Every summer, coffee estates and ancestral homes of Kodagu reverberate with the sound of footsteps, the crack of hockey sticks and the roar of collective pride. Generations – Grand Parents, children, kith and kin gather not merely to compete, but to reconnect. Elders who grace the stands with visible pride writ large on their faces, who once played now sit on the sidelines, their eyes glistening not just with nostalgia, but with relief that a revered and sacrosanct tradition still survives.
This is not just a game. This is “movement that embodies our identity”. Resistance against a world that is rapidly fragmenting families into nuclear units, reducing relationships to occasional WhatsApp exchanges and forwarded social media messages. Resistance against the growing culture of individualism that quietly erodes the very idea of “us” (the Kodava spirit, identity and way of life) and yet the irony is hard to ignore. But beneath this electrifying celebration lies an uncomfortable truth.
Why should unity need an event? Why should families require a tournament to sit together, laugh together and remember their shared roots? Have we become so distant that togetherness must now be scheduled, sponsored and celebrated as an exception rather than lived as a normal? Why include political contributions and speeches?
The vision for the sport under Kuttani Ajja’s initiative was that a strong and accountable body like KODAVA HOCKEY ACADEMY (KHA) should ensure structure, fairness with a long term vision. Without this the foundation will remain fragile and the platform for the envisioned ideals will not evolve in the desired direction.
Kodagu also deserves a dedicated Hockey stadium, a permanent home for a proud tradition – not temporary grounds and makeshift arrangements. The stadium should reflect the pride and seriousness of this exemplary heritage. If it can happen in Jharkand and Orissa – why not in Kodagu?
Some preliminary thoughts about the direction for the future evolution of the KHA.
- The funds generated through these tournaments are not for indulgence or celebration alone. They belong to the future of Kodava Hockey. Surplus money must flow into a Trust for building proper infrastructure, professional training and enduring support of young talent, and a proper roadmap for preserving the legacy that Pandanda Kuttappa (Kuttani) and Kashi Ponnappa envisioned. At present, the use of government grants largely goes unquestioned.
- While the Pandanda family can retain the Honorary Chair, we have eminent Olympians with Administrative experience who should be entrusted with the management and development of the game. Eminent Kodava sports personalities from other branches should also contribute to the development and attainment of excellence in different disciplines. Kodavas have excelled in Tennis, Golf, Squash, Badminton, Athletics, Boxing, Shooting, Swimming, Sailing, Cricket – in individual and team sports. Getting the right mentorship, corporate sponsorship, support from Central Government bodies is the need of the hour.
- In addition to a Hockey stadium, consider a multi disciplinary complex so that all Sports Tournaments can take place at the same time. Precious mandays are lost in the conduct of Sports Nammes at different time intervals and worse the most inconsequential disciplines like tug-of-war, table tennis, Five-a-side football, with more being invented as the months roll by!
This tradition is not just ours to merely enjoy as an annual event – it is ours to protect.
In summary, the proud victory cries of an Okka should not fade away into oblivion over a hollow sound system. It should rise from a solid foundation built on Purpose, Discipline, Integr
Bang on target. Need a dedicated sports infrastructure in Coorg. IMO – It should not be limited to some corner in Coorg. Tyranny of distance, weather and connectivity should be taken into account. I fail to understand the rationale behind getting land allocated at V. Badaga village for an integrated sports complex. Land should have been chosen in the outskirts of Madikeri. Madikeri is well connected by road, both within Coorg and from regions outside it, and its elevation ensures a more temperate climate, offering relief from the scorching summer heat experienced across much of the South. Many Kodavas residing in Mysore and Bangalore turn up to watch the hockey matches, particularly the finals, Madikeri has a wide range of accommodation options, which the other areas lack.
That said, a dedicated indoor hockey stadium should also exist in the east, west, north and south of Coorg. It will help the children in those areas to practice without travelling too far a distance.
Lesser mortals playing sports like basketball and football should also be shown some mercy. There is an Indoor basketball court next to General Thimayya stadium at Madikeri. It has been usurped by shuttlers and turned into a shuttle court. We ballers feel like pariah and can’t play there.
With the rise in popularity of badminton in Coorg, particularly following the achievements of Ashwini Ponnappa, many enthusiasts are keen to take up the sport. In this context, I would request the Madikeri MLA to consider providing a dedicated indoor badminton facility, so that the badminton players can permanently shuttle there. This would allow badminton players to pursue their sport without encroaching on the indoor basketball court at Madikeri.
I am in total agreement with the suggestion. Why splurge valuable funds on merriment. Napoklu stadium can be made into a wonderful sports complex with hockey stadium being in focus.