Mangaluru: The 10-day Karavali Utsav scheduled from January 10 is going to be all the more attractive with three-day international kite festival.
Expert kite flyers from India and outside would participate in the festival, which will be held at Panambur Beach during the last three days of Karavali Utsav, from January 17 to January 19. The international kite flyers from Singapore, Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines, Scotland, Turkey, Thailand, Netherlands and other countries will be participating in the three-day event.
Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh held a meeting to review preparations for the Karavali Utsav and asked the officials to ensure smooth functioning of all events being held as part of Karavali Utsav.
According to the sources, a total of 12 teams from abroad and 4 to 6 teams from India will be participating in this kite festival. It is said that many national and international teams are unable to attend kite festival here, as district administration has fixed the date for Karavali Utsav hastily.
Environmentalist Dinesh Holla, who is also a member of Team Mangaluru kite flyers told newskarnataka that teams from Goa and Gujarat are unable to attend Mangaluru’s kite festival as both Goa and Gujarat is organising kite festival almost same date. “If the district administration would have decided the date after communicating with the national and international kite flyers, then more number of teams could have participated in the event. Even Australian team is unable to attend our kite festival as they need to attend some scheduled programmes,” he said. He also informed that ‘Team Mangaluru’ would be participating in the kite festival with around eight kites, highlighting the art and culture of coastal region.
Sports meet
As a part of Karavali Utsav, district level sports meet would be held on January 11. While football tournament for high school boys is organised at the Nehru Maidan, volleyball tournament for boys and girls of degree colleges and throw ball tournament for high school girls are arranged at the Mangala Stadium.
Wrestling competition for boys and girls of high school is organised at the U Srinivas Mallya Indoor Stadium while basketball for men and women is organised at the basketball rink of Mangala Stadium. Those interested in participating in the sports meet should make their entries through heads of their educational institutions to the Deputy Director, Youth Empowerment and Sports Department, Mangala Stadium Mangaluru before January 9 and be present at 9 am at the event venue on January 11.
