Padma Shri awardee Sakini Ramachandraiah passes away at 61

He died of age related ailments at his house at Kunavaram in Manugur mandal in Kothagudem district.

Manugur(Kothagudem): Padma Shri awardee and traditional adivasi dholi artist Sakini Ramachandraiah (61) passed away on Sunday.

He died of age related ailments at his house at Kunavaram in Manugur mandal in the district. The Central government bestowed Padma Shri award on him in 2022 in recognition of his services in protecting and preserving the adivasi art forms.

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Ramachandraiah was the only Koya artist who could narrate the legend of Sammakka Saralamma. For the past several decades he was an official invitee at the biennial Medaram Jatara. He used to narrate the stories of tribal warriors like Girikamaraju, Pagididda Raju, Ramaraju, Gadiraju, Bapanamma, Musalamma, Nagulamma, Sadalamma and others besides Sammakka Saralamma.

He inherited the traditional art form passed down to his family as a responsibility. At the age of twelve, he developed a passion for the art form of ‘Dholi’. He mastered storytelling in Telugu and Koya languages. He sings at religious events, fairs, adivasi festivals and weddings with the drum.

Ramachandraiah, though an illiterate, has preserved the history and cultural heritage of Koya through his songs and stories by narrating the history of the birth of adivasi tribes and the men of the clans.

He gave thousands of performances in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Chhattisgarh with a melodious voice mesmerising the audience. After he was given Padma Shri, Dholi aft form gained recognition across the country. He is survived by his wife and three children.