Terming the decision to drop the traditional Kodava family hockey tournament this year in the wake of last year’s natural calamity that ravaged Kodagu district as a wrong move, Kodagu Press Club President Ajjamada Ramesh Kuttappa has regretted that the 22-year-old record of the tournament has been broken.

The annual Kodava Hockey Festival, which is usually held in the months of April and May every year, was called off for 2019 by Kodava Hockey Academy and Mukkatira family as floods ravaged the district. The month-long tournament was supposed to be hosted by Mukkatira family and was scheduled to be held at Balugodu Kodava Samaja grounds. The hockey festival in 2020 will be hosted by the Mukkatira family followed by Adengada family in 2021.

Kuttappa was speaking as the chief guest at the Invitational Hockey Tournament organised by Kakkabe’s Highland Club for flood-affected families at General K.S. Thimayya Stadium near Napoklu Cheriyaparambu                   recently.

Regretting that the Kodava Hockey Academy has lost its existence by failing to host Kodava Family Hockey Tournament that was being organised for the past 22 years without a break, he lauded Kakkabe Highland Club for hosting the tournament which has brought some joy to flood-ravaged families.

Kodava Hockey Academy Vice-President Kaliyanda Nanaiah, who spoke after inaugurating the tournament, said that Kodagu is home to hockey festivals and several sports personalities from the district have made a mark in international tournaments.

He thanked the organisers for hosting the tournament for families ravaged by the natural calamity that stuck Kodagu last year. Bhagamandala Bhagandeshwara Temple Committee President Biddatanda Thammaiah and Nadikerianda Tej Poovaiah too spoke. Highland Club President Apparanda Sagar Ganapathy presided. Shambhu Mandappa, Harish Poovaiah, Manu Somaiah, Aruna Baby, Dr. Poovaiah, Raghu Somaiah and others were present.