‘Extend benefits of social security schemes to Yakshagana artistes'

The seventh Akhila Karnataka Yakshagana Bayalata Sahitya Sammelan which ended here on Sunday resolved to urge the State government to consider Yakshagana script writers among other Kannada writers while selecting presidents for Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelanas hosted by the government in future.

Kalkura Foundation, Mangalore, and Karnataka Samskrtika Kala Prathisthana, Bangalore, had hosted the three-day conference.

Resolutions

Reading out the resolutions S. Pradeep Kumar Kalkura, president of the foundation and also president of Dakshina Kannada unit of Kannada Sahitya Parishat, said that the government should extend the benefits of all social security schemes to professional Yakshagana artistes. It resolved that the State government should project Yakshagana as an art of the State.

It should be on the lines of how Kerala has projected Kathakkali as the art of Kerala.

The sammelana urged the government to increase the honorarium being given to Yakshagana troupes for performing in government-sponsored functions. The amount should be on par with the amount now being given to noted artistes of other art forms and singers, he said.

In his valedictory address Kabbinale Vasanth Bharadwaj, a Yakshagana script writer, said that Yakshagana writers have not been given due recognition .

Surikumeru K Govinda Bhat presided over the three-day conference.