Vittla: Shyam Bhat a retired teacher from Pakalakunja, Bantwal Taluk, and a resident of Alike, passed away on January 7 at a private hospital in Mangaluru after a brief illness. He is survived by his wife and three children.

Shyam Bhat  (76), originally from Pakalakunja, had resided there until 2007 before relocating to Alike. Born on December 23, 1949, to Narayana Bhat and Parameshwari Amma, he completed his primary education at Venugopala Higher Primary School, Pakalakunja, under his father’s guidance. He pursued his high school education at Shri Sathya Sai Lokaseva High School in Alike.

He earned a B.Sc. degree in Biology from Vivekananda College, Puttur, followed by a postgraduate degree from Karnataka University, Dharwad. Additionally, he completed a B.Ed. course at the Government Teachers Training Institute. Shyam Bhat served as a teacher at Vittla Pre-University College for 32 years.

Apart from teaching, he authored numerous unpublished books. He was actively involved in cultural activities and was a member of the Uliya Dhanvantari Yakshagana Kala Sangha. In a Talamaddale competition held by Yaksha Sindhoora Prathishtana (R), Vittla, his team won the first prize, and he was awarded the Best Artha-Dhari (Interpreter) individual prize.

Shyam Bhat was also honored by various organizations for his contributions. He participated in Talamaddale performances in Odisha (Sunabeda, 1984), Bengaluru, Mumbai, and other locations under the Kannada Sangha’s initiatives.

His demise marks the loss of a dedicated educator, cultural enthusiast, and scholar.