Renowned Kannada Folk Singer Sukri Bommagowda Dies at 88

Bengaluru: Renowned folk singer and Padma Shri awardee Sukri Bommagowda, fondly known as Sukrajji, passed away in the early hours of Thursday at her residence in Badageri village, Ankola taluk, Uttara Kannada district. She was 88.

A legendary figure in Karnataka’s folk tradition, Sukrajji composed over 4,000 Halakki tribal folk songs, earning the title "Nightingale of the Halakki Vokkaliga community." Introduced to folk singing by her mother, she devoted her life to preserving Halakki tribal music after her husband's demise.

Her songs, revolving around life events, traditions, and social themes, were archived by All India Radio and the Karnataka Janapada Academy. Despite being illiterate, she prioritized education and social welfare, actively campaigning against alcohol abuse and advocating for the inclusion of the Halakki community under the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category.

Sukrajji received the Padma Shri in 2017 for her unparalleled contribution to folk arts. She was also honored with the Rajya Puraskar (1988), Janapada Shri Award (1999), Nadoja Award (2006), Sandesha Kala Award (2009), and Alva’s Nudisiri Award (2017).

Remarkably, just a day before her passing, she was still teaching folk songs to local children. Activist Dinesh Holla, who was closely associated with her, remembered her as a selfless soul who believed in "Sarvarigu Samabalu, Sarvarigu Samapalu" (equal respect and resources for all). “She never kept award money for herself but distributed it to those in need,” he said.

Minister for Fisheries, Ports, Inland Water Transport, and Uttara Kannada District In-charge Mankal Vaidya mourned her demise, calling it an irreparable loss to Karnataka’s folk culture. Uttara Kannada MP Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri echoed similar sentiments, remembering her as a guardian of Karnataka’s folk traditions and a strong advocate for the Halakki community.