Mandepanda Family Crowned Champions of Muddanda Hockey Festival 2025 After Rain Disrupts Final

Mandepanda was leading 1-0 when the downpour forced the match to be abandoned just over 12 minutes into play.

MADIKERI: The Mandepanda family was declared the winner of the Muddanda Hockey Festival 2025 after their final match against the Chendanda family was interrupted by heavy rain on 27 April..

Mandepanda was leading 1-0 when the downpour forced the match to be abandoned just over 12 minutes into play. Organisers later issued a statement confirming the Mandepanda family as champions, stating, “Considering the weather conditions, further play is not possible and the Mandepanda family has been declared as the champions of the Muddanda Hockey Festival 2025.”

The much-anticipated final, however, was marred by delays and criticism. Spectators expressed their frustration over the poor planning and coordination by the organisers, who were blamed for the significant delay in starting the final.

The match, initially scheduled to begin at 11 a.m., was postponed by nearly four hours as the organisers held a lengthy inaugural ceremony. Several ministers, MLAs, MPs, and local leaders delivered prolonged speeches, pushing the start time to around 2 p.m. Just minutes after the match began, rain lashed Madikeri, leading to the eventual abandonment of the game.

Watch the video to learn more about the Kodava Hockey Festival—its history and legacy—as it celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.

Many fans voiced disappointment, saying the event gave more importance to political speeches than to the hockey match itself. "We came to watch hockey, not listen to endless speeches," a spectator remarked.

Despite the setback, the Mandepanda family celebrated their hard-fought victory, marking another memorable chapter in the Kodava family's rich hockey tradition.

The Muddanda Hockey Festival is part of the larger Kodava family hockey festival, an annual event that brings together hundreds of families from Kodagu district to celebrate their shared love for the sport.

To advertise on The Kodagu Express website, kindly call us at 9108795369 or mail us at thekodaguexpress@gmail.com 

Join The Kodagu Express WhatsApp Group: CLICK HERE 

Follow us on Instagram and X(Twitter)