India, March 17 -- Dear Shri Mantar Gowda,

Reference your call to me this morning. Here is a brief about the Kodava Heritage project at Madikeri:

In FY 2003-2004 the Union Ministry of Tourism, GOI, gave a Rs. 5 crore grant for development of Tourism in Kodagu district. It was the very first time ever in all these years that Kodagu district with great tourism potential was getting a development grant from GOI. Out of this grant, Rs. 1 crore was earmarked for the setting up of a Kodava Heritage Centre on the lines of a similar grant given for a Parsi Heritage Centre in Gujarat. I was the Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism at this time.

This matter was followed up five years later by me for grant of land for the Centre in Madikeri when ...