Daijiworld Media Network – Puttur (MS)

Puttur, Jul 6: Renowned senior Yakshagana artiste Kumble Sridhar Rao (76) passed away due to cardiac arrest in a private hospital in the city on July 5.

Rao experienced acute chest pain on the morning of Friday and was rushed to the hospital, where he succumbed a little later. He is survived by his wife, retired teacher Sulochana, and sons journalist Ganesh Prasad, Krishna Prasad, and Devi Prasad.

Sridhar Rao was a celebrated figure in Yakshagana, a traditional theater form of Karnataka. He performed in plays presented by the Dharmasthala troupe in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Sharjah, and the Parliament House in New Delhi. Rao was the lead artiste of the Sri Mahaganapati Yakshagana Mandali, led by Nidle Govind Bhat, and also contributed to other melas (troupes).

Throughout his illustrious career, Sridhar Rao received numerous awards and honours. He was conferred the Karnataka Yakshagana Academy award, honoured during the crowning ceremony of Rajarshi Dr Veerendra Heggade, and recognized by Sri Edaneeru Math, Mangaluru Krishna Sabha, and Puttur Sri Anjaneya Yakshagana Kala Sangha with the Yakshanjaneya award. He also received the Mangaluru University award, Belvai Sri Yakshadeva award, Udupi Kalaranga award, and the Bengaluru Atmalaya Academy of Art and Culture Trust's Justice K Jagannatha Shetty memorial award, among other accolades.

Eminent personalities, including Edaneeru Sri Sachidananda Bharathi, Moodubidri Swasti Sri Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Panditacharya Varya Swamiji, MLA Ashok Kumar Rai, former MLAs Shakuntala T, Sanjeeva Matandoor, and district KaSaPa president Dr M P Srinath, have expressed their condolences on the demise of Kumble Sridhar Rao.