‘Research and training needed to sustain and increase quality of Yakshagana performance’

Infosys Foundation inaugurates Yakshagana Development Centre in Udupi to promote and sustain traditional art forms.

A trustee of Infosys Foundation and the Executive vice-president (Finance) at Infosys Ltd. Sunil Kumar Dhareshwar said on Sunday, April 21, that there is a need for research and training in Yakshagana to sustain and increase the quality of performance.

He was addressing a gathering after inaugurating the Infosys Foundation Yakshagana Development, Training and Research Centre building in Udupi. The building has been constructed by the foundation for Yakshagana Kalaranga of Udupi at a cost of ₹15.8 crore.

Mr. Dhareshwar said that the centre inaugurated on the day aims at increasing the quality of Yakshagana.

He said that like many other traditional art forms, Yakshagana too has been facing challenges over the years in the modern era. It has lost in terms of traditional costumes and some traditional elements in the competitive era. It is also facing dearth of artists, patronage and financial support.

Yakshagana has been imparting education, creating social awareness and nurturing the culture in addition to entertaining people over the years. It is a rich traditional art form having a mixture of classical and folk elements, he said.

The Pejawar Mutt seer Vishwaprasanna Tirtha said that the centre is a pride of Udupi and Karnataka.

Secretary of Yakshagana Kalaranga Murali Kadekar said that the centre still requires more ₹3 crores to provide logistical support. There is a plan to have a museum and a library in the building which has an auditorium with a balcony and with a total seating capacity of 388 seats.