P.Kalingrao (1914-81)

Singer and music director. Major influence on the introduction of bhava geet (light classical music) into popular Kannada music with several HMV and Columbia singles using the medieval Saint poetry of Purandaradasa and contemporary poetry including Masti Venkatesha Iyengar, Ku.Vem.Pu. and D.R. Bendre. The son of Yakshagana performer Pandaveshwara Puttaiah, he worked since childhood on the Company Natak stage with the Ambikaprasada Natak Mandali. Composed film music for H.L.N. Simha (Abba! A Hudgi, 1959), Kemparaj Urs (Bhakta Ramadas, 1948), and C.V. Raju (Krishnaleele, 1947; Shri Krishna, 1953; Natashekhara, 1954). Also acted in the Kannada film Vasantsena (1941) and scored the Malayalam one, Sasidharan (1950).