S. Krishnamurthy of Ajjampur in Chikkamagaluru district has an usual hobby: he collects records relating to theatre and theatre personalities in the State and preserves them by laminating the articles and newspaper cuttings.
Mr. Krishnamurthy, a theatre personality having his own team ‘Rangatanda’, has laminated collections of news items about theatre personalities, including Gubbi Veeranna, Yeliwal Siddaiah, Subhadramma Mansur, B.V. Karanth, K.V. Subbanna of Ninasam, their interviews, reviews of several plays to name a few.
A portion of his vast collection was on display during the three-day 10th State-level students drama festival organised by Rangathorana that concluded here on Monday. “At the age of 12, I had a chance to act in a play. After that, I tried to collect the paper cuttings of the news published about our drama. Since then it has become a habit,” he told The Hindu .
It was at the behest of C.G. Krishnaswamy, popularly known as CGK, Mr. Krishnamurthy began exhibiting his collection.
The first exhibition was organised during the silver jubilee celebrations of Samudaya. Gradually, exhibitions were set up during various drama and cultural festivals in different parts of the State and also outside, including New Delhi.
Panditaradhya Shivacharya Swami of Sanehalli, P. Venkatasubbaiah, M.S. Satyu, C.R. Simha, Subbanna, Akshar, Kappanna, Mukhyamantri Chandru, Enagi Balappa, Makep Nani, Ashok Badardinni, Master Hirannaiah, D.K. Chouta, Sashidhar Adap, Karanth, B.V. Rajaram, C. Basavalingaiah, Lingadeveru Halemane, and P. Lankesh are among those who have seen the collection, he recalls.
“With a formal invitation and minimum arrangements for exhibiting the collections and a honorarium towards the transportation cost, I would be eager to go. I can be contacted on 7760395147,” he says.
Theatre activist
S. Krishnamurthy has collected newspaper clippings on theatre
