Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 29: Director Natrang, Padamshree Balwant Thakur, will receive the 1st BV Karanth Life Time Achievement Award in the field of theatre on February 4 at Bal Bhawan, Hissar on the culmination of Haryana’s biggest National Puppet and Theatre Festival ‘Rang Aangan’.
Instituted by Abhinaya Rang Manch, the award carries Rs 51,000 cash, citation, a shawl and a memento. With this honour, Balwant Thakur will be the first Indian Theatre Director to hold this recognition. It may be recalled that recently J&K Government on the occasion of Republic Day selected Balwant Thakur for State’s highest honour ‘Life Time Achievement Award’ for the year 2018.
Born in 1960, Balwant Thakur is one of the most creative theatre directors of the country who have given a new identity to Indian theatre with their highly innovative theatre productions. Decorated with the highest Indian honor 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 over 250 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 J&K.
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