Noted Yakshagana artiste of both Badagutittu and Tenkatittu formats, Siddakatte Chennappa Shetty (62), passed away in Kasturba hospital in Manipal in the early hours of Saturday. He had been admitted to the hospital on Wednesday after a brain ailment and had been in the ICU ever since.

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 land through 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. 

Buntara Sangha Kuwait had invited this "Saraswathi Varaputhra" artiste during their 1st edition of Buntaayana 2011 where he had performed to the crowd's delight with a larger to life character in the famous Yakshagana Devu Poonja Pratapa.

It would be a sad day for his large number of admirers in the country and abroad. He had not only performed in Yakshagana programmes in the Gulf amongst Kuwait, but also had been honored by various organizations. He was a recipient of a Kannada Rajyotsava district-level award as well. 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.

On behalf of BSK we wish our deepest condolences to his family.