Chorus To Accord Third Language Status For ‘Kodava Thakk’ Grows

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To help the inclusion of language in Eighth Schedule of Constitution

Mysore/Mysuru:

Stating that the demand for third language status for ‘Kodava Thakk’ (language) is being considered at the Government level, Virajpet MLA K.G. Bopaiah observed that such a status will help include the language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

He was speaking after inaugurating  the seminar on “Inclusion of Kodava Language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution” and a book release programme jointly organised by Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy and Kodava Samaja, Mysuru at Kodava Samaja auditorium in Vijayanagar First Stage here this morning.

Observing that those who left Kodagu district to settle elsewhere must not forget their native land and  mother-tongue, Bopaiah, who is also a former Assembly Speaker, said that natives of Kodagu, especially the youths, should take pride in Kodava language and culture wherever they stay.

Stressing on the need for saving Kodava language and culture for generations to come, the MLA assured that he will extend all support for inclusion of the language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. He also called for a much organised and united effort for pursuing the cause with the Government.

Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy Chairperson Dr. Ammatanda Parvathi Appaiah said that Kodava language must be declared as the third language in Karnataka and a resolution must be passed in the Assembly.

Noting that Kodava is a Dravida language having its own culture, identity and history, Parvathi Appaiah regretted that the language has not been included in the Eighth Schedule despite meeting all the requirements. 

“The primary reason for this is the small numerical strength of the community and lack of political power. When former Bengaluru Mayor Prema Cariappa was a Rajya Sabha member, she had taken up the cause. But after her term ended, no one pursued the cause,” she noted.

She said that the Academy has been collecting and collating all available records in support of the demand for inclusion of the language in the Eighth Schedule. Stating that Mangalore University is already offering certificate and diploma courses in Kodava language, she said that the Academy is making efforts to teach Kodava language to PG students.

Ajjinikanda Mahesh Nachaiah, Editor of ‘Poomale’ weekly, who delivered a talk on the seminar topic, said that though Kodava is a language spoken by a small group of people, it has succeeded in retaining its importance and significance, besides its own identity.

Contending that Kodava language has found mention even in mythology, he said that Kodavas are a population which grew and prospered in Cauvery valley civilisation. Asserting that Kodava has its own place in Indian folklore, he opined that the influence of Kodava language began to wane after Kodagu was merged with Karnataka. Noting that there are 22 official languages in the Eighth Schedule, he said that the Government must not delay in the inclusion of the language, considering the fact that the language has its own identity.

Four books that were released are: ‘Meedi Beppo’ by Ithichanda Ramesh Uthappa, ‘Nallame’  authored by Monnanda Shobha Subbaiah, ‘Ponnrantha Thakk’ authored by Chotteyanadamada Lalitha Cariappa and ‘Sampoorna Mahabharata – Chod Chodya’ by Bachamanda Gowramma Madammaiah.

Karnataka Western Ghats Conservation Task Force Chairman Shantheyanda Ravi Kushalappa, Dr. R. Chalpathi of Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Kannada (CESCK), Kodava Samaja Mysuru President Kekada M. Belliappa and others were present.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / October 20th, 2021

Leelavathi From Kodagu Is TN SC/STs Commission Member

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Chennai:

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has announced the appointment of former Madras High Court Judge Justice Sivakumar as the Chairperson of the newly-constituted State Commission for SC/STs.

Punitha Pandian is the Vice-Chairperson, while Kumaradevan, Ezhil Elangovan, K.M. Leelavathi Dhanraj from Kakkabe in Kodagu, P. Elanchezian and K. Raghupathy are the Members and they will have a  three-year term.

The Commission will suggest appropriate legal and welfare measures to be undertaken by the Government for the upliftment of people belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The Commission’s Office is located at Pollachi in Tamil Nadu.

Leelavathi Dhanraj hails from Yavakapadi village near Kakkabbe in Kodagu and is the daughter of Kudiyara Muthappa and Kaveramma couple. She is married to Dhanraj, a resident of Radhapuram in Kanyakumari.

Leelavathi studied at Kakkabe and at St. Joseph’s College in Madikeri. She pursued her Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree in Mangaluru and completed her MSW from Annamalai University.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / October 20th, 2021

Devatparambu martyrs remembered

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Codava National Council members pay tributes to the martyrs of Devatparambu.

On the commemoration of the genocide of the Kodava people by Tipu Sultan, tributes were paid to the martyrs at Devatparambu by Codava National Council (CNC).

‘Bott Kutva’ and ‘Naivedya’ was offered to the souls, by the CNC members.

CNC president N U Nachappa said that Devatparambu, the place where the Kodava people were killed, should be declared as a national memorial.

CNC leaders Kaliyanda Prakash, Lt Col B M Parvathi, Pattamada Kusha, Mandapanda Suraj, Mandapanda Manoj, Chiyabera Satish, Sullimada Sutan, Alamanda Jai, Bollarapanda Machaiah, Karavanda Sarasu, Areyada Girish, Katumaniyanda Umesh and Kaliyanda Subbaiah were present.

‘Award tribal status’

Codava National Commission has submitted a memorandum, urging National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) to place the demand before the government, to award tribal status to the Kodavas.

The CNC also urged the commission to collect the data on the origin of the Kodava community, in order to safeguard the interests of the Kodava people.

A study in this regard which was initiated earlier was not carried out properly. The study should be conducted again, they said.

Nachappa expressed his concern about the diminishing population of the Kodava community.

There is a need to protect the community, he said.

“Kodava people are eligible for the tribal status, as per the recommendations by Lokur Committee report. Kodavas have their own language, food, culture, civilisation, mode of worship and folklore. They are also dwelling amidst forests and hilly regions.

The delegation was led by the CNC, comprised of High Court advocate Lakkavalli Manjunath, Kaliyanda Prakash, Lt Col B M Parvathi, Alamanda Jai and others.

NCST member and former MP Anant Naik, commission secretary Tawang Singh and officials were present.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Madikeri / October 19th, 2021

Cultivation chits distributed to 32 families

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MLA K G Bopaiah distributes a cultivation chit to a beneficiary coming under the Virajpet Assembly constituency in Madikeri taluk.

MLA K G Bopaiah distributed cultivation chits to 32 families under the Akrama Sakrama Scheme. 

The cultivation chits were handed over to eligible beneficiaries from Sampaje, Bhagamandala hobli, Peraje, Hakathoor, Chembu, Made, Kolagadalu, Bettathooru, Korangala, Kaggodlu, Bengoor, Karugunda, Tavoor and other villages. 

Speaking on the occasion, Bopaiah said that the cultivation chits have been distributed to those who have been cultivating on the said land for several years.

The land should not be sold. The land can be used for the construction of houses and carrying out agriculture activities, he said. 

Madikeri Taluk Akrama Sakrama Samiti president Nagesh Kundalpadi said that owing to the efforts of the MLA, the cultivation chits could be distributed. 

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Madikeri / October 09th, 2021

Rural girl makes her mark in the world of art

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S R Akshata’s artworks are adorning the walls of govt schools, offices.

A talented girl from a remote rural area in Kodagu district is now been becoming famous in the region, through her artistic skills.

S R Akshata, an artist from Navagrama village in Kodlipet Gram Panchayat limits in Shanivarasanthe, has been pursuing her passion while doing her regular studies.

Artworks created by her have adorned the walls of government schools and offices, drawing everybody’s attention.

Akshata is the daughter of wood sculptor Ramesh and Kavita.

She developed an interest in drawing since her primary school days. However, she could not carry it out seriously until she joined Morarji Desai Residential School in Aluru Siddapura.

Art teacher D P Satish identified her talent, encouraged her and honed her skills.

She was so much involved in arts that she chose to carry out her degree education in art, in Mahalasa School of Visual Arts in Mangaluru.

Currently, she is in the second year of her degree. She has been mastering pencil art, poster colour art, 3-D art, pencil shading, acrylic art and so on.

In a humble gesture, during holidays, she spreads her knowledge to the students of government schools by teaching them drawing and painting.

She also creates artworks for the schools. The initiative was taken by ‘Nammura Kalakaliya Vedike’ set up by D P Satish, of which she is a part.

Apart from teaching art to the students, she also contributed her own artworks to the schools in Navagrama and surrounding villages. 

Her artworks are now adorning the walls of five schools, a Gram Panchayat and three libraries.

Teacher D P Satish said that her talent should be appreciated in the state and the nation.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Shanivarasanthe / October 10th, 2021

Avid Birder’s Wildlife Message Cards-2021

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Mysore/Mysuru: 

Dr. S.V. Narasimhan

Dr. S.V. Narasimhan, a family physician based at Virajpet in Kodagu, is an avid birder, nature lover, adept at computers, Karnatak music and astronomy.

Author of Feathered Jewels of Coorg, a field-guide to 310 species of birds found in Coorg, Dr. Narasimhan is the pioneer in spreading wildlife conservation messages through his unique hand-painted Wildlife Message Cards that are sent free to individuals throughout the world to mark Wildlife Week (Oct. 2 to 8).

Total number of hand-painted cards made by him this year is 2,630; in 37 years, 75,285 cards.

Total recipients this year including Star of Mysore – 1,284; in 37 years — 13,387 persons.

The Special Wildlife Messenger this year is Rufous Woodpecker (Micropternus brachyurus) which is a medium sized, brown coloured bird, with short beak and a short strong tail. Male birds have a red patch under the eyes. They feed on insects, ants and flower nectar. Their call is a sharp nasal, three-note, Knk-Knk-Knk. The most surprising fact is that they make their nest within the carton nests of Crematogaster ants and the young also feed on the eggs and larvae of the ants!

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / October 11th, 2021

Kudloor industrial area bereft of basic facilities

Business & Economy, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg), Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Pepper, Records, All
The industrial area in Kudloor.

The industrial area in Kudloor. The first and the only KIADB industrial area in Kudloor in Kushalnagar is facing a lack of basic facilities. The layout is devoid of facilities and people are eagerly waiting for its upliftment.

Owing to the efforts of then chief minister Gundurao, the industrial area had come up at Kudloor in 1984.

There are more than 60 industrial units related to coffee, pepper and others that have come up in the industrial area. About 40% of them are related to coffee and its processing. Some of the food industries including ice cream, hollow bricks, iron and other industries are functioning. The annual turn out from coffee-related industries is Rs 4,000 crore, said Kudloor Kaigarikodyamigala Sangha president A N Praveen.

The industrial area has been completely neglected over the years. Owing to the pressure from the industrialists, pothole-ridden roads have been developed in the area.

According to KIADB officials, the government had sanctioned Rs 10 crore for the development of the industrial area. All the roads leading to various industrial layouts in the vicinity have been developed. The basic facilities will be improved in a phased manner.

Though 250 acres of land was acquired for industrial area, the khata of only 100 acres has been handed over. The remaining 150 acres has no khata. It is not even registered in the name of KIADB. As a result, several industrialists are denied facilities from the government, said, industrialists.

The industrial area has a lack of streetlights. As a result, people are scared to move around at night. Even drains are not constructed by the side of the road. Weeds have grown on either side of the roads.

There is an allegation that only coffee-related industries are set up in the industrial area. As a result, the employment generation is restricted and youth have been migrating to cities in search of greener pastures, said local residents.

There is even a lack of security in the industrial area. Theft cases too have been reported in the nights.

Department of Handlooms and Textiles assistant director Guruswamy said the department had submitted a proposal on setting up a mini power loom park at the industrial area in Kudloor. The deputy commissioner has given approval for the same.

Beeralingeshwara power loom will be set up in the future which will provide employment to women and men, he added.

Industries centre joint director Shankaranarayana said that a meeting to discuss the problems faced at the industrial area will be convened shortly at Koodumangalore Gram Panchayat hall. The officials from KIADB and others will attend the meeting.  

Meanwhile, MP Pratap Simha has submitted a proposal to set up an ESI Hospital in Kodagu. Even land has also been identified for the hospital at Kudloor.

However, the process for the setting up of the hospital has not been initiated so far.

Vanijyodyamigala Sangha, Kodagu, president M B Devaiah said, “We have appealed to Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekar to help in the generation of employment in the district.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / b y DHNS, Kushalnagar / September 30th, 2021

Samaja supports demand for Kodava devpt corporation

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Members and office-bearers of UCO and Kodava Samaja conduct a meeting in Kodava Samaja, Ponnampet.

Ponnampet Kodava Samaja will extend its support to the United Codava Organisation (UCO) in the fight towards the formation of Kodava community development corporation, said Kodava Samaja, Ponnampet, president Chottekmada Rajiv Bopaiah.

During a meeting held in Kodava Samaja, Ponnampet, he said that the demand of UCO is timely. The corporation, if established, will help in the strengthening of the Kodava community and claim its rights.

UCO president Kokkalemada Manju Chinnappa said that even though there is an opinion that the Kodava people are financially well off, they are ignored when it comes to social and political representation.

“When a separate development corporation is formed for Vokkaligas who are listed under the 3 A category, why not form a development corporation for Kodavas who are listed under the same category?” he asked.

Kodava Samaja secretary Ponnimada Suresh, treasurer Mookalera Lakshmana, directors Mallamada Prabhu Poonacha, Cheppudira Rakesh Devaiah, Bopanna, Roopa Uttappa, Mandechandra Dinesh Chityappa, Mookalamada Arasu Nanjappa, Addanda Sunil and UCO member Kallichanda Robin Subbaiah were present.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Gonikoppa / October 10th, 2021

Students selected for hockey team

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A team of eight girl students will be part of the state team in the Girls Junior Nationals hockey tournament to be held in Jharkhand from October 20.

Players Pandanda Dejamma, Badumanda Shaya Kaveramma, Ponnimada Shilpa, Kechettira Parvathi, S P Likhita, H P Dhanushree, S P Sinchana and B K Leelavathi are from Kodagu.

The players are trained at Sai Sports Hostel and have taken part in more than 10 national-level hockey tournaments.

Currently, they are preparing for a national tournament in Kantheerava Stadium, Bengaluru.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Madikeri / October 13th, 2021

55 Years After: A Memorial To An Indian Martyr

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When I read the poem ‘Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard’ by the English poet Thomas Gray (1751) many years ago, I found many quotable quotes in that rather long poem. But the one that remained in my memory and used it in some of my writings about our heroes and achievers who go unrecognised by the society is this particular quotation. I guess those are the four immortal sentences in that poem because, I know, in this world many achievers, geniuses and those who sacrificed their lives for the cause of humanity — gems of purest ray and flowers of great sweetness — are still remaining unknown and unrecognised. Let me quote those four lines:

Full many a gem of purest ray serene,

The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear.

Full many a flower is born to blush unseen,

And waste its sweetness on the desert air.

I remembered these verses of Thomas Gray’s poem while reading the report on the unveiling of life-size statue of gallant Fighter Pilot Squadron Leader Ajjamada Bopayya Devayya (A.B. Devayya) in Madikeri, Kodagu, on 7th September 2020. He too would have become a ‘gem of purest ray serene’ buried in the ‘unfathomed caves of ocean’ or would have been a flower born to blush unseen, but for the publication of a book titled “Battle for Pakistan” authored by John Fricker, an English journalist, based on interviews he conducted with Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Pilots.

The then Flight Lieutenant Amjad Hussain of PAF had narrated in that interview about the India-Pakistan War of 1965. He told the journalist that after accomplishing a successful raid over Pakistan’s Sargodha Airfield at the appointed time by IAF Fighter Aircraft, all Subsonic Mystere Aircraft, they were returning to their base in India. But the PAF’s Flight Lieutenant Amjad Hussain, who was piloting a superior aircraft to that of India’s, Supersonic Mach 2, F-104 Starfighter Aircraft, intercepted the Indian aircraft   piloted by Squadron Leader A.B. Devayya.

About this incident, a reader of Star of Mysore, a veteran of IAF and the then President of Air Force Friends Association, Mysore, Mandetira N. Subramani, had written an article in Star of Mysore on 27.10.2000 (20 years back). There, in that article, he says “Neither the PAF pilot’s flying skill nor the F-104 Starfighter’s superior fire-power and speed deterred Squadron Leader A.B. Devayya. With single-minded devotion and rare courage,              he ultimately succeeded in shooting down the PAF plane with the pilot Amjad Hussain safely ejecting.”

All the IAF Fighter Pilots, 6 of them, who were involved in the task of bombing the heavily defended Pakistan Airfield, returned to the Indian base at Adampur. But one pilot was listed as “missing in action.” He was  Squadron Leader Ajjamada Bopayya Devayya. And he, apparently remained a “missing in action” officer all the years till the book titled “Battle for Pakistan” was published many years later and aroused the interest of another Indian IAF Officer Group Captain O.P. Taneja, Vir Chakra (retired).

Subsequently, mercifully, the Air Head Quarters conducted a careful investigation and innumerable interviews with the IAF Pilots who flew with Squadron Leader A.B. Devayya to confirm the veracity of what was written about Devayya in that book. Finally, he was conferred the honour of Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) posthumously. A martyr at last recognised. Thanks to people like the English journalist who wrote that book, to Flight Lieutenant Amjad Hussain of PAF for being so honest about a war situation, to Group Captain O.P. Taneja and nearer home our Veteran Sergeant M.N. Subramani  (a retired Senior Non-Commissioned Officer of IAF), who pursued his efforts to get our people here to recognise and properly reward Sqn. Ldr. Devayya.

I am sure, M.N. Subramani must be among the most happy persons to see that statue unveiled on 7th September 2020, 55 years after the War Hero A.B. Devayya was martyred on 7th September 1965. And not to forget, it was M.N. Subramani, presently the President of VeKare Ex-Servicemen Trust (VKET), who was instrumental in naming our city’s Sainik Aram Ghar as Squadron Leader A.B. Devayya Bhavan, despite protests from a section of the people.

I remembered all these events after reading the statue unveiling report. We are fortunate that Sqn. Ldr. A.B. Devayya did not remain a “missing pilot” forever and an Air Force Officer with fame “unknown.” Let us remember the famous epitaph in the  Kohima War Cemetery:

“When you go home 

Tell them of us and say

For your tomorrow 

We gave our today.”

Sqn. Ldr. A.B. Devayya was just 33. He gave his ‘today’ for our ‘tomorrow’. 

Jai Hind

e-mail: voice@starofmysore.com

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Columns> Abracadabra / by K.B. Ganapathy / September 11th, 2021