Girija Yadav, one of the finest artists of Mangalore, passed away recently. She was seventy-one. SPARROW was fortunate to meet and talk to Girija Yadav and include her in its oral history recording project.

Girija was born in 1934 in Mangalore. She belonged to the Billava community. Education for girls was not a priority those days. But Girija was fascinated by drawing and painting from her childhood. Her mother used to draw rangolis during festivals and Girija used to add a few lines of her own to those traditional patterns. Thus started her association with art. After completing her middle school, Girija opted to study art as a subject. Girija persuaded her father to send her to an art school. Her father, who was also a lover of painting and music, agreed to send her to Mysore to join Chamarajendra Technical School. Girija Yadav was one of the few women artists who got a G. D. Art degree from this prestigious school. Later, she got special training at B.G.M. Art School, Mangalore, and Kala Niketan, Mysore, in watercolour and sketching. Girija preferred to do Indian style of painting with watercolour and charcoal as her medium. She enjoyed doing landscapes and sketching female forms.

Girija Yadav was an art teacher in Canara Girls High School for thirty-two years. She inspired many girls to take up art as a profession. She was the founder member of Artists Combine, an art organisation in Mangalore. For the past twenty years, this art organisation has been conducting art exhibitions, workshops for art aspirants and providing gallery space for amateur artists. Girija Yadav was the guiding spirit behind all these activities. She made a statue of Saraswathi, the goddess of learning, every year for her art school during the Dassera festival. After retirement from school, she became the Director of Kamadenu Art School and trained hundreds of students.

Girija Yadav believed in the Gurukul method of imparting art education to her students. The portico and hall of her house was converted into a spacious open room, where the students could have their space and concentrate on creativity. Under her guidance and discipline, students pursued their art activities with dedication. She was very proud that some of her students became noted figures in contemporary art. Girija Yadav participated in several art exhibitions. She was a participant in conferences and workshops like the International Kannada conference in Mysore, Hastasilpa Workshop in Manipal, Kanchanganga art camp in Kasargod etc. She was honoured by the Karnataka State Lalitakala Academy with an award for her contribution to art. Her paintings have been acquired by many art galleries and for private collectors in India and abroad.

Girija Yadav broke the conventions of her time to pursue her art professionally and has showed great versatility in her creativity. Her husband Mr. Yadav who has always been a great source of strength to her, survives Girija Yadav.