Media Release

Mangaluru, Jun 11: In a first, Bondel Laughter Club became an ‘All-weather’ club as it started functioning indoors during the monsoon with its launch on Sunday, June 10.

The launch was signaled by three high decibel laughter bouts led by A V Sureshrao Karmore, district president, Karnataka Kshatriya Maratha Parishat, to the applause of diehard ‘laughter-cracks’ and guests in the parishat’s community hall on Gundu Rao Road in Bondel. Apart from the parishat’s office bearers, those present on the occasion included Harinath, former mayor of MCC, whose good offices secured the hall for monsoon-season use by the laughter club.

Welcoming the Maratha Parishat’s leaders, guests and regular club members, John Monteiro, founder and chief anchor of the club, noted that since its start in 2002, the venues for the laughter sessions were open maidans and during the monsoon months its sessions had to be suspended. Such long breaks deprive the members, the health-promoting laughter and physical exercises that form part of the sessions. He thanked Karmore for the generosity of the parishat for allowing the laughter club to function in the community hall.

Responding, Karmore said that Mangaluru hosted the parishat since the last 17 years and it represents about 20,000 Marathas living in Dakshina Kannada district of which 350 are active members of the parishat. He appreciated the hospitality extended to them by the local community and noted that the parishat hall had been hosting yoga classes and now it is happy to host the laughter club during the monsoon months.

Prof A M A. Khalil, founder-member of the club, rendered the vote of thanks.

The formal handing-over the key of the hall was followed by a shorter version of the laughter club session.

Bondel Laughter Club holds its daily sessions, except on Sundays and public holidays, from 6 to 6.20 am. After the monsoon, it will move to the adjacent PWD maidan on the same road. Entry to the sessions is free.