Sri Mahaganapathi Women's Yakshagana Sangha (Baala Katipalla)

In 1989, in a male-dominated art form long known as a "men's art," entrepreneur, amateur playwright, and Yakshagana artist Sri Madhava S. Shetty brought local women together in Baala Katipalla to form a women's troupe, training them in footwork by Shivarama Panambooru and Ramesh Shetty. From the very start they gave numerous performances and competed against men in many contests, becoming the first women's troupe to win individual and team awards, along with gold medals. Thirty-seven years on, the Sangha remains an all-women troupe, a distinct and celebrated mark on the field. Its artists, drawn from the local area and beyond, include children, young women, and women, and have emerged as all-round performers capable of playing every role. The troupe's first artist, Smt. Poornima Yatish Rai, has devoted 37 years to her craft and continues as the troupe's director. She has taken the troupe not only across Karnataka but also to Kerala, Maharashtra, Mumbai, Delhi, and Chennai. Beyond matching men in male roles, she is particularly known for her portrayal of Mahishasura — a role she has played over a thousand times — earning her the title "Mahisha Poornima." She has received the Kittur Rani Chennamma Karnataka State Award, the Dakshina Kannada District Kannada Rajyotsava Award, and the Abbakka Award. Over 37 continuous years, the troupe has won the hearts of countless Yakshagana lovers and stands as a proud fixture of the art form at Baala Katipalla.