Kodava Family Hockey Festival Gears Up for Grand 25th Edition with 400 Teams

The much-anticipated tournament is scheduled to take place from March 28 to April 27. File Photo: The Kodagu Express

Mysuru: The preparations for the landmark 25th edition of the Kodava Family Hockey Festival are in full swing, with the annual sporting event set to witness participation from approximately 400 teams this year.

The much-anticipated tournament is scheduled to take place from March 28 to April 27 across three venues, including the grounds at Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa College and the Police Academy.

This year, the festival is being hosted by the Muddanda family, which is known for its contributions across various domains. Representatives from the Kodava Hockey Academy and the Muddanda Hockey Festival Committee recently shared details about the event during a media briefing in Mysuru. Pandanda K. Bopanna, president of the Kodava Hockey Academy, highlighted that the previous edition in 2024 saw 370 teams competing, and the upcoming tournament is expected to exceed that number, with around 400 teams anticipated.

The festival, which serves as a platform to unite Kodava clans and families through their shared passion for hockey, will also honour the family that organised last year’s tournament. Notably, the previous edition earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records, adding to the festival’s prestige.

The inauguration ceremony will be graced by Virajpet MLA A.S. Ponnanna, alongside Mysuru MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, Rajya Sabha MP Ajay Maken, Deputy Commissioner Venkat Raja, Superintendent of Police K. Ramarajan, and renowned hockey players, including Olympian Manpreet Singh and Indian national team player Lalremsiami.

Commemorating its silver jubilee, the festival will feature several events leading up to and during the tournament. Organisers have planned a variety of activities, including quiz competitions, a cyclothon, and rifle shooting. A symbolic festival torch, akin to the Olympic flame, will be carried to the ancestral Ainmane (traditional Kodava family homes) of the various families that have hosted the tournament in the past. On March 28, the torch will be ceremoniously transported from General Thimayya Circle to the Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa College ground in a grand procession, as stated by Rashin Subbaiah, president of the Organising Committee.

A significant highlight of this year’s event is the inclusion of a women’s hockey tournament as part of the silver jubilee celebrations. Around 30 teams are expected to participate, further expanding the scope of the festival and promoting inclusivity in the sport.

The Kodava Family Hockey Festival was originally conceptualised by retired bank official Pandanda Kuttappa, with the aim of fostering unity among the various Kodava families through their shared love for hockey. For the Kodava community, hockey is more than just a sport—it is a deeply rooted tradition that continues to bring families together year after year.

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