B. Jayashree is a veteran Indian theatre actor, director and singer, who has also acted in films and television. She is the creative director of Spandana Theatre, an amateur theatre company based in Bangalore, established in 1976. She was born on June 9, 1950 in Bangalore, India. She was nominated to the Upper house of the Indian Parliament, Rajya Sabha in 2010. She was awarded the Padma Shri, fourth-highest civilian honour by Government of India in 2013. Over the years, she was worked in notable theatre personalities, including B. V. Karanth. She has acted in Kannada films, like Nagamandala (1997), Deveeri (1999) and Care of Footpath (2006). She has also briefly remained the director of Mysore-based theatre institute, Rangayana. In 1996, she was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for acting, given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama, and the highest Indian recognition given to practicing artists, and later she was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 2010. She has also received an honorary D. Litt degree from the Karnataka State Open University in 2009.