Mangaluru: Eminent Yakshagana Bhagavata (singer) of Badaguthittu style, Haryadi Satish Kedlaya, 46, passed away at his residence in Herur near Udupi on Sunday morning.

Born to Narasimha Kedlaya and Saraswati Amma at Haryadi village near Guddettu in Kundapura Taluk, Satish Kedlaya learnt the art of Yakshagana singing initialy from his uncle Chandrashekhar Kedlaya, also a renowned Gamaki.

Later, he learnt Yakshagana singing from Neelavara Lakshminarayana Rao, A.P. Pathak, Chandrashekhar Puranik, Bannanje Sanjeeva Suvarna and others. A student at Yakshagana Kendra, Udupi, he also taught at the Kendra for about 16 years since 1996.

Coming out of the kendra, he was a Bhagavatha with Yakshantharanga troupe and also was a guest Bhagavata to several Melas (troupes) including Mandarthi, Goligaradi and Kamalashile.

According to Yakshagana Kalaranga Secretary Murali Kadekar, he returned home at Herur near Brahmavar on Sunday morning after participating in a Yakshagana programme last night. Since his wife and son were not at home, his passing away came to be known later, he said. The last rites were conducted on Sunday evening. He leaves behind wife Vanishree Kedlaya and son Aditya, 8.