Balwant Thakur nominated to Advisory Committee of National Academy

Excelsior Correspondent
Jammu, July 31: Padamshree Balwant Thakur Director of Natrang has been nominated as a member of the Advisory Committee (Theatre) of National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama i.e., Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi.
The 1st meeting of the Advisory committee theatre is being held on August 10 in Chennai (Tamilnadu) under the Chairmanship of Eminent Theatre director Rudraprasad Sengupta. Mandated to decide the formulation of policies and plans regarding the growth and development of theatre, the jurisdiction of the committee will be the entire country.
Credited for having devised/conducted and organised over 5000 theatre/music/dance shows, Balwant Thakur is one of the most celebrated theatre director of the country.
Decorated with the highest Indian honour in performing arts i.e, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Direction in theatre, Balwant Thakur is credited for being the youngest theatre director of India who has participated in over two hundred National Theatre Festivals as director, which is a record in the country. Known as a magic man of theatre, his outstanding visual poetics on stage like ‘Ghumayee’ ‘Bawa Jitto’ ‘Suno Eh Kahani’ ‘Chauraha’ and ‘Mahabhoj’ have vibrated the theatre scene of North India. Credited for bringing Dogri theatre to the National and International limelight, he has been highly instrumental in creating a new cultural renaissance in the State of Jammu and Kashmir.
In Children’s theatre, Balwant Thakur is one among the very few theatre directors of the country who have revolutionized the theatre scene and have evolved a new dramaturgy for children. His plays like ‘Mere Hisse Ki Dhoop Kahan Hai’ ‘Aap Hamare Hain Kaun’ ‘Hum Hain Naa’ and ‘Bhag Beta Bhag’ are being credited as the most demanded children productions which have been featured in almost all the major theatre events in India.
As playwright he has 12 original plays to his credit which are considered as one of the significant contribution to Indian Theatre in the post India Independence period.
He worked as Secretary J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages for eight years. Among many accomplishments, under his creative guidance the State of J&K won Best tableaux Award for the first time in 1997 and continued the tradition of winning Best Awards in 1999 and 2001. He also served on the Boards of prestigious Institutions of the country including, Department of Culture, Govt. of India, Sangeet Natak Akademi, Indian Council for Cultural Relations, North Zone Cultural Centre, Council for Promotion of Urdu Language and as an expert for National School of Drama, Department of Culture, M.P., Department of Language & Culture, H.P. and Association of Indian Universities. Widely travelled Balwant Thakur held his presentations in Bangkok (Thailand) Singapore, London, Oxford, Brighton, Stratford, Berlin, Frankfurt, (Germany), Rome (Italy) Moscow, Yoroslov, Belgrade, St. Petersburg, Turkey, Almaty, Bishkek, Denmark, Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhaabi, and Dhaka.
Currently he is working as Regional Director-cum-consultant in Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Ministry of External Affairs, and Government of India.

Follow our WhatsApp channel