023
This is only the second documented occurrence of the Ligdus genus in 129 years, according to naturalists.
Ligdus garvale spider discovered in Kodagu district. | Photo Credit: special arrangement
A group of naturalists from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka recently discovered a new species of spider in Kodagu. They named it Ligdus garvale after the village where it was found. Garvale, a village in the Somwarpet taluk of Kodagu district, is where the spider was discovered.
This jumping spider is significant as it represents only the second documented occurrence of the Ligdus genus in 129 years, according to naturalists.
The research team includes John T.D. Caleb from the Department of Anatomy at Saveetha Medical College & Hospital in Chennai, A. Divyashree from Kuvempu University in Shankarghatta, A.P.C. Abhijith from Indraprastha Organic Farm in Mysuru, and Lohith Kumar from Montrose Golf Resort and Spa in Kodagu.
According to Ms. Divyashree, Ligdus garvale was found in Garvale village, which is surrounded by agroforestry. “Coffee plantations are prominent in the area, along with pepper and paddy fields where the Ligdus Garvale, a jumping spider, was found,” she added.
After the team of naturalists observed the spider and recorded their findings, they sent the specimen to Mr. Caleb for anatomical examination. “Ligdus garvale represents just the second recorded occurrence of the Ligdus genus in 129 years. The first, Ligdus chelifer, was documented in Myanmar in 1895,” Mr. Abhijith said.
Mr. Abhijith explained that the eight-legged creature was discovered beneath the leaf of a torch ginger plant in Garvale village in north Kodagu. “The Garvale jumping spider measures approximately 0.2 inches in length. It has eight legs, eight eyes, and a body covered with fine pale hairs. Only one male Garvale jumping spider was found, and the new species was named after the Garvale area where it was discovered. So far, this is the only area where it has been found,” he added.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau, Bengaluru / May 24th, 2024
The 18-year-old from Karnataka is making giant strides on the big circuit.
Karnataka’s Unnathi Aiyappa is headed to the World Athletics U20 Championships to be held in Lima, Peru in August after qualifying in both the women’s 100m hurdles and 200m events. Credit: PTI Photo
Bengaluru:
Unnathi Aiyappa is in the midst of a transitional period. It is a phase where every decision the teen athlete makes in the present is to help her leapfrog towards cementing future goals. Her recent results are a testimony to this.
After having already qualified for the women’s World Athletics Under-20 Championships 100m hurdles to be held in Lima (Peru) from August 27-31, the 18-year-old from Karnataka breached the qualification mark for the 200m race as well by winning the gold at the National Senior Federation Cup in Bhubaneswar on Monday with a personal best timing of 23.85 seconds.
Less than a month ago, the youngster had finished with a bronze medal in the 100m hurdles at the Asian U-20 Athletics Championships in Dubai.
“Our main goal is to get Unnathi to become a 400m hurdler,” says father and coach BP Aiyappa. “Whatever we are doing now with the 100m hurdles and 200m is a preparation towards that goal,” he adds.
Speaking about the races over the last few days, Unnathi, who ran a mistake-laden semifinal where she was slow off the blocks and in the curve, focussed on overcoming the flaws in the final where she was chasing time more than the gold. The ‘unexpected win was extra special, says the girl from Kodagu as she beat seasoned sprinter Srabani Nanda in a photo finish for her first medal at a senior meet.
“We will get her to compete in four more events before the World Juniors and based on the progress in both the events (200m and 100m hurdles), my idea is to enter in only one event in Lima. I don’t want to put too much load on her body as a junior and she will focus on these two disciplines for another year-and-a-half. We will completely switch to 400m hurdles only after that,” explained Aiyappa.
“The 400m hurdles has a rhythm to it which is addictive. But 400m is just going all out. It’s boring,” says the daughter of Olympian Pramila Aiyappa.
If fine-tuning her running skills or blazing the tracks is her primary vocation, the teen is part of a growing brigade of Indian women athletes who enjoy upping the fashion quotient while competing or off it.
“I recently learnt how to braid my hair. I wore some eye-liner and lipstick and did some nail art for the first-time while racing in Dubai and here. It is important to look pretty when you win. No?!,” reasons Unnathi, who takes inspiration from USA’s sprint star Sha’Carri Richardson.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Sports> Other Sports / by Hita Prakash / May 15th, 2024
