Bangalore : Kannada sugama sangeeta (light music) singer Yashwanth Halibandi passed away here on Wednesday following a cardiac arrest.

The 64-year-old singer, known for his rendering of folk songs and poems of the late Da.Ra. Bendre, is survived by his wife, two sons and two grandchildren.

The songs Pataragitti Pakka , Kuniyonu Baara , Baro Sadhanakerige (all of Bendre’s) and Hogu Manase (by M.N. Vyas Rao) were among his big hits. The distinct north Karnataka flavour in his singing style endeared him to many.

Born in 1950 in a village near Haliyal in Uttara Kannada, it was the music of stalwarts from north Karnataka such as Balappa Hukkeri that inspired him to take to singing.

Even as he worked for Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd. (KPTCL), he travelled throughout the State and popularised Kannada songs.

He was singing for All India Radio since the early 1970s. He was the recipient of many awards, including the Karnataka Kalashree award.

Last respects

The fraternity of musicians from Bangalore paid their respects to the singer at his home at Bank Colony and at the Samsa Auditorium, behind Ravindra Kalakshetra, before the cremation.