Balwant Thakur
Balwant Thakur | |
---|---|
Born | Rabindra Nath Tagore Award Gursharan Singh Theatre Commitment Award | 25 December 1960
Website | www |
Balwant Thakur is an Indian theatre personality and scholar, known for bringing
Biography
Balwant Thakur was born on 25 December 1960
Thakur showed his taste for theatre at an early age when he, along with six of his friends, formed a children's theatre group called Seven Stars. The group staged a few plays such as Sabhya Saanp and Kanyadaan.
Natrang was said to be a success from inception, collecting a State Academy award for best production for his play, Chauraha.[4] During the next three years, the group staged plays such as Neeli Jheel, Nanhen Kandhey Nanhen Pair, Singhasan Khali Hai and Rang Nagri and won the State Academy awards for four consecutive years from 1983 to 1986.[2][4]
By this time, Thakur's attention has been set on the traditional theatre of
Thakur's next attempt was at the Children's theatre, Mere Hisse Ki Dhoop Kahan Hai, which was a UNESCO project. The reports say that the play was a success with over 50 stages in and out of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The play was later made into a movie and screened at the Asia-Pacific Film Festival in Bangkok.[4]
Thakur has written many plays such as Suno Eh Kahani, Aaj Ki Aurat, Is Gran Gi Surg Banai Lo, Anpaden Da Hall, Jalo Khala, Mere Bi Ehen Kish Khaab and Aag and children's plays, Aap Hamare Hain Kaun, and Bhag Beta Bhag.
Legacy
One of Thakur's major contributions to Indian theatre is the group he founded and the activities he accomplished under its aegis. After quitting from his job as the Secretary of the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, he started an annual event, the Natrang Theatre Festival.[5] He also started a weekend show called Sunday Show, in 2004, which has been staging shows every week unabated through the regional turmoil, reaching 500 weekly theatre shows, considered to be a record of sorts.[4]
Thakur is credited with the revival of the traditional theatre of
Awards and recognitions
In 2013, the Government of India honoured Thakur with the fourth highest civilian award, Padma Shri.[1] He is a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, which he received in 1999.[3][6] He has also won the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages award three times, in 1983, 1984 and 1985. His other awards and recognitions are:
- Ford Foundation Research grant[2]
- National Sanskriti Award - 1992[4]
- All India Citizen Award for culture - 1994[3]
- Gurushree - 1995[3]
- Abhinayak Samman - 1996[2][3]
- Saptrishi Samman - 2001[2][3]
- Kala Nidhi Puraskar - 2004[2][3]
- Best Director Award - Doordarshan Theatre festival - 2005[3]
- Dogra Rattan - 2006[3]
- Punjab Arts Council Honour - 2007[3]
- Dogri Sanstha Award - 2010[3]
- Maharaja Gulab Singh Memorial Award - 2011[3]
- Rabindra Nath Tagore Award - 2011[3]
- Gursharan Singh Theatre Commitment Award (World Theatre Day Honour) - 2013[3]
Sangeet Natak Akademi honoured Thakur by hosting a retrospective of five of his plays, under the theme, Theatre Days with Balwant Thakur at Tagore Theatre in Chandigarh, in 2006. Four theatre festivals, in Russia, Germany, Hungary and Poland, staged his play, Ghumayee, in 2009.[4]
See also
- Dogri
- Bhand Pather
- Moti Lal Kemmu
References
- ^ a b "List of Padma appointees". The Hindu. 26 January 2013. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "About Balwant Thakur". Balwant Thakur. 2014. Archived from the original on 20 October 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Balwant Thakur honoured". Daily Excelsior. 29 March 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Balwant Thakur". Indian Talent Magazine. 2014. Archived from the original on 23 October 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
- ^ "Natrang starts Theatre Festival with Hindi play 'Kavita Ka Chakkar'". Daily Excelsior. 28 March 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
- ^ "Many felicitations in store for Padamshree Balwant Thakur". Jammu Greater Kashmir. 2 February 2013. Archived from the original on 23 October 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
External links
- "Padma Awards List". Indian Panorama. 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
- Avinash Azad (2014). "Short Interview". Interview. Jammu and Kashmir Newpoint. Archived from the original on 20 October 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2014.