BELAGAVI:Retired principal V S Gavimath who was close to Balappa, said the artiste had concern for his co-artistes’ financial well-being. He established ‘Karnataka Rangabhoomi Sahakara Sangh’ through which hundreds of professional artistes were helped financially.
“Though Ballappa studied only upto third standard, he had once delivered a lecture on stage drama for about two hours at a seminar organised by Mysuru University. Popular actor Rajkumar and film director G V Iyer had released his book ‘Rangageete’ at Belagavi in 1996,” he said. “The KLE society, during its centenary celebrations, had brought out the book, ‘Hogi Baruteni Nammurige’ on the life of Balappa. Owner of Gubbi Drama Company, Gubbi Veeranna, was known in South Karnaraka. Balappa popular in North Karnataka. He was a practical reformer as his dramas ‘Kunkuma’ and ‘Tiruguva Mancha’ insisted on widow marriages,” he added.
Balappa had inaugurated the Kannada Film Festival during the World Kannada Meet held in Belagavi in 2011. ‘Parikhshe’, a movie in which he had acted, was the first movie exhibited at the festival. The veteran actor, after inaugurating the festival, watched the movie along with other actors.