HUMOUR: MODI AND ME ON SAME BOAT
By P.T. Bopanna Prime minister Modi and myself are on the same boat when it comes to our university degrees. While Modi has got his M.A. in political science from Gujarat University as an...
LATEST NEWS FROM COORG. WHAT'S NEW?
WOMEN ON PAR WITH MEN: CUSTOMARY RIGHTS OF A KODAVA (COORG) WOMAN
By P.T. Bopanna My new book ‘Kodava Religion at Crossroads’ which is due for release shortly, has an exclusive chapter on the customary rights of a Kodava (Coorg) woman. In the chapter penned by...
INDEPENDENCE & AFTER: WAS KODAGU (COORG) BETTER OFF UNDER BRITISH?
By P.T. Bopanna It may sound unpatriotic, but it is fact that Kodagu was better off under the British. As a result of the long British rule since 1834, Kodagu had a stable government and...
KARNATAKA HORTICULTURE DEPT PLANS GLASS BRIDGE AT LANDSLIDE AFFECTED RAJA SEAT IN COORG
By P.T. Bopanna In a diabolical move, the Karnataka horticulture department authorities sitting in Bengaluru have decided to build a glass bridge at Raja Seat in Madikeri, Kodagu (Coorg) district, without consulting the stakeholders...
KHARGE & ME: ‘HOW ARE YOU PONNAPPA?’
By P.T. Bopanna As the Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge (in picture) celebrates his birthday on July 21, I wish to recall my association with him. While I was working for The Times of India...
COORG CELEBRITIES: ACTRESS PREMA’S TALENT VS. RASHMIKA’S SMARTNESS
By P.T. Bopanna Two celebrities from Coorg in Karnataka – actresses Prema and Rashmika Mandanna – have set the social media on fire in the last few days. Celebrated journalist Barka Dutt’s interview of...
JUST DO IT MODI: SHOULD PM MODI STEP DOWN WHEN HE COMPLETES 75 YEARS IN SEPTEMBER?
By P.T. Bopanna The RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s recent remark about stepping down at the age of 75 has triggered a political buzz. At a book launch, Bhagwat said: “Turning 75 is nature’s signal...
PROTESTS AGAINST ‘OVER-TOURISM’ IN EUROPE: THIS MAY SPREAD TO COORG IF REMEDIAL ACTION IS NOT TAKEN
By P.T. Bopanna It is time people of Kodagu (Coorg) in Karnataka protested against ‘over-tourism’ on the lines of recent protests across southern European cities. Thousands of protesters marched across southern European cities in...
KODAVA LANGUAGE: ACTOR KAMAL HASSAN KILLS TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE
By P.T. Bopanna Kodava Thakk being my mother tongue, I wish to note that the Kodava language is as old as the other Dravidian languages, including Kannada and Tamil. International language experts have established...
OUR DRESS, OUR PRIDE: SANDALWOOD KODAVA (COORG) ACTORS FACE BACKLASH FOR ‘MISUSING’ KODAVA ATTIRE FOR REELS PUBLICITY
By P.T. Bopanna The reels which flooded the social media following the naming ceremony of the daughter of sandalwood actors Bhuvan Ponnanna and Harshika Poonacha has upset sections of the Kodava (Coorg) community. I...
MY MENTOR COLUMNIST T J S GEORGE
MY MENTOR COLUMNIST T J S GEORGE By P.T. Bopanna I had the privilege of being mentored by veteran journalist T.J.S. George, who is celebrating his 97th birthday today. Though I worked with him...
MUDDANDA CUP: KODAVA CULTURE GOES FOR A TOSS AT KODAVA (COORG) FAMILY HOCKEY FESTIVAL
By P.T. Bopanna This year’s Kodava hockey festival hosted by the Muddanda family has become the talk of the town in Kodagu (Coorg) district in Karnataka, for all the wrong reasons. At the outset,...
SWEET & SOUR: VIRAJPET MLA PONNANNA IS A ROLE MODEL FOR OTHER MLAs IN KARNATAKA
By P.T. Bopanna In the recent past, a couple of my reports may have shown Virajpet MLA from Kodagu district A.S. Ponnanna (in picture) in a negative light. I wish to point out that...
MUDDANDA CUP: KODAVA FAMILY HOCKEY FEST RESEMBLED A CONGRESS PARTY CONVENTION
By P.T. Bopanna The Kodava family hockey festival on April 27 at Madikeri in Kodagu (Coorg) district in Karnataka resembled a convention of the Congress party. Hosted by the Muddanda family, political speeches by...
ARE KODAVA SAMAJAS (COORG ASSOCIATIONS) MEANT ONLY TO SERVE AS GLORIFIED WEDDDING HALLS?
By P.T. Bopanna The time has come for Kodava Samajas, both within Kodagu (Coorg) and outside to introspect on the steps needed to promote Kodavame (Kodava culture). The office-bearers of the samajas should seriously...
HAS BANGALORE KODAVA SAMAJA EXCEEDED ITS LIMIT IN MEMO TO CM TO INCLUDE PONNANNA IN MINISTRY?
By P.T. Bopanna Has Bangalore Kodava Samaja exceeded its limit in submitting a memorandum to chief minister Siddaramaiah to give Cabinet berth to Virajpet MLA A.S. Ponnanna? Kodava Samajas across Karnataka and other major...
OPEN LETTER TO CM OF TELANGANA FROM COORG-BORN TEENAGER JANYA KAAVERAMMA TO SAVE 400 ACRES OF FOREST
By P.T. Bopanna Janya Kaaveramma (13), student of Manthan School in Hyderabad, has written to chief minister of Telangana against the proposed auctioning of 400 acres of forest land in Gachibowli, located near the...
KODAGU (COORG) LOK SABHA MEMBER YADUVEER WADIYAR IS A GENTLEMAN POLITICIAN
By P.T. Bopanna Unlike previous Lok Sabha members from Kodagu, the present Lok Sabha member Yaduveer Wadiyar, a scion of the Mysuru royal family, is truly working for the people of his constituency. This...
MADIKERI MLA MANTAR GOWDA BOLDLY OPPOSES CLOSURE OF KODAGU UNIVERSITY. WHAT ABOUT THE STAND OF VIRAJPET MLA PONNANNA?
By P.T. Bopanna Madikeri MLA Mantar Gowda’s bold stand against his own Congress government’s proposal to close down Kodagu University has to be commended. On the face of it, it looks like that the...
AFTER GRAND KODAVA (COORG) MARCH, NOW IT IS TIME FOR INTROSPECTION
By P.T. Bopanna It was a proud moment when Kodava men and women nattily dressed participated in the grand march in Kodagu (Coorg) district early this month to assert their identity. Going back in...
HISTORIC KODAVA MARCH: DEMAND FOR ST TAG FOR KODAVAS (COORGS) IS ‘OUTDATED’
By P.T. Bopanna After the historic march by the Kodavas, the demand for Scheduled Tribe status for the community, is akin to serving old wine in new bottle. While the Kodava organisations behind the...
KATTEMADU TEMPLE DRESS CODE: KODAVAS ARE NOT PART OF HINDU SANATANA DHARMA
By P.T. Bopanna A few years ago, when Kodavas (Coorgs) were barred from wearing their traditional dress to the Talacuavery temple in Kodagu district of Karnataka, Kodava political leaders – Appachu Ranjan of BJP...
OPEN LETTER: CM SIDDARAMAIAH SHOULD IMMEDIATELY RESOLVE TEMPLE DRESS CODE ISSUE IN KODAGU
From: P.T. Bopanna, Author and journalist, Kodagu To: Shri Siddaramaiah, Chief Minister, Govt. of Karnataka Dear Chief Minister, I urge your kind self to intervene immediately to resolve the issue involving a dispute between...
CONSERVING COORG CULTURE: RATHI VINAY JHA, IAS (RETD) IS COORG PERSON OF THE YEAR, 2024
By P.T. Bopanna Rathi Vinay Jha, IAS (Retd) (in picture) has been selected Coorg Person of the Year, 2024, for her proactive role in promoting Kodava culture at a time when the Kodavas (Coorgs)...
INDIAN HOME SECRETARY, COORG-BORN C.G.SOMAIAH, BANNED RUSHDIE BOOK WITHOUT CONSULTING THEN PM RAJIV GANDHI IN 1988
By P.T. Bopanna One of the biggest mysteries doing the rounds in the last few days, involves the order banning Salman Rushdie’s controversial novel The Satanic Verses way back in 1988. The Delhi High...
EXIT FESTIVALS: FUN-LOVING KODAVAS (COORGS) TURN ‘SPIRITUAL’
By P.T. Bopanna Kodavas (Coorgs) living in Karnataka have only two main festivals. However, of late, the community has lost enthusiasm in celebrating both these festivals. Instead, due to the influence of Hindutva, the...
‘BRAND COORG’ TAKES A HIT: CASES OF POOR-QUALITY HOMEMADE WINE BEING SOLD SURFACES
By P.T. Bopanna ‘Brand Coorg’ has taken a hit following the revelation made by Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) managing director Dr K.V. Rajendra, IAS, that cases of “poor-quality wine being sold in Kodagu”(Coorg)...
COORG FESTIVAL OF ARMS ON SEPTEMBER 3: A TIME FOR MERRY-MAKING
By P.T. Bopanna Keil Poldu, the festival of arms, is a time for merry-making for the Coorgs (Kodavas) in Kodagu (Coorg) district of Karnataka. The festival is celebrated in the first week of September...
RAJ BHAVAN 2012: WHEN KARNATAKA GOVERNOR CAME TO MY RESCUE
By P.T. Bopanna Unlike Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah who is on a collision course with Raj Bhavan nowadays, the then governor of Karnataka Hans Raj Bhardwaj (in picture) came to my rescue in November,...
KASTURIRANGAN REPORT: CONGRESS GOVT HEADED BY SIDDARAMAIAH DANCING TO TUNE OF KERALA TIMBER LOBBY?
By P.T. Bopanna In spite of Kodagu (Coorg) facing the threat of landslides anytime in the monsoon, the Congress government headed by chief minister Siddaramaiah in Karnataka, seems to have yielded to the Kerala...
SHOULD KODAVA (COORG) WOMEN WEAR MANGALASUTRA, BINDI, SINDOOR, KUMKUM?
By P.T. Bopanna The chapter I shared as curtain-raiser from my next book ‘Kodava Religion At Crossroads’ has triggered a huge debate in the Kodava community who hail from the Kodagu district in Karnataka....
TOP ADVERTISING AWARDS FOR MOONSHOT MEDIA CO-OWNED BY DEVAIAH BOPANNA
Moonshot Media co-owned by Devaiah Bopanna (in picture) won three awards at the prestigious IndIAA Awards presented by the India Chapter of International Advertising Association. An annual endeavor to identify, encourage and honor storytelling at...
CURTAIN-RAISER: CUSTOMARY RIGHTS OF A KODAVA WOMAN DILUTED BY THE PRESENT CODIFIED HINDU LAW?
By P.T. Bopanna In the run-up to the publication of my forthcoming book ‘Kodava Religion At Crossroads’, I wish to highlight about an illuminating chapter penned by Puliyanda Anu Chengappa (in picture) on the...
POSSIBILITY OF ARMY COUP IN INDIA WAS SPECULATED WHEN GENERAL THIMAYYA WAS ARMY CHIEF
By P.T. Bopanna The statement of Congress leader Salman Khurshid that there was a possibility of a coup in India has triggered a storm. Former Union minister Khurshid was quoted as saying: “What’s happening...
CURTAIN-RAISER: SAFFRONISATION OF THE KODAVA COMMUNITY
Two of my books are coming out shortly. The first one is on researcher Nanjamma Chinnappa. The second book is titled ‘Kodava Religion at Crossroads’. The second book is a sequel to my book...
CURTAIN-RAISER: FOUR COORG WOMEN DOCTORATES WILL FEATURE IN NANJAMMA CHINNAPPA BIOGRAPHY
By P.T. Bopanna My biography of the late Kodagu researcher Nanjamma Chinnappa (in picture) which is expected to be published in the next few weeks, will have the distinction of featuring four Kodavathi women...
WARNING: SWORD OF DAMOCLES HANGS OVER THOSE BUYING JAMMA LAND IN COORG
By P.T. Bopanna In the light of reports of “illegal” sale of Jamma lands/sites in Kodagu (Coorg), both the buyers and sellers need to be aware of the fact that the matter is before...
ANNUAL APPRAISAL: VIRAJPET MLA A.S. PONNANNA
By P.T. Bopanna Though Virajpet MLA A.S. Ponnanna carries a good image in Kodagu (Coorg), his work at the grassroots level has been uninspiring. From the time he became an MLA, I have been...
LETTER TO KODAGU (COORG) DC VENKAT RAJA
LETTER TO KODAGU (COORG) DC ON ILLEGAL CONVERSION OF PADDY LANDS FOR HOUSING LAYOUTS From: P.T. Bopanna Journalist & Author To: Sri Venkat Raja (in picture) Deputy Commissioner of Kodagu During my last visit...
UNSAFE GLASS BRIDGES: COORG DIST ADMINISTRATION FAILED TO ACT
By P.T. Bopanna I had warned last year against giving permission for glass bridges in landslide-prone Kodagu (Coorg) district in Karnataka, without proper safety audit, as it could endanger lives of tourists. Now,...
REMOVED POST ON CRICKETER ROBIN UTHAPPA’S RELOCATION TO DUBAI FROM COORG-KODAGU NEWS PAGE
By P.T. Bopanna I have removed the post on cricketer Robin Uthappa’s relocation to Dubai from my Coorg-Kodagu News Facebook page because of the toxic nature of the debate. The post had garnered over...
CRICKETER ROBIN UTHAPPA SAYS HE RELOCATED TO DUBAI DUE TO SAFETY ISSUES AND CHILDREN’S EDUCATION
By P.T. Bopanna Bangalore boy Robin Uthappa, who has been described as the ‘Walking Assassin’ for his style of batting, shifted to Dubai over a year ago with his family. Robin, son of Aiyudda...
NITHYA’S ‘KING SIZED’ ‘KOKKETHATHI’ (COORG JEWELLERY)
By P.T. Bopanna I was surprised to see the ‘king sized’ Kokkethathi being worn by my Canada-based Facebook friend Nithya Arasu. I have featured Nithya several times in the past. Her Dalgona coffee recipe...
CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY: COORG’S TRUPTHI DEVAIAH IS ENGAGED IN POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH IN SWEDEN
By P.T. Bopanna Trupthi Devaiah (in picture) is a home grown scientist who did her schooling and college in Kodagu. Presently, she is doing postdoctoral research at Uppsala University in Sweden, where she is...
BEHEADING OF GIRL EXPOSES FAULT LINES IN KODAVA (COORG) COMMUNITY
By P.T. Bopanna The recent beheading of a Kodagu girl has exposed fault lines in the Kodava (Coorg) community in Karnataka. Udiyanda Meena, aged 16 years, a student of Surlabbi school in Somwarpet taluk...
FAREWELL TO JUSTICE BOPANNA: CHIEF JUSTICE OF INDIA CHANDRACHUD SPEAKS IN KODAVA LANGUAGE
By P.T. Bopanna The farewell function to mark the retirement of Justice A.S. Bopanna (in picture), Judge, Supreme Court, showed the love and affection he enjoyed in the legal fraternity. It was a moment...
GUINNESS RECORD: KODAVA (COORG) SOCIETY IS NO MORE THE MONOPOLY OF HALF A DOZEN FAMILIES (CLANS)
By P.T. Bopanna Kundyolanda, a little known Kodava clan in Kodagu (Coorg) district of Karnataka, created history on April 28, 2024, by securing a Guinness World Record for hosting the largest field hockey tournament...
WORLD BOOK DAY: MY NEXT BOOK IS ON KODAGU (COORG) RESEARCHER NANJAMMA CHINNAPPA
By P.T. Bopanna On the occasion of the World Book Day, I am happy to announce that I am planning a book on Dr Nanjamma Chinnappa (in picture), noted Kodagu researcher, who passed away...
MEDIA PERSONALITY DEEPAK THIMAYA JOINS CONGRESS
By P.T. Bopanna Well-known media personality, Deepak Thimaya, hailing from Kodagu (Coorg), has officially joined the Congress party. I personally feel Deepak (Biddatanda), a talented and creative personality, should not have joined the ‘cesspool...
A NEW ‘HOME’ FOR WRITER C.P. BELLIAPPA
By P.T. Bopanna Writer C.P. Belliappa (in picture) has been associated with my books and website projects from the beginning. Belliappa has been writing a column for my website www.coorgtourisminfo.com ever since it was...
MY COORG WEBSITES: ASTROLOGY COMES TO MY ‘RESCUE’
By P.T. Bopanna Despite being a rationalist, it has been a quirky habit with me to read the astrological predictions usually titled ‘This week for you’ published in various magazines. Though I believe the...
BIRTH ANNIVERSARY: GENERAL THIMAYYA AND NEHRU WERE MY HEROES
By P.T. Bopanna Both General K.S. Thimayya, one of India’s most popular generals and India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, were my heroes during my growing up years. General Thimayya, whose birth anniversary the...
PERSONAL LOSS: CAMBRIDGE FELLOW AND KODAVA RESEARCHER BOVERIANDA NANJAMMA CHINNAPPA PASSES AWAY
By P.T. Bopanna Renowned Kodava researcher Boverianda Nanjamma Chinnappa (in picture) passed away on the morning of March 31 at Mysuru in Karnataka. According to family sources, Nanjamma (89) was briefly hospitalized for...
CRYSTAL-GAZING: THE WINNER OF 2024 LOK SABHA ELECTION IS………
By P.T. Bopanna This piece is written half in jest. Being a journalist, I have covered most of the elections, including the mother of all, the 1999 Bellary election which was won by Congress...
PODCASTER ROSHAN CARIAPPA INTERVIEWS TECH WIZARD VINEET DEVAIAH
By P.T. Bopanna I have known Roshan Cariappa (in picture sipping coffee) from his school days. He was the best buddy of my son Devaiah Bopanna. Cariappa hosts podcasts @Bharatvaarta and @OperatorStartup. Cariappa recently...
POLITICAL SURGICAL STRIKE AGAINST SIMHA FOR DENTING MODI’S 56-INCH CHEST IMAGE?
By P.T. Bopanna Sitting Kodagu-Mysuru MP Pratap Simha (in picture) was mainly denied BJP ticket because he dented the carefully crafted strongman image of prime minister Narendra Modi as a man with a 56-inch...
WHAT IS COMMON BETWEEN RASHMIKA’S SLEEVELESS BLOUSE AND A VANISHING KODAVA DISH?
By P.T. Bopanna There is plenty common between actress Rashmika Mandanna’s sleeveless blouse worn with a Kodava sari, and a vanishing Kodava dish. These are part of the dozens of articles featured in the...
COORGTOURISMINFO.COM RELAUNCH: SEPARATE SECTION FOR BOOKS
By P.T. Bopanna I have created a separate section for my books in the relaunched website after merging my previous books site coorgbooks.in. Now you can buy my books online in the newly created...
SHALINI NANDA IS BEHIND THE SUCCESS OF MY COORG RECIPES WEBSITE
By P.T. Bopanna Though I started the Coorg recipes website way back in 2006, the site got traction only after Biddanda Shalini Nanda Nagappa (in picture), the Canada-based blogger, well-known for her authentic Coorg...
PEOPLE WHO SHAPED MY WEBSITES
By P.T. Bopanna Among those who have contributed immensely for the popularity of my websites is Chindamada Arati Monappa (in picture), a textile designer. She brings out a line of clothing, sarees and accessories,...
COORG UNDER ONE ROOF: COORG’S FIRST TOURISM AND NEWS PORTAL IN A NEW AVATAR
By P.T. Bopanna Coorgtourisminfo.com, Coorg’s first tourism and news portal started in 2005 is being relaunched in a new avatar. With Coorg district in Karnataka emerging as a prime eco-tourism destination in South India,...
MATCHMAKING: KODAVA BOYS ARE NO WAY INFERIOR TO KODAVA GIRLS
By P.T. Bopanna* In my recent articles involving issues relating to matrimonial alliances among Kodavas (Coorgs), I had noted that in recent years there has been a ‘mismatch’ between the boys and girls because...
KODAVA MATCHMAKING: A SUITABLE BOY SHOULD HAVE 10 ACRES OF COFFEE ESTATE IN COORG AND ONE HOUSE EACH IN MYSURU AND BENGALURU
By P.T. Bopanna There was a time when Kodava boys ruled the roost in the matrimonial market a few decades ago. Not anymore. Among the Kodavas (Coorgs), a micro minority community in the Kodagu...
SIDDARAMAIAH ENJOYS LEGENDARY KODAVA HOSPITALITY, BUT LEAVES CRUMBS IN BUDGET FOR COORG
By P.T. Bopanna When Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah visited Kodagu (Coorg) in January, he was accorded an unprecedented welcome. Virajpet MLA A.S. Ponnanna went out of his way to extend the legendary hospitality of...
TWO COORG MEN BEHIND THE MOST TALKED ABOUT VIRAL AD FEATURING RANVEER SINGH AND AMERICAN ACTOR JOHNNY SINS
By P.T. Bopanna The latest viral ad featuring Bollywood star Ranveer Singh and American actor Johnny Sins has brought into focus the two men behind the ad who hail from Coorg in Karnataka. Bollywood...
BEFORE MY MEMORY FADES: PASSING OF COORG HOCKEY LEGEND AMMANDA VASU UTHAIAH
By P.T. Bopanna Ammanda Vasu (in picture), who hailed from my ancestral village of Kadangamurur near Virajpet, was perhaps the first Kodava to represent the Indian hockey team. Vasu, aged 83, passed away on...
ATTN. PONNANNA, VIRAJPET MLA: SUGGESTIONS TO SOLVE POWER SUPPLY PROBLEM IN KODAGU (COORG)
By P.T. Bopanna The feedback I have received is that while Virajpet MLA A.S. Ponnanna (in picture) is responsive in attending to the complaints of the public, he has failed to pay the much...
REMEMBERING C B MUTHAMMA, INDIA’S FIRST WOMAN IFS OFFICER, ON HER BIRTH CENTENARY
By P.T. Bopanna The late Chonira B. Muthamma (in picture), the first woman Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer in the country, is perhaps the most inspiring Kodava woman ever who will be remembered for...
MEMORABLE REPUBLIC DAY: TWO ‘COORG PERSONS’ – JOSHNA CHINAPPA AND ROHAN BOPANNA WIN PADMA SHRI
By P.T. Bopanna This Republic Day will go down as a memorable one for me because two of the persons whom I had selected as ‘Coorg Person of the Year’ have won the Padma...
YEAR 2010: TENNIS ACE ROHAN BOPANNA SELECTED ‘COORG PERSON OF THE YEAR’
YEAR 2024: BOPANNA, AGED 43, WILL BECOME THE OLDEST WORLD NO. 1 IN MEN’S TENNIS DOUBLES HISTORY By P.T. Bopanna In a way, Rohan Bopanna becoming the oldest world No. 1 in men’s tennis...
CM TO VISIT KODAGU (COORG): HAS VIRAJPET MLA PONNANNA FAILED TO ADDRESS CHRONIC LOW VOLTAGE POWER PROBLEM?
By P.T. Bopanna Has Virajpet MLA A.S. Ponnanna failed to adequately address the low voltage problem being faced by the people of Kodagu (Coorg) in the last few decades? The irrigation of coffee plants...
KODAGU-MYSURU SEAT CRUCIAL: WILL SIDDARAMAIAH LOSE HIS CHIEF MINISTER’S POST AFTER LOK SABHA POLLS?
By P.T. Bopanna The fate of Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah continuing as chief minister will be decided by the voters of Kodagu (Coorg) in the coming Lok Sabha polls because Kodagu-Mysuru Lok Sabha seat...
PERSONAL LOSS: MAJ GEN CODANDA KARUMBAYA PASSES AWAY AT MYSURU
By P.T. Bopanna Maj Gen Codanda K Karumbaya, SM (Retd), aged 87 years, who had written extensively on Kodagu (Coorg) and Kodavas (Coorgs) passed away at Mysuru on January 4. It is a personal...
PADMA SHRI AWARDEE RANI MACHAIAH IS ‘COORG PERSON OF THE YEAR, 2023’
By P.T. Bopanna Padma Shri award winner, Rani Machaiah, who is an exponent of the Ummathat folk dance art of Kodagu (Coorg), is Coorg Person of the Year, 2023. Rani Machaiah Iymudiyanda has been...
K A KUSHALAPPA, UNSUNG HERO OF KODAGU (COORG)
By P.T. Bopanna The exercise to select the Coorg Person of the Year title, throws up the names of people whose work go unnoticed. One such unsung hero is K.A. Kushalappa (Kelapanda) who belongs...
HINDUTVA EFFECT: HARVEST FESTIVAL OF PUTHARI CELEBRATED BY KODAVAS (COORGS) HAS LOST ITS ‘SPIRIT’
By P.T. Bopanna The harvest festival of Puthari celebrated by Kodavas (Coorgs) has lost its ‘spirit’ thanks to the deep roots Hindutva has taken in Kodagu (Coorg) district in Karnataka. The festival celebrated by...
ICC WORLD CUP: INDIA MAY HAVE LOST, BUT THIS TWEET BY WRITER DEVAIAH BOPANNA IS WINNING HEARTS OF TWITTERATI
By P.T. Bopanna India may have lost the ICC World Cup to Australia, but this tweet by Mumbai-based writer Devaiah Bopanna is winning the hearts of the twitterati. Devaiah tweeted: “We have already taken...
B Y VIJAYENDRA: FROM BEING ‘SUPER CHIEF MINISTER’ TO KARNATAKA BJP PRESIDENT
By P.T. Bopanna Sometime during 2020, I was one among the journalists selected for felicitation by chief minister B.S. Yediyurppa as part of the golden jubilee celebrations of the Press Club of Bangalore. At...
IN JEST: DID KODAGU (COORG) LINGAYAT RAJAS HAVE KODAVA BLOOD FLOWING IN THEIR VEINS?
By P.T. Bopanna Will it be correct to state that the Lingayat Rajas who ruled Kodagu (Coorg) from 1600 AD to 1834 have Kodava blood flowing in their veins? I had posted an item...
NATIONAL RECOGNITION TO GITA CHENGAPPA FOR INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT
By P.T. Bopanna At the Indian Science Parks and Business Incubator Association (ISBA) annual conference held recently at Mumbai, Gita Chengappa Chodumada (in picture), General Manager, TREC-STEP, was recognized for her over two decades...
IS ACTRESS RASHMIKA MANDANNA GETTING EXTRA LARGE COVERAGE ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE?
By P.T. Bopanna Is film actress Rashmika Mandanna getting too much coverage on my Facebook pages? Recently my Facebook friend who is also like me 70 plus years old, noted that I was giving...
MY NEXT BOOK PROJECT: ‘KODAVA RELIGION AT CROSSROADS’
By P.T. Bopanna Being one of the most highly-educated communities in India, Kodavas (Coorgs) should develop a rational outlook towards their religious faith, instead of believing in unscientific religious dogmas borrowed from Hinduism. ...
POWER SUPPLY: KODAGU (COORG) HAS BECOME AN AREA OF DARKNESS. EXPERT OFFERS SOLUTION TO PROBLEM
By P.T. Bopanna During my few hours of stay in Kodagu (Coorg) recently, there was no power supply. I was informed by residents of Gonikoppal town in Kodagu (Coorg) district of Karnataka on the...
KARNATAKA CHIEF MINISTERS TO BLAME FOR CRISIS IN CAUVERY BASIN
By P.T. Bopanna All the Karnataka chief ministers in the last 10 years, including Siddaramaiah (in picture), are responsible for the water crisis in the Cauvery basin for rejecting the Kasturirangan report which sought...
CAUVERY WATER: KARNATAKA’S INJUSTICE TO KODAGU (COORG)
By P.T. Bopanna Karnataka has committed grave injustice to Kodagu in the utilization of the Cauvery river water, though Kodagu is the birthplace of the Cauvery. Prior to complaining against Tamil Nadu, Karnataka...
COORG LEGENDS: JOSHNA CHINAPPA DRAWS HER INSPIRATION FROM ROHAN BOPANNA
By P.T. Bopanna Joshna Chinappa, 37, based in Chennai, who is a pioneer in women’s squash in India, is all set to make her sixth appearance at the Asian Games. Hailing from Kodagu (Coorg)...
FAREWELL TO DAVIS CUP: WHEN PAKISTANIS CHEERED FOR ROHAN BOPANNA
By P.T. Bopanna As India’s Rohan Bopanna is all set to play his 50th and final Davis Cup tie later this weekend, it is time to recall his greatest match which had Pakistanis cheering...
KODAVAS (COORGS) ARE NOT PART OF HINDU SANATANA DHARMA
By P.T. Bopanna* Though the government has categorized Kodavas (Coorgs) as Hindus, Karnataka’s warrior community is a modernized indigenous group which is outside the fold of Hinduism. The debate triggered by Tamil Nadu minister...
ICE MAIDEN: COORG SKIER’S LOVE AT FROST SIGHT
By Shrividya Somanna They say, “Dreams are never achieved by staying on the ground.” For Bhavani Thekkada Nanjunda (in picture), aged 28 years, adventure awaits on the slopes of life. From being the first...
STATUES OF COORG HEROES IS THE NEW ‘TARGET’ OF KSRTC BUS DRIVERS
By P.T. Bopanna Coorg or Kodagu as it is officially known now in Karnataka is well known for its brave soldiers. No doubt Madikeri, the headquarters of Kodagu, is dotted with the statues of...
HAS A.S. PONNANNA BETRAYED TRUST OF COORG VOTERS BY HOBNOBBING WITH K.G. BOPAIAH
By P.T. Bopanna Has A.S. Ponnanna (in picture), the newly elected Congress MLA from Virajpet in Kodagu (Coorg) district betrayed the trust of the voters by hobnobbing with the defeated BJP MLA K.G. Bopaiah?...
FOR LAUGHS: COORG POLITICAL MERRY-GO-ROUND STARRING BOPAIAH, PONNANNA, RANJAN AND MANTAR
By P.T. Bopanna They say in politics, there are no permanent enemies, but only permanent interests. This was proved to the hilt when so-called political adversaries from Kodagu (Coorg) in Karnataka came together on...
MARRIOTT HOTELS OPENS ITS PROPERTY IN COORG WITH PRIVATE POOLS IN AREA WHERE MASSIVE LANDSLIDE STRUCK IN 2018
By P.T. Bopanna A massive hotel complex with swimming pools, promoted by multinational Marriott, has opened its door at Makkandur village in Coorg, the epicentre of the 2018 landslides. It was exactly five years...
HIGH PRIEST ARNAB: IS BAD NEWS, GOOD NEWS FOR JOURNALISTS?
By P.T. Bopanna After watching today’s cartoon of Nala Ponnappa, my mind went back to 1979 when I was a post-graduate student of journalism at Bhavan’s, Mumbai. In my research paper (dissertation) as part...
JENICA PASURA WITH ROOTS IN COORG QUALIFIED FOR AMERICAN GOLF TOURNAMENT
By P.T. Bopanna Jenica Pasura has qualified to play at the world’s largest junior golf event hosted by US Kids Golf. Eight-year-old Jenica is the daughter of Vincy Ponnappa Pasura and Dimpu Mandepanda, residents...
KODAVA ANGLE: WHY SOCIAL MEDIA’S FAVOURITE GRANNY SUDHA MURTHY IS TRENDING?
By P.T. Bopanna Ever since Sudha Murthy, chairperson of Infosys Foundation, made a statement that she carried her own spoon when she went out because she was concerned if the same spoon had been...
JAB WE MET: STARRING BELLIAPPA (AS WHISKY), PONNAPPA (AS BRANDY) AND BOPANNA (AS RUM)
By P.T. Bopanna Writer C. P. Belliappa, cartoonist Nala Ponnappa and myself (Bopanna) literally came on the same page in the year 2006. I wish to recall how we three landed on the same...
KARNATAKA BUDGET 2023: SIDDU PLAYS A JOKE ON PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE OF KODAGU (COORG)
By P.T. Bopanna After inflicting the tragedy on the people of Kodagu by celebrating Tipu jayanthi during his previous tenure, chief minister Siddarmaiah seems to have plotted a comedy show this time at the...
OUT-OF-PRINT ‘RISE AND FALL OF THE COORG STATE’ IS BACK IN PRINT
By P.T. Bopanna My book ‘Rise and Fall of the Coorg State’ which I hold close to my heart, has now been published using ‘print-on-demand’ technology. This format enables the printing of either a...
FELLING OF TREES IN PUSHPAGIRI SANCTUARY IN COORG: SIDDARAMAIAH GOVT DRAGGING ITS FEET
By P.T. Bopanna Karnataka chief secretary Vandita Sharma (in picture) owes an explanation to the people as to why there is delay in taking action against the former BJP legislators from Kodagu (Coorg) who...
NATIONAL READING DAY: THE JOY OF GIVING
By P.T. Bopanna As India celebrates the National Reading Day, I am happy to announce that I am donating my collection of books on Kodagu (Coorg) to the Cauvery College Library at Gonikoppal in...
GO BACK: BOSERAJU IS UNFIT TO BE KODAGU (COORG) DIST IN-CHARGE MINISTER
By P.T. Bopanna Minor irrigation minister N.S. Boseraju who was handpicked by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to become a cabinet minister because of his role in mobilising crowds for Rahul’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, is...
POT CALLING THE KETTLE BLACK: BJP MP SIMHA IS GURU OF ‘ADJUSTEMENT POLITICS’
By P.T. Bopanna Mysure-Kodagu BJP MP Pratap Simha is the guru of ‘adjustment politics’ and he should know that he would not have been elected to the Lok Sabha, but for the secret support...
JUST FOR LAUGHS: FACEBOOK AND ITS MOOD SWINGS
By P.T. Bopanna Though Facebook was conceived by a man (Mark Zuckerberg), it sometimes behaves like a woman. Facebook seems to suffer from severe mood swings. Apologies to women because I sound misogynistic, though...
FARCE: VIRAJPET MLA PONNANNA SHOULD REJECT THE POST OF LEGAL ADVISOR TO CM
By P.T. Bopanna Virajpet MLA A.S. Ponnanna, who missed the Cabinet bus, has been appointed by Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah as his legal advisor with cabinet rank. Ideally, Ponnanna should reject the offer and...
KARNATAKA MINISTRY: CONGRESS DISAPPOINTS BY INDUCTING MOSTLY SAME OLD FACES
By P.T. Bopanna Instead of inducting young talent, the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka has opted for same old faces to deliver on its promise of freebies. When the focus should have been on...
KARNATAKA MINISTRY: PONNANNA, THE ‘UNSUNG HERO’ FROM COORG SHOULD HAVE FOUND A PLACE
By P.T. Bopanna I am happy Siddaramaiah, a pro-poor leader is being sworn in as chief minister of Karnataka (I am against him for glorifying Tipu), but disappointed that A.S. Ponnanna (in picture) who...
MEET BUDDING COORG AUTHOR AALIA CHONDAMMA MEVADA
By Shrividya Somanna Meet Aalia Chondamma Mevada, a 16-year-old bubbly girl with a flair for writing. She waves her pen like a wand to create magic with words. Her recent endeavour being a book...
MP PRATAP SIMHA’S HATE POLITICS BACKFIRES. BJP LOSES IN SEVEN OF THE EIGHT SEGMENTS IN HIS CONSTITUENCY
By P.T. Bopanna There is lesson for Kodagu-Mysuru MP Pratap Simha from the outcome of the Assembly elections, where BJP was routed in seven of the eight Assembly segments in his constituency. The BJP...
KODAGU (COORG) BJP FORTRESS CRUMBLES. SITTING BJP MLAs SHOWN THE DOOR BY TWO YOUNG CONGRESS CHALLENGERS
By P.T. Bopanna Kodagu’s BJP fortress has crumbled and the sitting BJP MLAs have been dumped by the people of Kodagu (Coorg) in Karnataka. A.S. Ponnanna (in picture) has won the Virajpet seat by...
AGENDA FOR KODAGU (COORG): TASK CUT OUT FOR A.S. PONNANNA, CONGRESS CANDIDATE FROM VIRAJPET
By P.T. Bopanna Even before A.S. Ponnanna is elected the next MLA from Virajpet constituency in Kodagu (Coorg) district, his agenda for Kodagu has been set by Ahmedabad-based artist Asha Mandapa (in picture). Asha...
FRESHERS VS OLDIES IN KODAGU (COORG) THIS ELECTION. ‘BUY ONE AND GET ONE FREE’ IS NOT GOING TO WORK
By P.T. Bopanna The Assembly election this time from Kodagu in Karnataka is going to be fought between sitting BJP MLAs who have almost become permanent fixtures in the Virajpet and Madikeri constituencies, and...
BAN ON LIQUOR AT WEDDINGS IS AGAINST CUSTOMARY PRACTICES OF KODAVAS (COORGS)
By P.T. Bopanna The Election Commission has hurt the religious sentiments of the Kodavas (Coorgs) by banning the serving of liquor at weddings in view of the election to the Karnataka assembly on May...
CONGRESS CANDIDATE DR MANTAR GOWDA IS ‘SON-IN-LAW’ OF KODAGU
By P.T. Bopanna While his political opponents may claim that Congress candidate from Madikeri assembly constituency, Dr Mantar Gowda is an ‘outsider’, the fact remains that he is the ‘son-in-law’ of Kodagu (Coorg). Moreover,...
VIRAJPET ASSEMBLY SEAT: VOTERS MAY DUMP BJP’S BOPAIAH AND PLUMP FOR PONNANNA
By P.T. Bopanna With the BJP giving its ticket to controversial sitting MLA from Virajpet in Kodagu (Coorg) district, K.G. Bopaiah, the chances of Congress candidate A.S. Ponnanna (in picture), have brightened in the...
CLEAN COONOOR: COORG NEEDS GREEN WARRIORS LIKE SAMANTHA IYANNA
By P.T. Bopanna It is heartening to note that a Kodavathi (Coorg woman) is winning accolades for working towards green causes in the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu. Somayanda Samantha Iyanna (in picture) is part...
NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL ORDER: KODAGU BJP MLAs UNLIKELY TO GET PARTY TICKET
By P.T. Bopanna Kodagu MLAs K.G Bopaiah and Appachu Ranjan are unlikely to be considered for ticket by the BJP to contest in the forthcoming election to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly in the wake...
JUST FOR LAUGHS: THE LOSER OF KARNATAKA 2023 ASSEMBLY POLLS IS…..
By P.T. Bopanna Having been a keen observer of Karnataka politics, I can vouch for the fact that whichever party uses the name of the 18th century Mysuru ruler Tipu Sultan will surely lose...
APPACHETTOLANDA CUP: BIGGEST EVER KODAVA HOCKEY FESTIVAL STARTS ON MARCH 18
By Shrividya Somanna After a successful run for about 22 years, Kodagu’s (Coorg) biggest hockey tournament is back with its 23rd edition with even more vigour. It will be hosted by Appachettolanda family. This...
VIDWATH KAVERAPPA PICKED BY PUNJAB KINGS FOR IPL IS THE NEXT BIG STAR FROM COORG
By Shrividya Somanna “I did not expect to be picked up by Punjab Kings. It was not influence nor contacts that got me here. I always believed that one should focus on the present...
IS MP PRATAP SIMHA LOK SABHA MEMBER REPRESENTING ‘BENGALURU-MYSURU EXPRESSWAY’?
By P.T. Bopanna Is Pratap Simha Lok Sabha member for Bengaluru-Mysore expressway? This is the impression one gets by going through the posts on Facebook. It is time the Mysuru-Kodagu Lok Sabha member stops...
WHEN COORG HAD A BEAUTIFUL LADY IAS OFFICER
By P.T. Bopanna Even as D. Roopa, IPS, and Rohini Sindhuri, IAS, are engaged in a catfight on Facebook, I recall with fondness my first day as a journalist which involved interviewing the beautiful...
PAID NEWS: IS DECCAN HERALD INDULGING IN UNETHICAL PRACTICES?
By P.T. Bopanna Being a journalist, I was shocked to go through the Bengaluru-headquartered Deccan Herald newspaper published on February 6. In the guise of news, the paper had published an advertisement on page...
RAJ CHENGAPPA INTERVIEW: DID ADANI TAKE CHENGAPPA FOR A RIDE?
By P.T. Bopanna When India Today’s Raj Chengappa (in picture) managed to get an exclusive interview with Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani in December, Chengappa must have thought it was sort of a journalistic...
KODAGU (COORG) DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION IS IN ‘ICU’. ‘DOUBLE ENGINE’ IS AN EMPTY SLOGAN
P.T. Bopanna Though Karnataka has a ‘double engine’ government, the Kodagu (Coorg) district administration is in the ICU. This despite the fact that Kodagu is a bastion of the saffron party. For those who...
SHAME ON YOU ZEE KANNADA: CHEAP GIMMICKS TO MALIGN ACTRESS RASHMIKA MANDANNA
By P.T. Bopanna Zee Kannada television channel has stooped low by resorting to cheap gimmicks to target popular Indian actress Rashmika Mandanna who hails from Kodagu (Coorg) in Karnataka. In one of their...
SHRADDHA STYLE MURDER: WHEN A BENGALURU PROFESSOR CHOPPED BODY OF A PREGNANT COORG WOMAN
By P.T. Bopanna This reporter who used to cover the crime beat for The Times of India in the 1980s, recalls how a Bengaluru court created judicial history in India by accepting DNA fingerprinting...
KANTARA VICTIM: ACTRESS RASHMIKA MANDANNA IS UNFAIRLY TARGETED BY TROLLS
By P.T. Bopanna Coorg-born Rashmika Mandanna, one of the top actresses from South India, has been unfairly targeted by trolls in her home state of Karnataka for failing to watch the blockbuster Kannada movie...
KANTARA RISHAB SHETTY’S CLAIM AND ITS IMPACT ON KODAVA CULTURE. CHETAN HAD LED TRIBAL MARCH IN COORG
By P.T. Bopanna Activist and actor Chetan Kumar who has crossed swords with Kantara film director Rishab Shetty, had in 2017 led an agitation of tribals (in picture) in Kodagu (Coorg) in Karnataka against...
HUMOUR: WILL COORG EGG ‘MISSILE’ CATAPULT SIDDARAMAIAH TO CM POST AGAIN?
By P.T. Bopanna If Congress leader Siddaramaiah gets elected as chief minister of Karnataka in 2023 Assembly polls, he should be ‘thankful’ to the egg thrown at his car by a miscreant in Kodagu...
SOLUTION TO LOOMING THREAT OF EARTHQUAKES AND LANDSLIDES IN COORG
By P.T. Bopanna The only way to save Kodagu (Coorg) in Karnataka from the impending earthquakes and landslides is to declare the entire district as eco sensitive area (ESA) as recommended by Prof Madhav...
TREMORS IN COORG TRIGGER PANIC AS SIMILAR TREMORS PRECEDED 2018 KILLER LANDSLIDES
By P.T. Bopanna The back-to-back earthquakes reported in Kodagu (Coorg) district of Karnataka in the last few days has led to panic in the district because the killer landslides which struck the area in...
HAS BRIJESH KALAPPA COMMITTED POLITICAL HARAKIRI BY RESIGNING FROM CONGRESS?
By P.T. Bopanna Has Brijesh Kalappa (in picture), former Congress spokesperson, committed political harakiri by resigning from the Congress? The recent surprise resignation of Brijesh who has considerable following in the social media, took...
SAFFRON FORTRESS: HAS A.S. PONNANNA RUN OUT OF STEAM TO REGAIN COORG FROM THE BJP?
By P.T. Bopanna Has Congress leader A.S. Ponnanna (in picture) run out of steam in his battle to dislodge the unpopular BJP MLAs in the saffron bastion of Kodagu (Coorg) in Karnataka? Son of...
EXIT FROM CONGRESS: IS BRIJESH KALAPPA AN ‘OPPORTUNIST’?
By P.T. Bopanna Is the decision of the Congress leader Brijesh Kalappa (in picture) to resign from the party an opportunistic move? Having followed his career path, I would say the move is nothing...
POWER SUPPLY: IS ‘CESC’ DEAD IN COORG? A CASE OF MISSING BJP MLAs IN ACTION
By P.T. Bopanna The power supply situation in Kodagu (Coorg) district in Karnataka is pathetic because the Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC) has utterly failed to manage power supply in the district which is...
NEEDLE OF SUSPICION IS ON A BJP MP FOR NEW RAILWAY LINE IN ECO-SENSITIVE COORG
By P.T. Bopanna The needle of suspicion is on a BJP MP from Karnataka for masterminding a new railway project from Shravanabelagola to Madikeri in Kodagu (Coorg) district in Karnataka. Sources said the BJP...
SAFFRON BRIGADE SHOULD NOT SPOIL THE IMAGE OF PEACE-LOVING PEOPLE OF COORG
By P.T. Bopanna Bajrang Dal, a Sangh Parivar outfit, has blackened the image of the peace-loving people of Kodagu (Coorg) in Karnataka by holding an arms training camp at a private school. The Kodavas...
BOMMAI GOVT LAND LAW SPELLS DISASTER FOR COORG AND CAUVERY
By P.T. Bopanna The plans of the BJP government headed by Basavaraj Bommai (in picture) in Karnataka to enact a controversial legislation to convert farm lands for non-agriculture purposes, could spell disaster for Kodagu...
