Madikeri: To make the silver jubilee Muddanda Cup Hockey Tournament truly memorable, a series of special programmes have been planned, announced Muddanda Rashin Subbaiah, President of the Muddanda Hockey Festival.

Speaking at the logo unveiling ceremony, it was revealed that a sports torch, inspired by the tradition of the Olympic torch, will be carried in a marathon. The journey will begin from the birthplace of the hockey festival, initiated by Pandanda Kuttappa, and will visit the homes of the Kodava families who have hosted the festival over the years.

The torch will ultimately reach the Madikeri Sports Ground on the day of the festival’s commencement. The hockey festival, scheduled from March 28 to April 27, will feature a range of events to enhance its appeal.

Highlights include a shooting competition, a women’s hockey tournament and a cyclothon from Gonikoppa to Madikeri, organised in collaboration with the Tour of Nilgiris organisation.

In addition, a zero-waste initiative will be implemented during the festival, with the co-operation of a non-governmental organisation. This initiative aims to ensure environmentally responsible waste management by collecting and managing all waste generated at the event venues.

A four-year hiatus from 2019 to 2022

Despite a four-year hiatus from 2019 to 2022, the family hockey festival resumed successfully in 2023 with the Appachettolanda family hosting the 23rd edition of the tournament at Napoklu which saw participation from 336 teams, followed by the record-breaking Kundyolanda Cup in Napoklu in 2024 which saw 360 teams. 

The family hockey tournament was not held in 2019 following the unprecedented landslides in Kodagu in 2018 and 2019. It could not be held in 2020, 2021 and 2022 due to Covid-19 pandemic.