Opinion | Muddanda Hockey Festival: A Grand Celebration Marred by Misplaced Priorities

The Muddanda hockey festival 2025 was derailed by political showboating, sidelining players and true achievers. Once a celebration of Kodava sport, it’s now a stage for VIPs, sponsors, and social media influencers.

The Muddanda hockey festival held in April 2025 in Kodagu began on a promising note, bringing together hundreds of players, community members, and fans of the beloved sport. But the festival, which was expected to culminate in a spirited final match showcasing true sporting excellence, sadly lost its way on the final day. What should have been a celebration of Kodava hockey and sportsmanship turned into a platform for political posturing and irrelevant guest appearances.

The final match between the Mandepanda and Chendanda families was delayed by nearly four hours. The reason? An overcrowded dais filled with politicians, district-level officials, even media person —whose role as a journalist is unclear and whose contribution to Kodagu or the Kodava community remains unknown. What made matters worse was that all these guests went on giving long-winded speeches, dragging the event endlessly and leaving players and spectators waiting in the scorching sun and then rain. While government support is indeed vital for large-scale festivals like this, the primary focus of such events should remain the players and spectators, not those trying to score political points.

A crowd of guests ranging from politicians and businessmen to media person —many of whose contributions to Kodagu or the Kodava community remain unclear.

It was particularly disheartening to see that true heroes of Indian sport—Olympians—were reduced to ceremonial figures. Despite being paraded around the field in an open jeep, they were not allowed to address the gathering. Their voices, which could have inspired the youth and provided meaningful suggestions for the growth of the sport, were ignored. Instead, the stage was crowded with those who had little to do with hockey or the community—politicians, local officials, and media person, whose presence added no value to the sport or the event.

The Muddanda hockey festival could have been a platform to celebrate sports talent, Kodava culture, environmental awareness, and unity in the community. Yet, we saw the organisers prioritising visibility and publicity over substance—offering the spotlight to content creators and social media influencers while ignoring real achievers from fields such as sports, medicine, bureaucracy, the armed forces, arts, culture, and journalism. The guests of honour, in most cases, were limited to political figures, officials, and others with questionable connections to the purpose of the event.

A dance performance by children that was not of the Kodava tradition and had no cultural connection to the Kodava community.

Let us not forget that the Kodava hockey festival, started in 1997 by the late Pandanda Kuttappa, was never meant to be a commercial or political event. It was envisioned as a celebration of hockey, a sport deeply embedded in the Kodava identity. Unfortunately, with every passing year, the festival appears to be drifting further from this core purpose. The emphasis now seems to be on sponsorships and photo opportunities, rather than nurturing young athletes and honouring those who contribute meaningfully to the community.

Olympians were sidelined, paraded in a jeep but silenced, while the stage was crowded with officials and media figures with no clear link to hockey or Kodagu.

At least now, it is imperative for the Kodava Hockey Academy—founded by Kuttappa and currently led by Pandanda Bopanna and his team—to take note. There must be honest introspection and clear guidelines to ensure that future festivals do not descend into political circuses. Politicians, business owners, and social media influencers can play a role, but not at the cost of the spirit of the sport and the community. Especially not when their contributions to Kodagu are unclear or non-existent.

The Kodava hockey festival should remain what it was intended to be—a celebration of Kodava excellence, unity, and sporting tradition—not a stage for empty speeches and misplaced grandeur.

Share your thoughts on this issue and the Kodava Hockey Festival in the comments below.

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