Bengaluru, Feb. 14 -- Celebrated folk singer and Padma Shri awardee Sukri Bommagowda, known as Sukrajji, died at her home at Badageri village in Uttara Kannada district on Thursday morning. She was receiving medical care at a Manipal hospital in the days leading up to her death, people aware of the matter said.

Revered in the Halakki community, Sukrajji was often described as a "walking encyclopaedia" for her unparalleled contribution to preserving folk traditions. She had memorised nearly 5,000 folk songs and played a key role in cultural documentation. In the 1980s, Akashvani recorded hundreds of her songs, thereby securing her legacy for future generations.

She became a widow at the age of 16 after losing her husband, Bommagowda, to ...