Senior Yakshagana artiste Chennappa Shetty Siddakatte passed away on Saturday after a brief illness.
He was 62. He is survived by wife Hemalatha and three sons.
The artiste from Thenkutittu school who had experimented in Badaguthittu style also, was known for his oration in Yakshagana and Talamaddale.
Mr. Shetty, who resided at Mavinakatte near Vamapadau in Bantwal Taluka, had studied only up to Class V but rose to be an artiste who would be acclaimed throughout the landthrough hard work and self study.
He was trained in Yakshagana at training centres in Karkala’s Bhavanendra College and Bankataramana College in Bantwal, where he put in hours of practice, honing his art.
Recipient of district Rajyothsava award, Mr. Shetty had served as a Yakshagana repertory artiste for four decades where he helped to foster young minds and teach them the intricacies of the art.
Dakshina Kannada district unit of Kannada Sahitya Parishat president Pradeep Kumar Kalkura, Yakshagana critic M. Prabhakar Joshy and others have condoled his death.
Condolence meetinMr. Kalkura said a condolence meeting will be held at Sri Krishna Kalyan Mandir in Kadri at 5 p.m, on Sunday and has appealed Mr. Shetty’s associates and others to take part in it.
