Hockey has long been synonymous with sport in Kodagu. However, in recent years, sports such as cricket and badminton have gained immense popularity among both the younger generation and older residents.
Kodagu has also produced exceptional talent in several team sports, including basketball. Unfortunately, many of these athletes have gone largely unnoticed. Even those who wish to give back to the sport by coaching and mentoring the next generation have often found themselves constrained by the lack of basic sports infrastructure.
Basketball players such as Konganda Muddaiah, Kechettira Ravi Devaiah, Karan Aiyappa, Mukul Mahindra, Arpan Poojari, Likith Bopanna, to name a few, have represented Karnataka. Others, such as Paradanda Buncy Bopanna, have gone on to represent India. It is to the credit of women that the district is known for accomplished basketball players, including Mandepanda Dr. Pushpa Kuttanna, Nandini Basappa, Maletira Seeth Devaiah, Kaliyanda Dr. Reshma Chengappa, Navaneetha Pattemane Udayakumar, Kelettira Harshitha Bopaiah and Kokkalera Lopamudra Thimmaiah, who have represented India. By any norm, this is a very commendable achievement.
For more than two decades, basketball has survived in Kodagu solely because of the relentless dedication and passion of its players. The Spartans Basketball Club, based in Madikeri, comprises players who have represented the state, universities and colleges. Several members continue to actively play in the A, B and C Division leagues conducted by the Karnataka State Basketball Association (KSBA) in Bengaluru. Spartans has also been organising free coaching camps for Under-16 students in Madikeri to promote basketball at the grassroots level.
Yet, when it came to public sports infrastructure, Kodagu’s basketball fraternity received little encouragement. Their repeated representations to successive governments and authorities went largely unanswered.
The Indoor Basketball Court at General Thimayya Stadium
Although a multipurpose indoor stadium housing badminton, volleyball and basketball courts was built at General Thimayya Stadium in 2013, the dedicated basketball court was unceremoniously converted into a badminton facility. Every monsoon, basketball players were left at the mercy of the weather, waiting for brief breaks in the rain to squeeze in a few minutes of practice on the outdoor court before another downpour arrived. Once the heavy monsoon set in, the court became virtually unusable.
The players often found themselves cleaning the outdoor court before every practice session. After each monsoon, players had to remove weeds and grass that had sprouted through the cracks in the neglected playing surface before re-cementing the damaged sections, simply to restore the court to a playable condition.
A group of senior players from Spartans and Marshall’s Basketball Club had approached an official of the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), at Madikeri, requesting permission to use the indoor basketball court on certain days, while allowing badminton to continue on the remaining days. Their request was rejected. It was stated that orders had been issued permitting “only badminton” to be played there. However, when the players requested a copy of the order, none was produced.
Despite the setback, the members of the Club refused to give up. For nearly 16 years, they continued submitting representations to elected representatives and government authorities, but with little success. The players also brought the issue to the the attention of well known journalist Ajjamada Ramesh Kuttappa, who published reports highlighting the poor condition of the outdoor basketball court and the lack of maintenance by the DYES. His reports drew attention to the issue. Although the officials subsequently assured that they would initiate correspondence with the government, and some communications were indeed sent, little tangible progress was made.
Finally, MLA Dr. Mantar Gowda Comes to the Rescue
During the Madikeri Dasara celebrations, sporting events are traditionally organised at the General Thimayya Stadium. On one such occasion, when Madikeri MLA Dr. Mantar Gowda attended the event as Chief Guest, one of the basketball players took the opportunity to bring to his attention the dismal condition of the basketball court.
The MLA patiently heard their concerns, personally inspected the outdoor court and assured the players that he would look into the matter.
True to his word, Dr. Mantar Gowda facilitated the sanctioning of a dedicated semi-indoor basketball stadium through the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports at the site where the deteriorating outdoor court stood.
For Kodagu’s basketball fraternity, the project represents the fulfilment of a long-cherished dream after nearly 16 years of persistent efforts. It also marks the end of years of hardship faced by generations of basketball players.
Construction is currently underway and is expected to be completed within the next five months. Members of Spartans Basketball Club are closely monitoring the progress of the work and regularly updating the authorities and the MLA to help ensure quality standards are maintained.
Once completed, the semi-indoor stadium will enable year-round training and competition, providing aspiring players with a modern, professional environment to develop their skills, enhance their performance and prepare for competition at the district, state and national levels.
The Future of Basketball in Kodagu
The Spartans and Marshalls Basketball Club plans to utilise the new facility to organise free coaching camps for aspiring players. The club also intends to collaborate with schools in Madikeri to conduct summer coaching camps for children.
For schools and colleges that already possess basketball courts but lack qualified coaches, the club proposes to provide coaching support and technical guidance to train students. The club also envisions organising regular inter-school, inter-college, inter-city and inter-district tournaments in collaboration with other basketball clubs, including Basketball Club, Gonikoppal (BBC), Avengers Basketball Club, Virajpet, Coorg United Basketball Club, De Coach and Teagle Hoopsters, Ponnampet.
The larger objective is to popularise basketball among a wider section of Kodagu’s population, inspire greater participation in the sport, encourage children to spend more time on the court rather than on mobile phones, foster an active and healthy lifestyle, keep them away from the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse, and nurture future players who may one day represent the district, the state and, ultimately, the country.
