Mucatira(Shivachaliyanda) Sahadeva Nilan 

Shivachaliyanda Sahadeva Nilan, also known as Nilan Poonacha, is a former Indian field hockey player from Kodagu, Karnataka, who played as a goalkeeper. She represented Karnataka, university teams and India at the junior level, and is associated with the tradition of women’s hockey in Kodagu. She is a recipient of the Karnataka Ekalavya Award for hockey in 2004.Nilan is regarded as one of the notable women hockey players from Kodagu. Contemporary accounts of the Kodava Hockey Festival identify her as a prominent goalkeeper and former junior India player.

Early life

Shivachaliyanda Sahadeva Nilan was born on 28 May 1983 at Napoklu, Kodagu, to Shivachaliyanda Sahadeva and Rani Bojamma. She received her early education in Napoklu and subsequently pursued her studies at Field Marshal K. M. Cariappa College.She took up hockey at a young age and developed into a goalkeeper. Her early performances in school and local competitions led to selection for higher-level tournaments.The original biographical account preserved in the Kodava Heritage archive describes her as a highly accomplished goalkeeper and records her progression from local and state competitions to university, national and international hockey.

Hockey career

Nilan began competing in hockey tournaments while still a student. During the 1990s, she participated in school, state and university-level competitions and represented Karnataka in junior competitions.Her career included participation in several important tournaments, including:

• Karnataka state-level women’s hockey championships
• Karnataka Hockey League competitions
• Junior National Hockey Championships
• National School-level competitions
• University hockey tournaments
• South Zone competitions
• All-India Inter-University competitions

The archival account records several podium finishes and successful campaigns for Karnataka and university teams during the late 1990s and early 2000s.

She subsequently established herself as a goalkeeper at the state and national level. Kodava Heritage describes her as having represented the university and Karnataka state with distinction.

Junior India

Nilan progressed to the Indian junior women’s hockey setup and represented India at the junior level.

Recent reporting on the history of women’s hockey in Kodagu identifies Shivachaliyanda Nilan as a former junior India goalkeeper.

An account of the Kodava Hockey Festival also lists Nilan among women hockey players from Kodagu who went on to represent India.

Kodava Heritage’s archival profile describes her as having been among the earliest Kodava women to represent India in the under-18 category.

International competitions

Nilan’s career included international-level competition. According to the Kodava Heritage archival record, she was associated with:

• a two-Test series against Malaysia, and
• a four-nation tournament in Japan.

Awards

Karnataka Olympic Association Award

The archival biography records Nilan as having received recognition from the Karnataka Olympic Association in 2003.

Ekalavya Award

Nilan received the Karnataka Ekalavya Award for Hockey in 2004.

Personal and sporting details

Particular	Details
Name	Shivachaliyanda Sahadeva Nilan
Also known as	Nilan Poonacha
Community	Kodava
Okka	Shivachaliyanda
Place of birth	Napoklu, Kodagu, Karnataka
Date of birth	28 May 1983
Sport	Field hockey
Position	Goalkeeper
Represented	Karnataka; University teams; India junior level
International competition	Malaysia; Japan
Karnataka recognition	Karnataka Olympic Association Award, 2003*
Ekalavya Award	2004 – Hockey
Family hockey	Shivachaliyanda family
Known for	Women’s hockey; goalkeeper; junior India representation