Padma Shri Awardee Sukri Bommagowda Passes Away at 88

Renowned folk singer and Padma Shri awardee Sukri Bommagowda, affectionately known as Sukrajji, passed away on February 13, 2025, at the age of 88. She had been receiving treatment at a hospital in Manipal, Karnataka, prior to her passing. Sukri Bommagowda was a beloved figure in Karnataka’s Halakki Vokkaliga community, celebrated for her dedication to preserving folk traditions through her music.

Sukrajji was often called a “walking encyclopedia” of Halakki folk traditions. She had memorized and performed nearly 5,000 folk songs that celebrated significant life events like marriages, births, and festivals. In the 1980s, All India Radio recorded hundreds of her songs, helping to preserve her vast knowledge for future generations. Her songs, shared through oral tradition, served as a connection between the past and the present, maintaining the cultural identity of the Halakki Vokkaliga community.