News and Pics by Hemanath Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network—Udupi (RD/CN)
 
Udupi, Jan 20: A survey will be undertaken to set up a study centre at Mangalore University with the objective of promoting the coastal district’s popular traditional sport of Kambala, said state higher education minister Arvind Limbavali.
 
The minister was addressing the gathering at the 16th Koti Chennaya Jodukere Kambala, held on Saturday January 17 at Adve–Nandikoor, near here.
 
The heroic traditional sport of Kambala would have gotten wide publicity across the country, had it been promoted well, he said. Moreover, it has the potential to be included as an Olympic sport, and this would have meant the veterans of Kambala from undivided Dakshina Kannada district would have bagged all the medals, said Limbavali.
 

Meanwhile, he announced that he would direct the youth department to set up a Kambala Committee in the state to promote the sport.
 
State home minister Dr V S Acharya, MLAs Lalaji R Mendon and Raghupathy Bhat, former minister Vasant V Salian, former MP Vinaykumar Sorake, Yellur temple trustee Prafulla Shetty, municipal councilor Dinakar Shetty Herga, Kaup gram panchayat vice- president Sripati Prabhu, Karunakar Shetty, and entrepreneur Suresh Shetty were present on the dais.
 
Kambala excellence award winners Bolantoor Babu Shetty, Kolachoor Kondettu Sukumar Shetty, Attur Pengarlu Babu Venjappa Gowda, and Kervashe Arunkumar Jain were honoured for their distinct achievement in the history of Kambala in the last year. 
 
Nandikoor Sri Durgaparameshwari temple managing trustee Madwaraya Bhat inaugurated the Kambala held here for 16 consecutive years by Nandikoor Adve Koti Chennaya Jodukere Kambala Samiti. 
 
Temple chief priest Anantaram Bhat, Yellur Sri Vishwanath temple managing trustee Y Prafulla Shetty, Samiti president Moodraguttu Chittaranjan Shetty, honorary president Sukumar Shetty Kolachoor Kondettu, Laxman Shetty, and others were present on the occasion.