The Codava National Council (CNC) recently held its 22nd human chain programme at Tithimati, calling for greater awareness on the protection of Kodava history, identity, and constitutional rights.
Presiding over the programme, CNC president N.U. Nachappa said that there were sustained attempts to misrepresent the history and cultural identity of the indigenous Kodava community. He urged Kodavas to remain informed and united in safeguarding their heritage.
The event was organised to demand that Kodavas, described as a primitive, mono-ethnic, indigenous community following animistic traditions, be recorded separately as “Codavas” in the 16th National Census scheduled for 2026-27. Nachappa said accurate census enumeration was crucial for political representation, constituency delimitation, and the long-term protection of Kodava land and culture.
He reiterated long-standing demands, including geo-political autonomy for Codava Land, inclusion of Kodavas in the Scheduled Tribe list, special political representation in Parliament and the State Legislature, and permanent protection of ancestral land and religious-cultural practices such as Tok-Gan.
Nachappa also expressed concern over academic interpretations that, he said, distort Kodava history and question traditional customs. He emphasised that the Codava community has no sub-castes, follows no conversion-based religious system, and is guided by the Constitution.
Awareness programmes have already been conducted across several parts of Kodagu district, he said, and similar initiatives would continue in the coming months.
The programme concluded with participants taking a pledge and singing the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana.
