Siddi Youth Gets Horse Riding Training for National Race Event from Kudla’s Top Trainer

By
Alfie Dsouza, Team Mangalorean.
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Siddi Youth 19-year-old Nithyanand Nagappa Siddi Gets Horse Riding Training to compete in the National Horse Race Event from Kudla’s Top Trainer Avinand Achanahally, the Founder of Mangalore Horse Riding Academy, located on Kadri Park Road, Mangaluru

Mangaluru: To an observer, horseback riding may look like all the rider has to do is just sit on the saddle. And the horse keeps moving, there is much more to horseback riding than one might expect. The benefits of horseback riding are immense physically, mentally and emotionally. Not to say it is a great way for like-minded people to enjoy the open countryside. In a sport largely alien to the masses, Mangaluru has been home to some of the country’s best talents ever produced, and apart from many other sports, the Coastal City has many who have taken up Horse Riding as a sport, and thanks to Mangaluru Horse Riding Academy (MHRA), and the young man behind to start this Academy is 31-year-old Avinand Achanahally, and in January 2022 MHRA celebrated its FIFTH BIRTHDAY amidst a large gathering of MHRA Past and present students, and well-wishers.

It should be noted that when Avinand was doing his Post Graduation (MSW) at Roshni Nilya, Mangaluru, he commuted daily on horseback to the college, thereby making a difference in society to bring awareness about pollution, saving fuel and energy, spreading the message about caring for the animals and keeping the society green and healthy. Anand is the son of an agriculturist A L Vijaya Vivekananda, who is also a coffee planter having a coffee estate in Mudigere/Sakleshpur; and K U Roopa, a housewife. Avinand has only one younger sister, Adamya, having done her engineering studies in Bengaluru.

L-R: Avinand Achanahalli and Nithyanand Nagappa Siddi

Avinand was also the General Secretary of the PG All College Students Association for the year 2104-15. He was also the Director of the Malnad Youth Association and was president of the College Union at St Aloysius College, Mangaluru in 2010-11. Originally from Mudigere, he did most of his early schooling in Bengaluru but did his college at St Aloysius College, Mangaluru. He was a good volleyball player in the ‘Libro’ position and took part in various co-curricular activities. He has a great love for animals and birds, he has a wide variety of birds, a few well-bred dogs and now owns a couple of horses. Since childhood, Avinand had a passion for horses since his family owned horses then. Avinand says, “To keep the environment clean and pollute free I wanted to set an example for others also how nice and healthy it is to ride a horse than ride a bike or drive a car. By riding a horse you can learn about horse therapy, get physical fitness, you will develop a love towards animals, and also learn how to take care of and maintain animals. My main intention in riding my horse to college then was to save fuel/energy and reduce noise/air pollution”.

After College, now working at MCF in the HR Department, Avinand started a Horse Riding Academy in Mangaluru five years ago and had trained over 1200 young and old in horse riding. This Academy is the only one in Dakshina Kannada. His hobby of horse riding has reached greater heights, where he has taken part in various horse riding events- and the one being in 2019, where he took part in the finals of Show Jumping at Equestrian Premier League (EPL) held in Bengaluru, organized by Embassy International Riding School, Bengaluru. Now, Avinand is spreading his passion for Horses Riding to others so that they also can enjoy the horse riding fun- and presently he is training a Siddi youth so that he can compete in the upcoming National Horse Race event- and this young youth is a 19-year-old Siddi by the name Nithyanand Nagappa Siddi.

Nithyanand belongs to the Siddi community and is from a remote village in Yellapur of Uttara Kannada district (remote Kelase village) surrounded by dense forests, and was noticed by environmentalist Dinesh Holla, who launched Vana Chethana, a unique education programme for tribal children along with Avinand Achanahally. Dinesh Holla speaking to Team Mangalorean “Since Nithyanand was good at drawing, I got him enrolled at Prasad Art Gallery in Mangaluru after consent from his parents. However, when Avinand spoke to Nithyanand and learnt about his aspiration to become a sportsman, Avinand took the initiative and enrolled him at the academy.”

The Siddis are an Afro-descendant community of tribes who have faced historical oppression, and as a result, still lack the confidence to venture beyond their traditional boundaries and explore the wider world, Holla said. “We hope that Nithyanand turns into a role model for the community,” he added. Avinand speaking to Team Mangalorean said, “Nithyanand is shy, lacks confidence and is not proficient in English, yet he is proving to be a promising show jumper. We want to prove that horse riding is not exclusively a sport for the wealthy. When I saw him lunging at the horse, I knew that he had some magic and hopefully by the end of the year will participate in the Equestrian Premier League”.

Col. MP Arvind posted in NCC group headquarters Mangaluru, who also along with Avinand is training Nithyanand said, ”Nithyanand only requires an opportunity. The biggest advantage is that he is physically fit and can grasp techniques quickly. Generally, horse riders do not like to lend their horses, but Avinand has gone the extra mile in helping him,”. Show jumping competition is an expensive sport and Avinand is hoping that with the help of local administration and well-wishers, he may scale new heights. Nithyanand has already accompanied Avinand to Bengaluru for valuable experience and insights into competitions.

Nithyanand who also assists Avinand in the academy said that his dream is to be an equestrian and represent the country. He studied up to I PUC and his father is a folk dancer. The academy has trained more than 1,200 students and at present has 12 horses, including Mythri, Zora and Angel, show jumping horses. So now you know there are so many health benefits to horse riding, you needn’t feel guilty about being out of the house for hours doing your favourite hobby!

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