Madikeri: The Kulletira Kodava family emerged as champions of the 2026 Kodava Family Chenanda Cup, defeating Cheppudira 3-1 in the final played on Saturday at Napoklu. The month-long tournament, which began on April 5 in Napoklu, saw a record participation of 383 Kodava families. Hosted by the Chenanda family, the event once again underlined its status as one of Kodagu's biggest sporting celebrations. This year marked the 26th edition of the Kodava family hockey tournament.
Cheppudira opened the scoring in the 34th minute through Vachan Chinnappa. Kulletira responded strongly in the second half. Roshan Lokesh equalised in the 44th minute, Avanish Mandappa added another in the 48th minute, and Shubham sealed the victory with a third goal in the 57th minute. The 3-1 win gave Kulletira their fourth title in the history of the tournament.
Kulletira's Historic Win
Kulletira earlier won the title in 1998, when they received the Kodira Cup, and in 1999, when they were declared joint winners along with the Koothanda family for the Ballachanda Cup. They later claimed their third title by winning the Chekkera Cup. With this latest triumph, they have now added the Chenanda Cup to their list of achievements. Cheppudira finished as runners-up after a spirited campaign and put up a strong fight in the final before Kulletira took control in the closing stages.
Chief Guest Highlights
Union minister for youth affairs and sports Dr Mansukh Mandaviya attended the finals as chief guest. Addressing the gathering, he said the Kodava sports culture was a model for the country. Mandaviya also assured that the Kodava academy would receive financial support from the Centre in the future. He stressed that sports should remain above politics. He also noted that 18 Olympians have represented India from Kodagu, calling it a matter of pride for both the district and the nation. Among those present were Mysore MP Yaduveer Wadiyar, Virajpet MLA AS Ponnanna, Madikeri MLA Manthar Gowda, among others.
Women's Tournament
In the Women's 5-A-Side tournament, the Kechettira family were champions after defeating the Kambiranda family team. The event showcased the deep-rooted sporting culture of the Kodava community.
