Srinivas Gowda (28), a Kambala (buffalo race) jockey who became a social media sensation after covering a distance of 100 metres in just 9.55 seconds in the Kambala on February 1, is overwhelmed by the media hype. But he is certainly not clueless. Even as Gowda’s feat has triggered a debate over talent scouting on social media rather than in rural areas, experts too agree that Gowda is a good find that needs to be groomed well.
Gowda’s feat during the Kambala held at Aikala village near Mangaluru, has no doubt inspired his comparison with ace sprinter Usain Bolt (9.58 seconds). But Gowda is quick to point out that the Kambala race is quite “different” from track race. On February 17, Gowda turned up in Bengaluru to meet Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, after Union Sports Minister Kiran Rijeju invited Gowda for a trial at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) campus in Bengaluru. But the construction worker, who is passionate about Kambala, refused to take part in the trials immediately.
“I did not know I would break my own record. The credit goes to the buffaloes and the owner who has raised and trained those buffaloes, too. I have three more Kambala races to complete before the end of the season. Till then, I would like to focus only on Kambala, which is the reason I have earned both name and fame,” said Gowda, who has won 32 medals out of 17 races this season that ends in third week of March.
The Karnataka government handed over a cheque for Rs 3 lakh in appreciation of his feat, the SAI officials assured him all support and invited him to take part in the trials for professional track events. At the conference hall in the Vidhana Soudha brimming with television crew and reporters, Gowda sat smiling even as the media threw a volley of questions at him. He thanked the CM for honouring him saying it was a recognition given to Kambala, a traditional sport of the state.
Says Professor Gunapala Kambada, Gowda’s coach from the Kambala Academy, “A first-batch student of our Academy, Gowda was has been training since 2011. He got both name and fame from Kambala, so he is reluctant to give it all up. Moreover, he has to take part in three more Kambalas this season which ends in the third week of March. We will discuss and counsel him about taking up the trials. We hope he will take part in the trials at SAI. If he gets trained and makes it to state and national level in sprint or track events, we will be equally elated. He has to make up his mind.”
Traditional sport
Gowda’s fame has enthused the Kambala enthusiasts as the traditional sport has evolved as a competitive and commercial sport in coastal Karnataka over the years and many feel there could be many more hidden talents training in the Kambala Academy. Now, even SAI officials seem to agree that Kambala could be a potential pool for talent socuting.
Says Ajay Kumar Bahl (Indian Navy), senior director, SAI, “Gowda’s performance says he has extraordinary talent. But we have to see how he adapts and fares in the track events like sprint. The dynamics of Kambala and sprint are different. His talent can be nurtured by SAI, which is well equipped to train him. Hailing from a rural background is Gowda's strength as he is aware what it means to be a winner. If he can build on his current success and focus, he can do really well.”
“It is too premature to say anything on his performance as 100 metre sprint is a different ballgame altogether. He should be first conditioned to run professional track race and then trials will follow. At present he runs barefoot and in slushy ground. He will need to run on a track with his shoes on. After we work on him, there can be trials. Of course, all these will take a long time,” adds Bahl.
The talent-scouting by SAI might now focus on Kambala events, too. "Normally, our coaches pick talent by attending track events. On Khelo India web portal, such talents are uploaded by the coaches. Kambala can be a good source to spot rural talent. We have to nurture it into a competitive talent.”
“The technique used in running in Kambala (in slush) is different from track events. The contact time of the heel with the ground is shorter during sprint. The change of technique will take a while. Srinivas Gowda has the endurance needed for track events. It depends on how fast he can adapt and cope with athletic events,” says Dr Saju Joseph, high performance director, SAI. Joseph adds that the average age of sprinters is 28, and with good training, a talented athlete can overcome the age barrier.
“Let us not forget, Gowda's performance without any training (in sprint) is quite remarkable. With more scientific inputs and training we can boost his performance,” says Joseph.
With Gowda’s remarkable feat and the media buzz has sure brought Kambala, a traditional sport of Karnataka under focus. “My father and elder sister did not like me going for Kambala. But now, they are happy. One of my school teachers encouraged me to take part in Kambala. Today, I see so many youths taking to Kambala,” says Gowda.
Hugely popular
The changing lifestyle and modernisation of agriculture is alienating the buffaloes like most farm animals from the farmer households. But Kambala has provided them a chance to secure their position as a member of the rural households.
“Earlier, only landlords owned the buffaloes which were used for ploughing and tilling. Today, with machines replacing the buffaloes in the fields, buffaloes are now into the rural sport, which is hugely popular. There are multiple owners (shareholders) of the racing buffaloes. The academy is churning out racers. The landless individuals too are buying and grooming buffaloes for the event. The two coastal districts host around 16-18 Kambalas every season,” says Satishchandra Salian, owner of Iruvayil Paanila Baada Poojary group, which has been taking part in Kambala for the last 21 years.
Salian takes pride in the fact that Gowda is the jockey for his pair of buffaloes―“Buttimaar” and “Thaate” which are quite popular in the region. Gowda is also the jockey for two more teams―Padiwals and Shaktiprasad.
The hugely popular sport has interesting trivia like it is held under two categories (junior and senior) and four events―“Negilu”(plough), “hagga” (rope), “adda halage” (horizontal plank) and “kana halage” (plank with a flag). A buffalo with eight teeth intact is a “junior” and the moment it loses more than two teeth it becomes a “senior”.
“We keep an eye on good racers training in the academy and also the junior events. The ranking of both buffaloes and the jockey is carried out at the end of every season based on the medals won.
One in a hundred buffaloes that take part in junior category event qualify for the senior event. The owners of the buffaloes pay the racers and the competitions too have cash prizes. The training starts two months in advance. A huge crowd of people or jazzy lights frighten the animal. So, the more exposure and practice the better outcome. We feed the buffaloes huruli (horsegram), coconut oil, and ragi ganji (Ragi porridge), dry grass and water,” says Salian.
At the Academy, the selection of racers is tough. In the latest batch, 150 appeared for the interview and only 25 were selected. “The topper was a MA in Economics and in central government service and a majority are diploma and degree holders.
“The entrance test involves 16 physical fitness tests and medical examination. Kreedarathna awardees are roped in to train our students. Kambala is an art and we train students in running, grooming the buffaloes, weaving ropes used for the sport, making Kambala bettha (sticks to flog), tying Kambala kacche (costume), massaging the animal and also racer, nutrition and other aspects related to the sport. The racers are trained in the morning and evening sessions using ropes tied to bikes before training with the buffaloes,” explains Kambada.
“We have adopted the laser beam system just like in Olympics where the time is recorded on an electronic timing console when the runners interrupt the finish line (laser beam). It is highly accurate and the winner and runners are only milliseconds apart. The racers are trained every weekend in yoga, psychology, nutrition, physiotherapy and personality development. The length of the track too varies as it is between 142 to 148 metres. This will be standarised and we plan to use modern technology to make it more accurate and competitive,” says Kambada.