Balappa Hukkeri

Balappa Hukkeri was one of the most prominent singers of South India. Born in 1911, adoringly knowns as- Saavira Haadugala Saradara translates to 'Custodian of thousand songs'. He was born in a small village of North Karnataka known as 'Murgod' in the Belagavi district. His family named him after his great musician uncle. Since the beginning, he had his interests inclined towards music and theatre. He started participating in local drama at a very young age. Later, he also started training in Hindustani Music by Shivalingiah Gavai. Tabla and Harmonium were the only instruments that accompanied him throughout his musical career.

Despite being classically trained by Shivalingiah Gavai, he was more interested in folk and theatre music. While working in fields during his lifetime, he also travelled to different villages singing songs and spreading awareness about agriculture, farming methods, and family planning. During his travel, he was highly affected by the poems of Kannada writers such as D.R. Bendre, Betageri Krishnasharma, and Anandakanda. So, he started singing songs based on their works, later known as Bhavageetes. His songs' unique feature was that they were a mix of classics and folk. He not only sang songs, but he also collected them.

During his singing career, he travelled to many places to collect folk songs. He never wrote them down. He just knew them all by heart. That was his love for music. Apart from being a musician, he was also a freedom fighter. He participated in Indian Freedom Movement and contributed by travelling to different villages and singing patriotic songs. Because of this, he was in jail for six months. He fought for the truth without worrying about the consequences. One more interesting fact about him is that he gave away all his family gold in National Security Fund to help India during the war with China. In 1980, he also won Sangeet Nataka Academy Award for his marvellous contribution to the field of music. An artist who was also a freedom fighter, Balappa Hukkeri sets an example for people who think that artists have no contribution to society. He proves all those wrong who say art cannot bring change. It can, it did & it will always do.