Senior Yakshagana artiste and well-known Yakshagana Talamaddale Arthadhari Malpe Vasudeva Samaga passed away here on Saturday.
He was undergoing treatment for Covid-19 infection for the last few days. He was 71. He is survived by his wife and son.
He was the son on well-known artiste Malpe Ramadasa Samaga. His unclde Malpe Shankaranarayana Samaga was also a noted Yakshagana artiste and Talamaddale Arthadhari.
Well versed in both Thenku and Badagu Thittu style of Yakshagana, Samaga has written over 80 Prasanga works.
He was known for his oratory skills and was involved in roles during the Talamaddale. He had formed his own Talamadde troupe called Samyamam.
Samaga was known for the roles of Manmatha, Parashurama, Ishwara, Shukracharya, Uthara and others.
He had entered the professional Yakshagana through Amriteshwari Mela of Kota Sridhar Hande and had close affinity with senior artistes like Naranappa Uppooru, Chittani, Vaikunta, Nagara Jagannath Shetty, Gode Narayana Hegde and others.