Kodava Samajas in Coorg offer financial incentives of ₹1 lakh for families willing to have more children

Hemavathy M N

Kodagu, the lush homeland of the Kodavas , known for its rolling hills and coffee estates, is brewing a quiet demographic revolution to counter fears of an existential crisis.

In a progressive move to encourage family growth, various units of the Kodava Samaja have taken the unique step of offering financial incentives to families willing to have more children.

The Kodava Samaja in T. Shettigeri, near Ponnampet, led by Kaibulira Harish Appaiah, has announced incentives of ₹50,000 and ₹1 lakh for families with three and four children respectively. These funds will be deposited into a bank account and can be withdrawn when the child turns 18.
Ponnampet Kodava Samaja announced rent free marriage hall to Kodava families hosting their third child’s marriage. Madikeri Kodava Samaj pledged to honour and extended financial aid to such families with additional contributions from Kodava philanthropists ensuring the sustainability of these programs.

Leaders of the Coorg community are bucking the two children trend of Karnataka and India by incentivising families welcoming their third and fourth child.

Meanwhile, one is reminded of the long-forgotten Coorg tradition of Paitandek Alapad, a celebration that honored a Kodavati who had given birth to ten living children.

Kodavas are predominantly concentrated in Coorg, Bangalore, and Mysore, with approximate populations of 70,000, 30,000, and 15,000 respectively.However, while the global population continues to rise alarmingly, the Karnataka Bureau of Economics and Statistics reports a worrying decline in the Kodava population, from 1.5 lakh in 2001 to 1.25 lakh in 2011. Leaders fear that if this trend persists, the Kodavas may face extinction from their homeland by 2030.

It is hoped that these incentives, aimed at preserving Kodagu’s unique ethnicity and heritage, will not only reverse the decline in population but also rekindle interest in the community’s rich traditions and customs.