“We have to be the pilot of our own career and aspirations.”
Priyanka comes from a middle-class family in Bengaluru and belongs to a third-generation Yakshagana family. Her parents fought societal expectations so that she, a girl, could learn and perform a traditionally male-dominated art form.
She grew up surrounded by artists, listening to their stories and watching their journeys. A very shy child, she found her voice, confidence, and purpose on stage. Today, performing, teaching, and finding new ways to keep Indian art alive remain her greatest passions.
She studied Electronics Engineering at Bangalore Institute of Technology, which gave her a strong analytical foundation, while the college cultural committee gave her a space to explore her creative side. But some of her most important learning has happened outside classrooms, through working with children, communities, artists, and organisations, on and off the stage.
Spending time with artists opened her eyes to a painful gap: the enormous knowledge they carry versus the livelihood opportunities available to them. At the same time, her own experience showed her how deeply art can shape a person’s confidence and identity. She wanted to help create sustainable livelihoods for artists and bring Indian traditions back into the spotlight.
That became Tvarita Arts Collective, which she co-founded with Surabhi Yelsangikar to build new audiences and opportunities for traditional and Indigenous art forms.
The road has been far from easy. Art alone couldn’t sustain her, so she juggled multiple careers while establishing herself as a woman artist and guru in a male-dominated tradition. Building Tvarita brought doubts, COVID hit hardest, wiping out income, forcing artist layoffs, and threatening a four-decade-old family organisation. Rather than break her, the crisis strengthened her resolve to build lasting livelihoods.
Her biggest lesson: nobody else can take responsibility for steering your journey. There will always be navigators, mentors, and cheerleaders, but the responsibility to keep moving stays yours. Stay open to guidance, without giving away ownership.
Her father, Guru K. Mohan, remains her biggest influence, who took Yakshagana to wider audiences across Karnataka. He taught her that being an artist isn’t only about personal achievement, but about creating opportunities for others and building something that outlasts you.
Looking ahead, she wants to build Tvarita into a strong ecosystem connecting traditional and Indigenous artists with audiences, institutions, and corporations across the world, while creating more space for women in traditional art forms.
Her hope is a future where artists are recognised not just as performers, but as knowledge holders, creators, and cultural leaders.
She grew up surrounded by artists, listening to their stories and watching their journeys. A very shy child, she found her voice, confidence, and purpose on stage. Today, performing, teaching, and finding new ways to keep Indian art alive remain her greatest passions.
She studied Electronics Engineering at Bangalore Institute of Technology, which gave her a strong analytical foundation, while the college cultural committee gave her a space to explore her creative side. But some of her most important learning has happened outside classrooms, through working with children, communities, artists, and organisations, on and off the stage.
Spending time with artists opened her eyes to a painful gap: the enormous knowledge they carry versus the livelihood opportunities available to them. At the same time, her own experience showed her how deeply art can shape a person’s confidence and identity. She wanted to help create sustainable livelihoods for artists and bring Indian traditions back into the spotlight.
That became Tvarita Arts Collective, which she co-founded with Surabhi Yelsangikar to build new audiences and opportunities for traditional and Indigenous art forms.
The road has been far from easy. Art alone couldn’t sustain her, so she juggled multiple careers while establishing herself as a woman artist and guru in a male-dominated tradition. Building Tvarita brought doubts, COVID hit hardest, wiping out income, forcing artist layoffs, and threatening a four-decade-old family organisation. Rather than break her, the crisis strengthened her resolve to build lasting livelihoods.
Her biggest lesson: nobody else can take responsibility for steering your journey. There will always be navigators, mentors, and cheerleaders, but the responsibility to keep moving stays yours. Stay open to guidance, without giving away ownership.
Her father, Guru K. Mohan, remains her biggest influence, who took Yakshagana to wider audiences across Karnataka. He taught her that being an artist isn’t only about personal achievement, but about creating opportunities for others and building something that outlasts you.
Looking ahead, she wants to build Tvarita into a strong ecosystem connecting traditional and Indigenous artists with audiences, institutions, and corporations across the world, while creating more space for women in traditional art forms.
Her hope is a future where artists are recognised not just as performers, but as knowledge holders, creators, and cultural leaders.
This story was told by Priyanka K Mohan and published with their permission by the What's Your Story editorial team.
