Karwar/Udupi: Padmashri Chittani Ramachandra Hegde, a well known name in the Yakshagana circuit died at the age of 84 at a private hospital here on Tuesday, October 3.
Reportedly, Hegde had been admitted in the intensive care unit of KMC hospital, Manipal here with pneumonia, sepsis coupled with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) where he later suffered a stroke.
A native of Chittani in Honnavar of Uttara Kannada district Hegde is the first Yakshagana artist to win the prestigious Padmashri award in 2012 apart from several other state awards.
A school drop-out at the age of seven, Hegde embarked on his career in Yakshagana before donning major roles at the age of 14 and was seen on stage until a few days before.
He is well known for ‘kaurava’,dustabuddi’,’Bhasmasura’,’keechaka,’maaghada’,’karna’,’rudrakopa’ ‘kamsa’ roles in Yakshagana performance and his style came to be popularly known as ‘Chittani Gharana’.
The other awards conferred on the artiste includes Rajyotsava Award in 1991, Janapadashri Award in 2004, Shivaram Karanth award in 2009, Alva’s Nudisiri Award in 2012, K Shivarama Hegde Award in 2013
