Karkala: Class 6 girl aspires to be Kambala Buffalo jockey

Karkala: Kambala, a buffalo race and a traditionally male-dominated sport of Tulunadu is undergoing major changes as it decided to allow Woman jockeys from 2022

Now, 12-year-old Chaitra Bhat has created history by joining the helpers in prepping the buffaloes in  Lava Kusha Jodukere Kambala, Miyaru

Chaitra is the daughter of Parameshwar Bhat and Ramya of Bolamballi village, Kundapur. It is said that Chaitra was always interested in Kambala as she used to help her parents in looking after the buffaloes.

Her father Parameshwar Bhat has been looking after buffaloes for 25 years and for the past 4 years, he has been participating in Kambala. Chaitra is training to be a jockey and practices in a 110m-long slushy track near her house.

Chaitra says that her role model is Ashwathapura Srinivas Gowda, a Kambala jockey who is known as India’s Usain Bolt

K Gunapala Kadamba, President, Kambala Academy and Founder-Secretary of Dakshina Kannada Kambala Committee said as now we have decided to allow women jockeys from 2022. We will make sure that Chaitra gets proper training and facilities to be a Kambala jockey