K Govind Bhat

Akademi Award: Other Major Traditions of Theatre (Yakshagana) Born in 1939 in Vittal Padnoor, Karnataka, Shri K. Govind Bhat was introduced to the art of performing Yakshagana under Shri Kuriya Vittala Shastri. Shri Bhat has also learnt Kuchipudi, Kathakali and Bharatanatyam from Param Shivan, Shri Madava Menan and Shri Rajan Iyer. Shri Govind Bhat has established himself as an outstanding performer of the Yakshagana. He has performed a variety of roles in Yakshagana such as Balagopalavesha (performed in Dharmasthala Mela in 1951). Later he started performing Strivesha (Rani in Bedara Kannappa, Radha in Chadravali Vilasa, Shashiprabhe, Sri Devi in Devimahathme), Punjduvesha (Kusha, Madiraksha, Asamanjasa, Ashvini Devathe, Chanda, Brahma, Vishnu), and Rajavesha (Daksha, Karthyaveerarjuna, Arjuna, Shatrugna, Duryodhana, Ravana, Indrajeethu, Atikaya, Rakthabeeja, Karna, Narakasura, Kamsa, and many others). He has received critical acclaim as a performer of Kireetavesha. Shri Bhat has performed across India and abroad. As a revered guru of Yakshagana, he has trained more than 1000 students in the nuances of the art form. For his contribution to traditional theatre arts, Shri K. Govind Bhat has been honoured for his work by many institutions including the Karnataka Rajostava Prashasti and the Karnataka Janapada Academi Prashasti among many others. Shri K. Govind Bhat receives the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for his contribution to Yakshagana of Karnataka.