Ullal: Dakshin Kannada District Incharge Minister, UT Khader on Saturday morning flagged off the ‘Rani Abbakka Swabhimaan Ota’ (Rani Abbakka Swabhimaan Marathon) here in Ullal.

The half marathon was organised by Department of Kannada and Culture, Department of Youth Empowerment and Department of Sports as a part of ‘Veera Rani Abbakka Utsava’ and was inaugurated from Rani Abbakka circle in Ullal.

21 km for men and 8 km for women was the distance set for marathon.

The marathon of men began from Abbaka circle and passed through Thokkottu, Kuttara, Noipaddu and ended at Konaje VV Stadium.

The women’s marathon also started from Abbaka circle and passed through Kuttara, Deralakatte and ended at Konaje VV Stadium.

Abbakka Rani or Abbakka Mahadevi was the queen of Tulunadu who fought the Portuguese in the latter half of the 16th century. She belonged to the Chowta dynasty that ruled over the area from the temple town of Moodabidri. The port town of Ullal served as their subsidiary capital.

Abbakka's memory is much cherished in her hometown of Ullal. The "Veera Rani Abbakka Utsava" is an annual celebration held in her memory.

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Ranchi (PTI): Tribal icon Birsa Munda's great-grandson Mangal Munda, who was undergoing treatment at a hospital here after being injured in a road accident, died of "cardiovascular failure" on Friday, an official of the health facility said.

He was 45.

Mangal Munda breathed his last at 12.30 am at the state's apex health facility - Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences.

Munda sustained severe head injuries after he fell from the roof of a passenger vehicle in Jharkhand's Khunti district on November 25.

"Birsa Munda's kin Mangal Munda died of cardiovascular failure around 12.30 am. He was on a ventilator after being critically injured. We tried our best to save him but failed," RIMS Medical Superintendent Dr Hiren Birua told PTI.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office, Union Health Minister JP Nadda and the Jharkhand Chief Minister's office were in touch with the RIMS authorities in connection with Munda's treatment.