Mangaluru celebrates 69th I-Day with pomp and vigour

[email protected] (CD Network | Photos by Suresh)

August 15, 2015

Mangaluru, Aug 15: The 69th Indian Independence Day was celebrated with pomp and vigour as students and people gathered at Nehru Maidan and participated in the district-level Independence Day celebrations on Saturday with a feeling of patriotism.

Minister of Forests, Environment and Ecology and district in-charge minister B Ramanath Rai hoisted the Indian tricolour at Nehru Maidan and received the guard of honour before inspecting the parade.

A colourful march past by 19 platoons from Karnataka State Reserve Police, District Armed Reserve police, civil police, traffic police, Home Guards, fire and emergency services, NCC Army wing (senior), NCC Air wing (senior), NCC Naval wing (senior), Bharat Scouts, Bharat Guides and other battalions led by their respective platoon commanders.

In his Independence Day message, Mr Rai said that as citizens of the country, we should adopt an attitude of conserving the rich culture and heritage. “While today is a day filled with pride and happiness, it is also a day to contemplate the overall development of our country. We should also reflect whether the benefits of our freedom have reached the underprivileged and utmost neglected sections of the society. We should pledge to strive towards transforming India into a strong and powerful nation by displaying our unity and developing harmonious feelings towards one another beyond the barriers of caste and religion,” he said.
He said that the state government had initiated and conducted a socio-economic and caste survey in April 2015 to identify the social and economic conditions of the entire population of Karnataka. In Dakshina Kannada, around 44,54,780 houses were included in the survey, he said, briefing the gathering of the several projects undertaken by the district administration.

Cricket tournament by officials

Following the Independence Day programme, six cricket teams including those led by officials such as Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim and Mangaluru City Corporation Mayor Jacintha Alfred and others formed by Dakshina Kannada District Working Journalists Union and Karnataka Bank, came together to take part in a cricket tournament at Nehru Maidan.

Mangaluru MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, Mangaluru City Commissioner of Police S Murugan, Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of Police S D Sharanappa, MLC Ivan D’Souza and several others were present on the occasion.

The NCC Air Wing (senior) cadets bagged the first prize for the best platoon in the march past. Prior to the cricket tournament, Ishwar Kateel and Purushottam Poojary were awarded with ‘Sports Plus’ award by the district administration for their exemplary service towards sports.

Due to the possibility of sudden showers, all cultural programmes were scheduled to be held in the afternoon.

Also Read: Moment of pride for Mangaluru: Longest tricolour unfurled

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Major facelift for Mangaluru's sporting heart: Mangala Stadium set for 2-month closure to upgrade synthetic track

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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