Manjamma Jogathi (born Manjunatha Shetty; 20 May 1957), is an Indian theatre actress, singer and dancer of Jogathi Nritya, a folk dance form of North Karnataka. In 2019, she became the first transgender woman to be the president of Karnataka Janapada Academy, state's top institution for folk arts. In January 2021,

Government of India The Government of India (ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, c ...

announced

Padma Shri Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, ...

award for her contribution to the field of folk arts.

Early life

Jogathi was born as Manjunatha Shetty in Kallukamba village in

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...

Bellary district Bellary, officially known as Ballari (pronounced ), is a major district in Karnataka. It is located at north-eastern part of Karnataka. This district belongs to Kalyana-Karnataka. This district was one of the biggest districts in Karnataka unt ...

to Hanumanthaiah and Jayalakshmi. She was married to Jogappa, a

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

deity owing to a ritual and was not allowed to return home. She was then known as Manjamma Jogathi. After leaving her house aged 15, she identified herself as a woman. Having completed education only till Class 10, she resorted to begging. During this time, she was sexually abused. Later, a father and son duo introduced her to dancing and took her to dance teacher Kallavva Jogathi, where she learnt the Jogathi dance.

Career

Theatre

Manjamma became a permanent dancer in Kallavva Jogathi's dance group, performing in different parts of India. After Kallavva's death, Manjamma took over the troupe and made the dance popular among the people. In 2010, she received the

Rajyotsava award The Rajyotsava Prashasti or Rajyotsava Awards, the second highest civilian honor of the Karnataka state of India are conferred annually by the Government of Karnataka, Karnataka Government on the occasion of the establishment of the state on 1 ...

by the

Karnataka Government The Government of Karnataka, abbreviated as, GoK, or simply Karnataka Government, is a democratically-elected state body with the governor as the ceremonial head to govern the Southwest Indian state of Karnataka. The governor who is appointed ...

. She was awarded

, fourth highest civilian award of

Republic of India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

in 2021.

Heading the Karnataka Jaanapada Academy

She was first appointed as the member of the ''Karnataka Jaanapada Academy'' and later as the president of the same institution by the State government, which made her the first trans woman to head the top institution for Performing arts in the state.

Accolades

* 2023 - The community's election icon - It is a great honor to a transgender folk artiste on 27-03-2023 by The Election Commission (EC) in Karnataka Government of India * 2021 -

- fourth highest civilian award by

* 2010 -

* Life story of Manjamma has added in Karnataka Folklore University and

Karnataka State Women's University Karnataka State Akkamahadevi Women's University (KSAWU, Vijayapura) also known as Karnataka State Women's University was established in August 2003 and is the first university exclusively for women in the state of Karnataka. It is in the city of ...

syllabus for its students of Bachelor of Arts. * 2006 - Karnataka Janapada Academy Award.

References

{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Art, state=collapsed 1964 births Living people People from Bellary People from Karnataka 21st-century Indian people Indian theatre people Transgender singers Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts Transgender women musicians