Kodava Hockey Festival

Kodava Hockey Festival

The Kodava Hockey Festival is an annual field hockey tournament held in Kodagu, Karnataka, India. Organised exclusively by members of the Kodava community, the tournament is notable for its family-based team structure and large scale of participation. It is regarded as one of the largest field hockey tournaments in the world.

The festival was established in 1997 and has since grown into a major sporting and cultural event in Kodagu. More than 300 Kodava families participate annually. The tournament has received recognition in the Limca Book of Records and has been referred to the Guinness Book of World Records for its scale.

History

The Kodava Hockey Festival was conceived by Pandanda Kuttappa, a former First Division hockey referee in Karnataka. The idea was to organise an annual hockey tournament that would bring Kodava families together while also encouraging the development of young hockey players in the region.

The first edition of the tournament saw participation from 60 families. Following its success, the Kodava Hockey Academy was established to oversee and regulate tournament-related activities, including rules, scheduling, and coordination.

Development and Records

The festival expanded steadily over the years. The Cheppudira Cup, held at Ponnampet in 2000, marked a milestone with the participation of 30 women players, the highest female participation recorded at that time.

The Muddanda Cup, conducted at Madikeri in 2025, recorded a total of 396 teams, the highest number of teams in the history of the festival.

On 28 April 2024, the Kundyolanda Hockey Carnival, a major edition of the Kodava Hockey Festival, was recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest field hockey tournament in the world.

Families hosting the cup

• 1. 1997:
  • • Name: Pandanda Cup
    • Held at: Karada
    • Number of teams: 60
    • Winner: Kaliyanda
    • Runners Up: Anjaparavanda
• 2. 1998:
  • • Name: Kodira Cup
    • Held at: Kadanga
    • Number of teams: 116
    • Winner: Kullettira
    • Runners Up: Koothanda
• 3. 1999:
  • • Name: Ballachanda Cup
    • Held at: Kakotparambu
    • Number of teams: 140
    • Joint Winners : Koothanda and Kullettira
    • Runners Up: –
• 4. 2000:
  • • Name: Cheppudira Cup
    • Held at: Ponnampet
    • Number of teams: 170
    • Winner: Koothanda
    • Runners Up: Nellamakkada
• 5. 2001:
  • • Name: Nellamakkada Cup
    • Held at: Ammathi
    • Number of teams: 220
    • Winner: Koothanda
    • Runners Up: Cheppudira
• 6. 2002:
  • • Name: Chekkera Cup
    • Held at: Hudikeri
    • Number of teams: 252
    • Winner: Kullettira
    • Runners Up: Nellamakkada
• 7. 2003:
  • • Name: Kaliyanda Cup
    • Held at: Napoklu
    • Number of teams: 280
    • Winner: Nellamakkada
    • Runners Up: Konerira
• 8. 2004:
  • • Name: Maleyanda Cup
    • Held at: Madapur
    • Number of teams: 235
    • Winner: Koothanda
    • Runners Up: Nellamakkada
• 9. 2005:
  • • Name: Biddanda Cup
    • Held at: Madikeri
    • Number of teams: 222
    • Winner: Nellamakkada
    • Runners Up: Koothanda
• 10. 2006:
  • • Name: Kallichanda Cup
    • Held at: Ponnampet
    • Number of teams: 217
    • Winner: Palanganda
    • Runners Up: Machamada
• 11. 2007:
  • • Name: Mandettira Cup
    • Held at: Kakotparambu
    • Number of teams: 186
    • Winner: Mandepanda
    • Runners Up: Anjaparavanda
• 12. 2008:
  • • Name: Alamengada Cup
    • Held at: Ponnampet
    • Number of teams: 216
    • Winner: Anjaparavanda
    • Runners Up: Koothanda
• 13. 2009:
  • • Name: Mandepanda Cup
    • Held at: Ammathi
    • Number of teams: 231
    • Winner: Nellamakkada
    • Runners Up: Machamada
• 14. 2010:
  • • Name: Maneyapanda Cup
    • Held at: Ponnampet
    • Number of teams: 214
    • Winner: Palanganda
    • Runners Up: Mukkatira(Bonda)
• 15. 2011:
  • • Name: Machamada Cup
    • Held at: Ponnampet
    • Number of teams: 228
    • Winner: Palanganda
    • Runners Up: Kaliyanda
• 16. 2012:
  • • Name: Iychetira Cup
    • Held at: Ammathi
    • Number of teams: 217
    • Winner: Palanganda
    • Runners Up: Kaliyanda
• 17. 2013:
  • • Name: Madanda Cup
    • Held at: Balugodu
    • Number of teams: 225
    • Winner: Anjaparavanda
    • Runners Up: Palanganda
• 18. 2014:
  • • Name: Thathanda Cup
    • Held at: Virajpet
    • Number of teams: 242
    • Winner: Kaliyanda
    • Runners Up: Palanganda
• 19. 2015:
  • • Name: Kuppanda Cup
    • Held at: Virajpet
    • Number of teams: 255
    • Winner: Palanganda
    • Runners Up: Chendanda
• 20. 2016:
  • • Name: Shantheyanda Cup
    • Held at: Madikeri
    • Number of teams: 299
    • Winner: Kaliyanda
    • Runners Up: Palanganda
• 21. 2017:
  • • Name: Biddatanda cup
    • Held at: Napoklu
    • Number of teams: 306
    • Winner: Chendanda
    • Runners Up: Paradanda
• 22. 2018:
  • • Name: Kulletira cup
    • Held at: Napoklu
    • Number of teams: 334
    • Winner: Chendanda
    • Runners Up: Anjaparavanda
• 23. 2019: Not held due to Natural disaster of floods across Kodagu
• 24. 2020: Not held due to Pandemic of COVID 19
• 25. 2021 : Not held due to Pandemic of COVID 19
• 25. 2022 : –
• 26. 2023
  • • Name: Appachettolanda
    • Held at: Napoklu
    • Number of teams: 336
    • Winner: Kuppanda (Kaikeri)
    • Runners Up: Kulletira
• 27. 2024
  • • Name: kundyolanda cup
    • Held at: Napoklu
    • Number of teams: 360 
    • Winner: Chendanda
    • Runners Up: Nellamakkada 
• 28. 2025
  • • Name: Muddanda Cup
    • Held at: Madikeri
    • Number of teams: 396 
    • Winner: Mandepanda
    • Runners Up: Anjaparavanda