Kannanda Doddayya

He was a force commander of about 3,000 Kodavas (Coorgs) who defeated Hyder Ali of Mysore.^[2] He served as the general under Muddu Raja, the Haleri dynasty Raja of Kodagu.^[3] Hyder Ali sent his army under his commander Fazulla Khan who was defeated by Doddayya thrice. The first time was at Igoor.^[4] Before he went on his last battle he told the Raja: “Twice I defeated Hyder’s army and came back to bow to you. But this time I shall not come back.”^[1]

Finally, Doddayya died at the battle of Kajur Bagilu despite winning the same battle in 1767.^[3][2][1] A stone slab was made in his honour and setup in the rice fields.^[1] Another Kodava commander, Appachu Mandanna, also died in that same battle.^[1] Later, when Hyder's son Tipu Sultan invaded Kodagu, he burnt Kannanda Doddayya's house during the war and hanged twenty-four members of his family in an attempt to defeat and control Kodagu.^[1][5]