Modi fan in US temple misbehaves with Indian singer Shubha Mudgal

June 10, 2014

New Delhi, Jun 10: Well-known classical singer Shubha Mudgal has alleged that she was heckled and misbehaved by a supporter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the United States over the weekend. The incident occurred on Saturday, just before she was to perform at the Sunnyvale Temple in California.

In a letter circulated by Sahmat, an artists' platform for the defence of cultural freedom, on Monday, Mudgal said that her heckler, an office-bearer of the temple, had accosted her just before the performance and accused her of having written an "anti-Modi, anti-Hindu and anti-national letter to Manmohan Singh".

He made physically intimidating gestures and shouted at her that he would not tolerate such activity, after which Mudgal, Bombay Jayshri and the other artists threatened to walk out of the concert. But they relented when they realised that the concert was sold out, and the organisers assured them of better security measures.

Sahmat, set up in memory of theatre activist Safdar Hashmi who was killed during a street play performance in 1989, has been the leading voice of liberal dissent against Modi all through the run-up to the 2014 general election. They had, in early May, sent out a letter condemning Modi's remarks about sending back Bangladeshi 'infiltrators'. In late April, Shabnam Hashmi, Safdar's sister and a member of Sahmat, had alleged that she and her associate had been beaten up by BJP 'hoodlums' in Rae Bareili constituency where she was distributing leaflets.

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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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