Mangaluru (Karnataka), Jul 5 (PTI) Renowned Yakshagana exponent Kumble Sridhar Rao died of a cardiac arrest on Friday.
Rao (76) followed the Thenkuthittu style of Yakshagana. He was a disciple of Kumble Kamalaksha Nayak and Sheni Gopalakrishna Bhat in dance and ‘Arthagarike’ respectively.
He started his life as a Yakshagana artist at the tender age of 13, served in many Yakshagana ensembles like Kundavu, Kudlu, Mulki, and Karnataka and had been associated with Dharmasthala Yakshagana Mela for more than four decades.
Rao has received the President’s Medal for his extraordinary career in Yakshagana.
He was one of the first exponents to take Yakshagana ballets to Middle Eastern and West Asian countries. PTI CORR AMP ROH
