As a little girl, Priyanka K. Mohan sat in a crowded Bengaluru home filled with Yakshagana artists. The stage, the drums, the chants, the colours—it was her everyday world. But there was an unspoken truth. Yakshagana, a centuries-old theatre tradition, was never meant for women.

Priyanka chose to defy it.

At six, she stepped onto the stage draped in heavy costumes and fierce expressions, carrying the weight of history and the silence of a thousand women told they did not belong. By nineteen, she had become a teacher, breaking another barrier by guiding students in an art form where female gurus were nearly invisible. Today, more than 2,000 students have learnt Yakshagana from her; their journey is proof that change begins when one person dares.

Her courage did not stop at the performance. Through Yakshadegula and her new initiative, Tvarita Arts Collective, Priyanka has turned Yakshagana into a bridge between tradition and the modern world. She uses its stories not just to celebrate gods and heroes but to spark conversations on social issues and awareness campaigns. She is living proof that preserving culture does not mean locking it away; it means letting it breathe, adapt, and grow.

Priyanka’s story is not just about dance. It is about breaking the silence, shattering stereotypes, and carving a stage where every woman is free to perform without permission.