Mangaluru, Udupi gear up for two more Samajotsavas; Togadia to visit again

February 7, 2015

Udupi/Mangaluru, Feb 7: The twin coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi will once again witness Virat Hindu Samajotsavas next month with VHP leaders gearing up to bring back their supremo Praveen Togadia for firebrand speeches.

The Udupi district unit of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal would organise a Virat Hindu Samajotsava on March 9.

Addressing presspersons on Friday, Baikady Suprasad Shetty, president of Udupi district unit of VHP, said a large number of people were expected to participate in the event, which would be held at the MGM College Grounds in Udupi at 2 p.m. on March 9.

Praveen Togadia will deliver the keynote address. Vishwesha Tirtha Swami of Pejawar Mutt and other seers would participate in the event. Mohan Alva, president of Alva’s Education Foundation, will preside over the function. The Samajotsava would focus on cow protection, conversion and other issues, he said.

Mangaluru

Prior to that, a Virat Hindu Samajotsava will be held in Mangaluru on March 1 to commemorate the golden jubilee celebrations of the VHP.

Addressing presspersons here recently, organising committee honorary president and educationist Ganesh Rao said the event is planned to usher in ‘oneness’ among the Hindus, the definition of which, he claimed, covers all Indians.

Mr. Rao said over 1 lakh people are expected to attend. A procession from Ambedkar (Jyothi) Circle from 2.30 p.m. would precede the Samajotsava to be held at Nehru Maidan on March 1.

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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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