Prof. Shankar

PROF. SHANKAR (S/o Shimaladka Sham Bhatta), was born on May 5,1951. He did his graduation in Psychology from the University of Mysore. He is a 'self taught magician' hailing from Karnataka State, India. He was the first person to start magic in his district of Dakshina Kannada. He gave his first public performance in 1965 at the age of 14.

Shankar now performs grand illusion shows with a troupe of 20 members all over India & abroad.

He has already staged over 8000 shows all over India, the Middle East, USA, U.K. Germany, Switzerland, Mauritius and Srilanka.

He is the promoter of magic & magicians, trains youngsters to encourage self-employment and also designs various kinds of magic to suit the occasion.

He performs magic shows for patients in the hospitals to help them recover faster. Among such performances are the ones at the Bronx Lebanon Psychic Hospital - NY USA, Gangaram Hospital - New Delhi, Unity Health Complex - Mangalore, Kasturba Hospital - Manipal and hospitals in the northern part of Karnataka. He also performs magic in old age homes and for the enhancement of education in schools and colleges.

In 1995, to create awareness against drugs and AIDS, he drove motor bike from Mangalore to Karwar blind folded.

He joined the Syndicate Bank and worked (1974 - 2001) as an INDUSTRIAL MAGICIAN- a designation that is considered as the first in the world and Syndicate Bank is the first bank in India to employ a magician to publicise its schemes through magic. He opted Voluntary retirement from the service on May 31 2001.

He is the recipient of The Life Time Achievement Award from Syndicate Bank and The National Award - Ugadi Puraskar 2000 from the Madras Telugu Academy.

Prof Shankar married Lakshmi in the year 1976 and is blessed with two children, son - Tejaswi (Shankar Junior) and daughter - Yashaswini

The "Magic Family" of Prof. Shankar turned long-time friendship with the "Music Family" of Moorthy Deraje into relationship with the marriage of his children Tejaswi (Shankar Junior) with Maithili and Yashaswini with Bharavi Deraje.

Moorthy Deraje and his sons - Bharavi & Panini are part of Gili Gili Magic's background score.

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