Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (NR)
Mangalore, Sep 7: The renowned senior Thenkuthittu background artiste Chipparu Krishnayya Ballal has been selected for the Sheni Award by the Sheni Gopalakrishna Bhat Charitable Trust, Surahtkal, near here.
The Sheni Award consisting of cash prize of Rs 15,000, a memento and a citation will be conferred on this virtuoso octogenarian artiste by V S Acharya, minister for Medical Education, at a glittering function to be held on the Trust premises, on Saturday 8 September.
Harikrishna Punaroor, former president, Kannada Sahitya Parishat and president of the trust informed presspersons here recently that Ballal was born into a royal family at Vittla in 1928. He had spent nearly five decades of his career as background artist with the Sri Dharmasthala Mela.
According to Punaroor, Ballal has accompanied many a senior artistes of his generation as well as senior bhagawathas of the present generation as well. Presently Ballal is retired and lives with his extended family. He has passed on the musical baton to his elder son, Mariyaya, who is continuing the family tradition by performing as a background artist with the Kateel mela.
The function will be followed by a Talamaddale – Dharmasankata featuring leading artists such as Ishwar Bhat, M L Sama will be present among others.