Mangaluru : The State Government  appointed G. L. Hegde Manaki, Kumta, Uttara Kannada, as the chairman of Karnataka Yakshagana Academy.

The office of the chairman was vacant following the demise of M.A. Hegde, who headed it, on April 18, 2021. The Government has appointed a new chairman after eight months since the post fell vacant.

Manaki retired as a professor of Kannada from AV Baliga College in Kumta on May 31, 2019, after he joined it in 1984.

Mr. Hegde obtained his Ph.D for a thesis on Samaja Halakki, a tribal community, under the guidance of Jnanpith award winner Chandrashekar Kambar.

Being an artiste himself of the Badagu Thittu School of Yakshagana for five decades and a Talamaddale Arthadari, he has written a number of books on Yakshagana. Prominent among them are Sheni Ramayana, Sheni Bharatha, Yakshagana Varnavaibhava, Paramananda Charite, Namma Chittani, which is a biography of the first Padma Shri recipient for Yakshagna Chittani Ramachandra Hegde, Samskrita Kavya Vinoda and Chinnada Kireeta.

He has written a number of research articles on matters relating to Yakshagana and other topics. Mr. Hegde has documented the performance of traditional Karki Mela. His two Yakshagana scripts, Andhakasura Vadhe and Bhagavatha Paramya, are popular and have been performed by different troupes a number of times.

Mr. Hegde’s other works include Sri Ramayana Darshana, Sri Krishna Tulabhara, Nari Pancharatna, Srinivasa Kalyana, Mookambika Vaibhava and Malasanarayani Charite.

He has also acted in films and television serials. Mr. Hegde is also a Gamaka interpreter, while he played guide for five Ph.D students and two M.Phil students.