Career
The Karnataka government felicitated Leela with several awards, including the Gubbi Veeranna Award, the highest honour for any theatre personality in the state. She appeared in such films as Kittur Chennamma, Gaali Gopura, Krishnadevaraya and Sharapanjara. Leela was born in a family of artists and began her acting career at the age of 5.
Over 10,000 performances were held of a play she wrote, Halli Hudugi, with which she revived her family"s drama company, making it one of the biggest professional drama troupes in Karnataka.
Leela suffered a heart attack and had undergone coronary artery bypass surgery on 18 January 2010, and died three days later, on 21 January 2010, aged 72. Leela was cremated on 23 January 2010 near Davanagere.
