Dr. Rajendra Kedlaya is a researcher by profession and has learned Yakshagana under the tutelage of Guru B. Sanjeeva Suvarna of Yakshagana Kendra Udupi, Karnataka. He has won a number of awards and has a number of national and international performances to his credit. Hampi Festival in Karnataka, Festivals of Asian performing arts in Singapore, Woodford folk festival in Brisbane Australia, AKKA 2006 in Baltimore USA, and Asian Festival 2012 in Columbus Ohio USA are a few to mention.  

His programs are also televised in both Delhi and Bangalore Doordarshan in India. Rajendra was also very fortunate to be a part of much experimentation in Yakshagana and played leading roles in Yakshagana Ballets such as Hamsa Damayanthi, Chitrangade, Shabari, Ahalye, etc. directed by Professor Udayavara Madhava Acharya and was well appreciated by all Yakshagana critics. One and half hour’s one-man ballet “Panchali” depicting the story of Mahabharata performed by Rajendra is considered one of its kind in Yakshagana.

Yakshahejje School of Yakshagana and Performing Arts USA was initiated by Dr. Rajendra Kedlaya, through support from the local community and admirers of Yakshagana to promote Yakshagana in the USA by conducting regular classes and now even online classes on Zoom.