The article from Jammada Ganesh is very encouraging. Clearly the change of guard in the President at Mysore Kodava Samaja has had a very promising and productive impact. Going back in time, Individuals and Teams of like-minded people within the community have contributed very significantly to the community – especially when it comes to Education. The formation of the Coorg Education Fund (CEF), Coorg Wildlife Society and many more such institutions are examples – but equally the current leadership of these august institutions need to reassess their roles and relevance of the institutions they run.
The same probably applies to The Akhila Kodava Samaja (AKS) and the individual Kodava Samajas at various locations. There needs to be a common agenda and platform driven by consensus. This is the time to do it, especially given the massive impact of the peoples participation/movement at the Kodavaame Balo Nadp. There are too many fragmented organisations driving their own agenda as well as priorities. This needs to change.
Another example of a small but indicative area for consensus and change – perhaps the websites of all these august bodies representing the community could be aligned in format, purpose, objective and outcome. AKS recently launched a new website; The Mysore Samaja has a new one; CEF is dated; Bangalore Kodava Samaja has one in format that is uniquely their own (!); it’s time to check the others at Madikeri, Ponnampet; last but not the least the ones at Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai and overseas. There is definitely room for rationalisation with a well considered common agenda. Is The Akhila Kodava Samaja upto doing this? – CLN Newsdesk
Mysore Kodava Samaja saw a change of guard in leadership during October of 2023 when PONJANDA GANAPATHY took charge as the new president with his new team. Soon after taking charge, Ganapathy – a very unassuming and humble personality got into business to deliver what he promised in his election manifesto.
First was to try to close the loans of the Samaja during his term and Second to try to get the CBSE ACCREDITATION for our Cauvery school.
Sometime during January 2024 he came up with the new project of SHARING AND CARING through a unique DONOR COUPON SCHEME where the Samaja could raise funds urgently required for the above 2 projects. Initially, about a crore of rupees was planned and envisaged to be collected through this FUND RAISING SCHEME OF DONOR COUPONS OF RS. 500/- each where people could donate for the Developmental projects of the Samaja. This idea and concept of trying to raise about a crore of rupees for the development project of the Samaja was by itself very unique and second only to the previous MEGA FUND RAISER DURING 2000 where the Samaja raised about 25 lakhs through the PRASAD BIDAPPA FASHION EXTRAVAGANZA.
The thought by itself was something Unique and Humongous considering the fact that Mysore Kodava Samaja had never even thought of raising 1 crore rupees through a DONOR coupon FUND raiser. The president and his team came up with this concept to convince people to donate generously through DONOR COUPONS where in some exciting gifts were also planned to be given away to DONORS through a lucky draw.
Multiple meetings were held with all KERIS and SANGHAS to rope in all Kodavas to ensure that the DONOR COUPONS REACHED ALL in a short period of time.
The total amount collected in this FUND RAISER SHARING AND CARING:
Through DONOR COUPONS Rs. 2445500.00
Through direct donations Rs. 4505000.00
Total collections Rs. 6950500.00
Rs. 1000000 from Karnataka govt under the Kodava Community Hall Development scheme.
Top FUND raisers Individually as well as KERIS and SANGHAS were recognised, honoured and prizes given in recognition of their selfless service to help the samaja raise the required funds.
Finally the Lucky draw of DONOR COUPONS was held on 12.04.2025 in MYSORE KODAVA SAMAJA PREMISES.
Along with the LUCKY DRAW the LAUNCH OF THE NEW WEBSITE OF MYSORE KODAVA SAMAJA WAS ALSO PLANNED on the same day.
A word about the LUCKY DRAW & THE NEW WEBSITE – kodavasamajamysuru.com
The new Website which was hitherto never there for the Samaja was again the brainchild of our President PONJANDA GANAPATHY. This new website was totally conceptualised, designed, created and hosted FREE OF COST by our President Ganapathy’s SON Ponjanda GYAN PONNAPPA. Gyan is responsible for developing the following also free of cost.
- Kodava Samaja Mysuru matrimonial App (Kodava thandh bendhu App in Google Playstore)
2) A website called youthwing.kodavasamajamysuru.com was launched.
3) Donors coupon lucky draw website and software
4) Android app for Kaveri Vidhya Samsthe (includes 1 admin application and 1 user application).
The KodavaSamajaMysuru.com Website launched on 12.04.2025 has lot of good features with lot of information about Kodava Samaja Mysore.
Another brilliant and wonderful software developed again by PONJANDA GYAN was for choosing the winner of the LUCKY DIP in a computerised draw where all the 4891 coupons were fed into the computer and draw held through the software. The whole process of choosing the winners through the software was very very brilliantly conceived and executed without any flaw or giving scope for any doubt by GYAN PONNAPPA. This whole process took hardly 20 minutes to choose the winners. May Cauveriamme and Igguthappa shower their choicest blessing on GYAN for helping Kodava Samaja Mysore in so many ways.
The Samaja has also decided to erect a lifetime statue of GEN. K.S. THIMMAIAH inside the Samaja premises from the Funds raised.
So what started as a well meaning FUND RAISER TO RAISE 1 CRORE has now resulted in the Samaja collecting about 80 lacs which is definitely a very Commendable effort by all those involved. Hats off to the PRESIDENT and his entire team of office bearers who made this happen. Along with the above projects completed by the new TEAM, Our School CAUVERY VIDYA SAMASTHE HAS ALSO GOT CBSE ACCCREDITATION recently. In simple terms when there is a selfless, committed and dedicated leadership, DEVELOPMENTAL PROJECTS DO HAPPEN without any hitch and people also join hands voluntarily.
Jammada Ganesh Ayanna
Chief Advisor, Mysore Kodava Samaja
Treasurer, JABHOOMI CHARITABLE TRUST
It was heartening to read about the progress achieved by Kodava Samaja, Mysore. Hats off to the vision and efforts of the President, Ponjanda Ganapthy, and his team.
Impressed to know that the President’s son also has contributed to the Samaja, by developing a new website for the Samaja.
Kudos to the involvement by the youth – who should be encouraged, mentored and groomed to become future leaders, who will take forward the vision and mantle of the Samaja. Well done Gyan!
On the other hand, Bangalore Kodava Samaja website looks like it is lost in time and needs a serious upgrade. Most important is that – it is missing SSL Certificate and Google throws up “insecure site” when one tries to access it. The embarrassment can be avoided by asking the webmaster to install an SSL Certificate.
Akhila Kodava Samaja’s website is lost in space. No trace of their domain name or their website shows up, when one searches for it on Google Search.
Have not made an attempt to check other Kodava Samaja websites – but an obvious thing to do is harmonize the messaging starting with the Akhila Kodava Samaja to use the benefits of digitization to bring the community on one platform. The benefits are obvious, and professional intervention is the need of the hour. Jammada Ganesh Ayanna is the perfect “mentor” for this project given his networking skills, credibility and the respect he commands!
Mysore Kodava Samaj is an eye opener for the rest and all should endeavour to come under One umbrella as suggested by the Author.
A truly inspiring and well-articulated article that highlights how committed leadership can drive real change. The innovative donor coupon scheme and the remarkable fund collection of nearly ₹80 lakhs speak volumes about the trust and unity within the community. It’s heartening to witness such transparency, teamwork, and enthusiastic youth involvement. A big salute to the Mysore Kodava Samaja team for setting a shining example for all Kodava institutions!