OLYMPIANS GATHER TO HONOUR A COACH

Madikeri March 22, 2009

Senior hockey coach C.V.Shankar, who will turn eighty on April first was honored here by hockey and cricket bigwigs here yesterday.

Hockey player turned cricketer Robin Uthappa,Olympians M.P.Ganesh, B.P.Govinda, Charles Cornelius, Vinodh Chinnappa, P.E.Kalaiah and dozens of others who had played for India gathered at Capital Village and spoke about C.V.Shankar. The players said that Shankar was the best coach whom they had seen and said that at least hundred players coached by him so far have played for Indian hockey team. Shankar had been coaching people of Kodagu since fifty years for free of cost in hockey and cricket. He is also coaching students in golf, physics, chemistry and mathematics. He has also received many awards.

Addressing the gathering, M.P.Ganesh urged the sports lovers of Kodagu to start three academies. He said that hockey, cricket and athletics academy could be started in three talukas of Kodagu. He said that the children are being trained in west with hi tech facilities and the local children have to struggle to compete with them. A student having enough talent may not get a chance to grow due to lack of proper coaching and facilities, he regretted.

Robin Uthappa said that C.V.Shankar has made an impact on his life through his unique way of coaching. “My dad, Uthappa always would coat Shankar during coaching”, he remembered. C.V.Shankar spoke on the occasion and thanked the players to have given him an opportunity to train them “hence my honor belongs to you” he said. He told the gathering that learning basics is most important in sports or studies. I would always teach basics, he said. Shankar and his wife Shanthi were presented with a “Peeche Katti” and a broach.

M.S.Bojanna, Dr.Anil Chengapp, Subhash Muthanna, C.B.Devaiah, Monnappa, G.T.raghavendra, B.G.Anantha Shayana spoke on the occasion.

HAIL STORM AT MURNA

Murnad received heavy rainfall yesterday with hail storm.

A hail stone which fell on a anthuriam garden shade weighed 4 K.G!

Life was crippled between 1.30 to 3.15 as heavy rains filled the low lying areas with water.

Murnad received 2.6 inches of rainfall yesterday. Coffee production is affected due to the rain, according a planter.

KODAGU BRANCH OF KARNATAKA SAHITYA PARISHATH OPENED;

The Kodagu branch of Karnataka Sahitya Parishath was inaugurated here yesterday. President of Akila Kodava Samaja, Mathanda Monnappa lighted the lamp.

Presiding over the function, state president Dr.C.Veeranna called upon the people of Kodagu to remain as Kannadigas and strive for its development. He urged that Kodagu should always remain with Karnataka and the parishath has schemes to print Kodava books into kannada and good Kannada books into Kodava language. He said that the Parishath will support all languages and nobody is untouchable here, he asserted. He also said that seminars would be organized in Konkani, Tulu, Barry and Kodava languages.

Inaugurating the function, Matanda Monnappa said that Kodagu has been encouraging literature since decades. It suffers due to personal fights and Kannada literature should be developed through love and harmony.

Bacharaniyanda Appanna spoke on the occasion and said that Kodava language is mother of all languages. He opined that a language should not have caste tag. G.Rajendra spoke on the occasion and said that the Parishath should try to identify litterateurs who are not in the lime light. He observed that the reading habit amongst the new generation is on the decrease as they depend on Internet.

President of the district Karnataka sahitya parishath, mandira jaya Appanna told that the new organization will recognize poets and literary persons from all languages. Kodava Academy president nrani machaiah, Ganesh, nagaraj neergunda, Kemparaj were present on the dais.

Nanjunda, Ponnappa, rani machaiah, Devaiah were honoured on the occasion. Nirmala Bopanna invoked.