Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal
Bantwal, Oct 14: The second-year edition of the ‘Rotary Kambala’ concluded on October 12 night at Veer-Vikrama Jodukere in Siddakatte Kodange, Bantwal taluk. Progressive farmers were honoured during the closing ceremony, which was attended by former minister B. Ramanath Rai and other dignitaries.
Speaking at the event, former minister B Ramanath Rai said the traditional Kambala sport, which had faced numerous challenges and legal hurdles in the past, received official recognition due to the decisive action of the current chief minister Siddaramaiah. This recognition, he added, would help secure higher grants in the upcoming state budget.
The event, held in collaboration with Loretto Hills Rotary Club, along with Bantwal, Modankapu, Siddakatte Falgunni, and Mangaluru Central Rotary Clubs, drew attention at an international level, highlighting the rural sport of Kambala. Progressive farmer Suresh Balnadu, former assistant governor Elias Sanctis, and former district governor N Prakash Karanth were also felicitated.
Rohith Hegde Ermal, honorary president of the district Kambala committee, said the Kambala meets held across the undivided district generate substantial indirect revenue for the government. He added that even a Kambala event conducted in the model of the Indian Premier League would not be surprising. District committee former president P R Shetty Kulluru, district discipline committee president Bhaskar S Kotyan, district secretary Lokesh Shetty Muchuru, former Rotary district governors Krishna Shetty and Dr Devadas Rai, assistant governor Dr Jay Kumar Shetty, K Padmanabh Rai, Umesh Rao Mijaru, Narayan Hegde, Rajgopal Rai, Dr Atmaranjan Rai, Jayaram Rai, Ashwani Kumar Rai, Dr Suryanarayan Kukkadi, Dr Shivaprasad, Loretto Hills Rotary Club founding president Avil Minejus, former president M Padmaraj Ballal, Bantwal club president Basti Madhav Shenai, secretary Yasir Kalladka, Siddakatte Falgunni club president Durgadas Shetty Karinkaje, secretary Tina D’Costa, Modankapu club president Preema Violet Fernandes, secretary Prasanna Rao, Mangaluru Central club president Bhaskar Rai Katt, secretary Vikas Kotyan, and several other dignitaries were present.
The event was welcomed by Loretto Hills club president Vijay Fernandes and felicitated by secretary Mohan K Shreeyan Rai. Former presidents Suresh Shetty Siddakatte and Raghavendra Bhat compered the programme.
Kambala concludes successfully despite heavy rain
Siddakatte Kodange: The second-year ‘Rotary Kambala’ at Veer-Vikrama Jodukere successfully concluded on Sunday, October 12 evening despite heavy rain. The event, which began under bright sunshine in the morning, witnessed torrential rainfall between 6 pm and 9 pm. The well-organized Kambala races continued uninterrupted, with a total of 127 pairs of buffaloes participating.
The police restricted the use of loudspeakers after 11 pm, so the final round of races was completed without amplified sound, relying only on traditional horn and drum signals. This event followed a similar Kambala meet held recently at Kadalkere, Moodbidri, which concluded early Saturday morning. However, some Kambala enthusiasts expressed dissatisfaction over differences in police permissions between jurisdictions. Pungalakate police station officer Rajesh and his team were present.
Results
Hagga Junior
Negilu Junior
Negilu Sub-Junior