Dechu Puliyanda (Kokkalera) is a pediatric nephrologist and a kidney transplant
physician at the Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA. She grew up in
Bangalore and then moved to the US where she completed her residency at the Rush
Presbyterian Medical Center in Chicago and went on to complete her fellowship at the
Children’s Hospital, Harvard medical school, Boston
She then moved to Southern California to be close to family and has been there for the
last 25 years. She lives with her husband Subbaiah (Shyam) and their 2 children,
Siddarth and Sitara, and their adorable dogs, Rusty and Bones.
There is nothing that Dechu is not passionate about! One of her strengths is her unique
ability to bring people together. She has always been very involved in the Kodava
community, a passion that has been passed on from her mother Machie Kokkalera, who
was very active in the Kodava Samaja, Bangalore. Ever since she moved to Southern
California, she and her husband Shyam have spearheaded and hosted the celebration
of Puthari. This was an annual event at their home for over 10 years till the pandemic
hit. Now with a community that is over 150 Kodavas strong, the festivals continue to be
celebrated in the most traditional style.
To assist with the Kodava wedding celebrations here in the US, Dechu and her
Kodavathi friends, with guidance from Pattole Palame and elders in the community,
created templates of the various rituals, which have been used in several Kodava
weddings.
During the pandemic Dechu created educational videos in Kodavathakk, to allay the
myths of Covid-19 in Kodagu. She was instrumental in raising funds to fight against the
pandemic in Kodagu.
Dechu has played a very active role in the KodavaThakk Off competitions, being a
judge in 2021, a host in 2022, and helped coach the young Southern California team in
2024.
Dechu considers it an honor to be on the Kodava Koota Board. She hopes to continue
to foster the rich heritage of the Kodavas, especially amongst the next generation, and
to keep the bonds of the Kodava community thriving in the US.