Mangaluru: The state govt has sanctioned Rs 5 lakh each to kambala committees in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, Puttur MLA Ashok Rai said.A total of Rs 1.15 crore has been released for 23 kambalas in the two districts. Rai said he had earlier appealed to the govt to provide grants for the traditional sport.“I had also raised the issue in the legislative assembly, urging the government’s support for kambala. Consequently, the funds have been released through the Department of Tourism. Accordingly, a grant of Rs 5 lakh each has been approved for the kambalas in both districts,” he said.Rai said the funds were allocated to encourage and promote kambala.“The sanctioning of this grant has brought immense joy, especially as preparations are currently under way to organise a kambala event during the Mysuru Dasara,” he said.Welcoming the decision, Karnataka State Kambala Association president Deviprasad Shetty Belapu said the govt has kept its word by sanctioning Rs 1.15 crore for kambala events.Chief minister Shivakumar has assured an allocation of Rs 5 crore for kambala in the upcoming 2026-27 budget, which will provide new impetus to the traditional sport, he added.
