If being hopeful is anything in an individual’s life, Enagi Balappa, Nadoja and Natyabhushan, is one in whom the element of hope stands personified. At 103, Balappa Ajja, as he is fondly called by his disciples and well-wishers, is still hopeful of realising his long-cherished dream of seeing an exclusive repertoire, Ranga Sangeet Shale, in the State.
As the centenarian finds it difficult even to speak to his visitors, his admirer and senior writer Ramakrishna Marathe comes to his aid, reminding that Balappa Ajja had been wishing to see the repertoire coming in at least one of the universities in the State.
Such a repertoire could conserve professional theatre which has come under threat due to modern hi-tech audio-visual media and reality shows on television. It is too late but he is still hopeful that at least some would share his concern sooner or later.
While it is not certain whether the centenarian artiste would realise his dream in his lifetime, some solace came to him when Vice-Chancellor of the Karnataka State Dr. Gangubai Hangal Music and Performing Arts University Sarvamangala Shankar assured him of instituting a study chair in the name of the dramatist at the university in Mysuru soon. She also assured him of placing the proposal in this connection before the university’s syndicate in the very next meeting. Dr. Sarvamangala, who came all the way from Mysuru to Enagi of Saundatti taluk to personally honour Balappa Ajja with a honorary doctorate from the university recently, said that she would strive to get the chair instituted at the earliest. The university had conferred upon him the honorary doctorate degree on the occasion of its second annual convocation in Mysuru last week. Owing to old age, the doyen of professional Kannada theatre could not go to Mysuru to personally receive the honour.
Hubballi-based Gangubai Hangal Foundation’s founder president Manoj Hangal, who was present, urged the State government to confer Karnataka Ratna and also urged the Centre to honour Enagi Balappa with a Padma award in recognition of highly significant contribution to Kannada theatre and Kannada Natya Sangeet.
