Rao Bahadur

Rao Bahadur was an honorific title conferred during British rule in India on Indians recognised for distinguished public, administrative, professional or community service.Several Kodavas received this distinction during the British period. Their careers reflected the growing participation of Kodavas in administration, forestry, policing, agriculture, education and public service.

Kodavas who received the title

1. Biddanda Bopanna
   • A distinguished public servant from Kodagu who received the Rao Bahadur title in recognition of his service and contributions.
2. Codanda Appiah
   • A prominent Kodagu public servant honoured with the Rao Bahadur title for distinguished service during the British administrative period.
3. Cheppudira Somaiah
   • A respected public servant from Kodagu who was awarded the Rao Bahadur title for distinguished administrative service.
4. Cheppudira Subbaiah
   • A prominent Kodava official recognised with the Rao Bahadur title for his service and contributions to public administration.
5. Cheppudira Thimmaiah
   • A distinguished Kodava administrator and public figure who received the Rao Bahadur title for his notable public service.
     
6. Mandepanda Mandanna
   • A respected Kodava public servant who was honoured with the Rao Bahadur title for distinguished service during British rule.
7. Maneyapanda Muthanna
   • A prominent public figure associated with the Coorg Zamindari Association and Kodagu newspaper, honoured with the title Rao Bahadur.
8. Kodandera Kuttaiah
   • A Kodava public servant recognised with the Rao Bahadur title for distinguished service during the colonial administrative period.
9. Kodimaniyanda Subbaiah
   • A prominent Kodava official who received the Rao Bahadur title in recognition of distinguished service to the administration. principle architect of coorg education fund.
10. Kodira Uthappa
    • A respected Kodava public servant honoured with the Rao Bahadur title for distinguished service during the British period.
11. Kademada  Belliappa
    • An Imperial Forest Service officer and first Kodava Chief Conservator of Forests, honoured with Rao Bahadur and imperial distinctions.
12. Muckatira Aiyappa
    • A prominent Kodava administrator remembered for public service and contributions to civic development, including the Virajpet Clock Tower.
13. Pandanda  Chengappa
    • An influential public figure, agriculturist and administrator who served in Coorg’s public institutions and received the Rao Bahadur title.
14. Pattamada M. Chengappa
    • A distinguished Kodava public servant who received the Rao Bahadur title for notable service during the British period.
15. Pattamada Devayya
    • A respected Kodava official honoured with the Rao Bahadur title in recognition of distinguished public service
16. Pemmanda K. Monnappa
    • A senior police officer who became Inspector-General in several states and received the Rao Bahadur title for distinguished service.

Historical significance

The Kodavas who received the title Rao Bahadur represented an emerging generation of educated professionals and public servants in colonial-era Coorg.

Their careers extended across civil administration, forestry, policing, agriculture, education and community development, reflecting the growing participation of Kodavas in public institutions.The title itself was an official British-Indian honour and was not hereditary. Receiving it should therefore be understood within the administrative and political context of British India rather than as a hereditary aristocratic title.

The individual achievements of these recipients, however, form an important part of the history of Kodagu and its transition from colonial administration to modern India.