Madhu Mailankody: Setting Standards for Sports Presentation

By Abhishek N Bhat | coastaldigest.com
May 3, 2019

The advent of Star Sports into Kannada - a language which is already replete with nearly three dozen state-level television channels - has brought forth an accomplished anchorwoman, who can steal the hearts of television audience in Karnataka in general and sports enthusiasts in particular through her astute presentation amidst the hullaballoo of a bunch of sanctimonious and strident anchors cutting across the news and the entertainment channels.

Flashing a million dollar smile Madhu Mailankody was the first anchor to go live on air after the Walt Disney owned Star India recently launched the Star Sports 1 Kannada, said to be the country’s first and only dedicated Kannada sports channel.

The all-round ‘Sport Presenter’ is one of the very few female specialists in all forms of sports and games including cricket, football, badminton, kabaddi and volleyball in Karnataka. She is now often seen hosting various sports shows and programmes and interviewing sports legends on the channel. In spite of her acumen and insightfulness, the gorgeous girl’s humility and not so ‘holier-than-thou’ attitude has set new standards for anchoring and sports presentation in Kannada.

“How do you feel?” I drag her into a conversation on WhatsApp after watching her live on the television. “Working with legends of various sport and sharing work space with them... A good opportunity to interact with sports giants from across the world like Brian Lara, Brett Lee, Scott Styris, Anil Kumble, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Virendra Sehwag, Venkatesh Prasad…,” Madhu candidly responds before heading back to studio for shoot.

Madhu is a Mangalurean. Nay, a young Kasaragod Kannadiga woman, who even before entering the Star Sports had carved a niche in the hearts of Mangalureans through anchoring and hosting various events for past several years. Knowing that she is an out-spoken but publicity-shy woman who exudes genuine passion and commitment for her work, I obliquely pester her to tell me more about herself. She strikes me as a self-made woman, unburdened by all her God-gifted talents and achievements.

The desi girl’s lucid English, immaculate Kannada, chaste Hindi, friendly Malayalam and cordial Tulu coupled with an affable body language always make her stand out from the rest. Madhu’s multilingual and multicultural mastery makes her “an anchor sans borders” who can easily engage with diverse audience in almost all Indian states and beyond. She has won the applause of NRI audiences in Middle Eastern countries like United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman.

Madhu shares a close bond with the word ‘League’. She entered Star Sports in 2017 as an anchor for Indian Super League (ISL), the most premium football league of the country. In 2018-2019 she was an anchor for the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL). In 2018-2019 she was a host for the entire Premiere Badminton League (PBL). She has been the ground MC for Karnataka Premiere League (KPL) since 2015. She was the solo host for three seasons of Mangalore Premier League (MPL) and then went on to become the voice of Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium for over 35,000 spectators during Indian Premier League (IPL). She also played the role of an anchor during several international cricket tournaments. Earlier this year she was part of the Asia Federation Cup.

The secret behind the magnanimous Madhu’s lively personality lies at ‘Mailankody’ in the pristine village of Perdala off Badiyadka town in Kasaragod district, where she was born as the second and last daughter of Savithri G Bhat and M Ganapathi Bhat, who opted agriculture after completing his post-graduation at a juncture when millions of rural Indians quit agriculture and migrated to towns and cities. She was brought up in the same village before shifting to Namma Kudla for college education. An alumnus of St Agnes and St Aloysius, two of Mangaluru’s prestigious colleges, Madhu is a passionate traveler, who prefers to spend time with the nature than in shopping malls and restaurants. The father’s pet daughter turns herself into a volcano of self-confidence when she says, “I am purely an independent girl!”

Comments

PK Kudla
 - 
Sunday, 5 May 2019

Terribly gorgeous girl.  Nice photos. 

Richard Rego
 - 
Sunday, 5 May 2019

Well written. Hope Madhu Mailankody reaches great heights of success

Roshan Martis
 - 
Sunday, 5 May 2019

Wonderful article on a wonderful girl. Proud of you Madhu Mailankody. God bless.

Aron
 - 
Saturday, 4 May 2019

Nice piece of article on a nice girl. All the best Madhu

Nithin Mangalore
 - 
Saturday, 4 May 2019

Madhu Malankodi is quite familiar in Mangalore. Happy to see her scaling new heights. I liked the last line: “I am purely an independent girl”. You are practically a feminist. I must thank the writer Mr Abhishek N Bhat for the beautiful write up. 

Raveena M
 - 
Saturday, 4 May 2019

Wonderful woman. One should live life like this! I worked Madhu during an event in Mangalore years ago and received my first salary from her. 

M Sadashiva Rao
 - 
Friday, 3 May 2019

A stupendous performance and achievement - By Madhu Mailankdy - hailing from a remote rural place - proving that it is one's talent, attitude and passion that makes or marks a person - one need not be City bread to be an achiever -  Congratulations and compliments to this simple girl from Perdala - who has carved a niche for herself in the arena of sports presentation

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News Network
June 4,2020

Bengaluru, Jun 4: All shops, offices, malls, commercial establishments and others in Karnataka must not allow Covid-stamped people to enter their premises before the completion of the prescribed quarantine time, said a top official on Wednesday.

"They should not allow those with quarantine stamp to enter before the end of their quarantine period or till they get current Covid negative test report," ordered Chief Secretary T.M. Vijay Bhaskar.

Bhaskar has also issued the order to all religious places, hotels and others to first check for quarantine stamp on all their customers or visitors before they enter the premises.

"All shops, commercial establishments, offices, factories, malls, religious places, hotels and etc.. are required to check for quarantine stamp on all their customers or visitors before they enter the premises," he said.

In the event of a violation, Bhaskar said the police should be informed at 100.

He issued the same order to the general public and resident welfare associations asking them to be vigilant.

"General public and resident welfare associations are advised to report any violation of the quarantine in their neighbourhood to the police at telephone number 100," said the chief secretary.

The orders came under the head aRole of general public, resident welfare associations and commercial establishments''.

General public, commercial establishments and resident welfare associations have been empowered to report quarantine violations at a time when many activities are set to reopen from June 8 as part of Unlock - 1, after more than two months of lockdown.

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News Network
April 13,2020

Bengaluru, Apr 13: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa today held a review meeting with his cabinet colleagues and senior officials regarding prevailing coronavirus situation and several other important issues in the state.

Chief Secretary TM Vijay Bhaskar was also present at the meeting. The possible situation once the COVID-19 lockdown is lifted was discussed along with the financial status of the state government and how to mobilise additional resources, sources said.

The Chief Minister also appealed to sugar factory owners to clear the pending payment to the tune of Rs 2834 crore to farmers in 11 districts. He also said that the government has released Rs 45 crore compensation to farmers for loss of paddy crop in Raichur and Koppal District due to hailstorm based on a report submitted by District Collectors.

Amid the lockdown distribution of free milk to the poor will also be continued for one more week, sources added.

The meeting also decided to speed up disposal of cases related to the regularisation of unauthorised constructions which are pending before the High Court and Supreme Court.

In addition to this, the government is planning to auction more than 12,000 corner sites lying idle in Bengaluru. An amendment to the law governing permission to allow sites in private and co-operative housing societies will be made. Hundreds of societies are waiting for approval from the government for releasing the sites, sources said.

It was also decided to utilise Rs 1,000 crore available at Rajiv Gandhi Health University to upgrade medical college hospitals.

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News Network
March 15,2020

Bengaluru, Mar 15: The civic body in Bengaluru has said that gathering at marriage functions should not exceed 100 people in order to curb the spread of coronavirus.

A circular issued by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) dated March 15 said, "All marriage functions pre booked in marriage halls, hotels, Party places, etc. prior to the issue of circular dated March 13, shall be allowed to be conducted subject to the condition that the gathering in the function not exceeding 100 persons."

"The above relaxation is an exception in consideration of the difficulties in rescheduling and cancelling the Marriage event immediately," the circular said.

It said, "The Owners/Management of such locations where Marriages are to be solemnized due to pre booking shall maintain high standards of sanitation and hygiene by periodically cleaning by 10 per cent Sodium Hydrochlorite Solution or any other effective disinfectant the surfaces, floors and exposed areas likely to be touched by the attendants."

"Any person attending the function having any such symptoms like Cough, Cold, and Fever etc. shall be requested for immediately leaving the Programmes," it said.

The civic body further said in the circular, "No fresh bookings of any place for Marriage programme are permitted till further orders. Any bookings on future dates by any organizer, event manager, owner of such property or any other person will be at his own risk and action will be taken against the property or any other person for any kind of bookings before an Order allowing such bookings is issued by a Competent Authority."

"The restrictions imposed are in the absolute interest of Public Health for preventing the Community Spread and outbreak of the disease at mass scale. All other restrictions imposed by order dated March 13 shall stand the same," the Circular added.

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