Kodava Hockey: For Every Goal At Chenanda Hockey Festival 2026, A Sapling Will Be Planted

File photo of Kodava Hockey Festival. (Inset: Chenanda family logo, hosts of the 2026 edition)

Napoklu: The Kodava Hockey Festival, one of the largest family hockey tournaments in the world, will return next year from April 5 to May 2, 2026, with a unique green initiative. The Chenanda family, which is hosting the 26th edition at Napoklu, has announced that a sapling will be planted for every goal scored during the tournament.

Festival committee president Chenanda Kambani Karumbaiah said the idea reflects Kodagu’s deep cultural connect with nature. “This will not be just a sporting event. This time it will also highlight environmental protection. Kodavas have traditionally been nature worshippers, and to honour that, we have decided to plant a sapling for every goal scored in the festival,” Karumbaiah said.

Sapling plantations will be carried out in three phases at Kokeri village mand, Malethirike temple in Karada, and T Shetgeri’s Ayyappa temple premises. The initiative will see participation from elected representatives including Virajpet MLA A.S. Ponnanna, MLC Suja Kushalappa, and Kodagu–Mysuru MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, according to Karumbaiah. In addition, the Chenanda family has planned to plant around 2,500 saplings across Kodagu within the next 15 days as part of the festival’s commitment to the environment.

The tournament will be staged at the General K.S. Thimayya ground in Napoklu, with matches spread across four grounds. Organisers estimate the overall cost of the festival at around ₹2.5 crore.

The Kodava Hockey Festival, which began in 1997 under the vision of Pandanda Kuttappa, is a hallmark event of Kodagu’s sporting and cultural identity. Unlike conventional tournaments, it is hosted each year by a different Kodava family, emphasising community participation. The festival has grown to become a symbol of unity among Kodavas worldwide, drawing thousands of players and spectators. With over 300 Kodava families having their own teams, the event holds a Guinness World Record for being one of the largest hockey tournaments of its kind.

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