The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Displaying skills of a different kind

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 23, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Displaying skills of a different kind

Special Correspondent

ROOTING FOR THEIR FAVOURITES: Film stars Rakshita (wearing cap), Radhika and Kari Basavaiah at Sri Kanteerava Stadium where the two-day Legislators' Day sports events began on Friday. — Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash

BANGALORE: The good gathering at the Sri Kanteerava Stadium on Friday reserved its loudest cheers for the MLC from Kodagu, Arun Machaiah, who broke a pile of ceramic tiles with his elbow in a show of karate skills.

The independent legislator stole the show on the first day of the two-day Legislators' Day sports events. It was not a "film star cricket match" and mere fun and frolic but one of amazement over the sporting abilities of the legislators.

Mr. Machaiah, who has participated in international karate events, broke a set of nine tiles and explained the importance of the sport. Santosh S. Lad (MLA) and Shoba Karandlaje (MLC) emerged as the fastest sprinters among the men and women legislators of the State.

Mr. Lad, who represents Sandur constituency, and Ms. Karandlaje won the gold medal in 100-metre and 50-metre running events respectively.

In the 100-metre dash event for men, H.S. Shivashankar and C.T. Ravi secured second and third places respectively. Film comedienne-turned-MLC, Umashri, and Shakuntala Shetty, MLA, bagged the second and the third places in the 50-metre women's sprint. In the shot put for men, the former Urban Development Minister and MLA, D.K. Shivakumar, Narasimha Nayak, and Dinesh Gundu Rao secured first, second and third places respectively. In the 75-metre race for men above 50 years, Padmanabha Kottari, Prabhakara Bangera and C.A. Papareddy, secured gold, silver and bronze medals from the Deputy Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah. In another group of the same event, Hampana Gowda, "Mukhyamantri" Chandru and H.M. Vishwanath secured the first, second and third place.

In the pot-breaking competition, Jalaja Naik, H.M. Vishwanath and Umapathi were the winners. The former Speaker and MLA, Ramesh Kumar, kept the stadium alive during the tug of war — Siddaramaiah's team versus B.S. Yediyurappa's. Mr. Shivakumar and the MP, Tejaswini Sriramesh, were in the former team. However, the event ended in a draw (1-1) as the rope gave way in the third round. Sreeramula B., Bellary MLA, complained of uneasiness during the event. He was carried away on the stretcher and given first aid at the medical room of the stadium. In the musical chair competition, K. Annadani, Mr. Chandru and Mr. Ravi proved themselves to be hardy and were chaired and cheered to the first three positions. Sunita Veerappa Gowda, Ms. Umashri, and Ms. Karandlaje were adjudged the top three in the descending order in the lemon and spoon (30 metre) event.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka