Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec, 27: Natrang has become first cultural institution of India for having launched its own calendar for the year 2019. The year calendar 2019 of Natrang Jammu was released here, today by Balwant Thakur, Director Natrang in presence of senior and young artists of organisation.
Speaking on the occasion, Balwant Thakur said that in connection with the celebrations of the completion of 35 years of Natrang, this calendar has been published by Natrang, featuring the glimpses of the plays featured during last seven theatre festivals. The idea is to disseminate the information relating to the activities of Natrang globally and also to provide a fixed calendar to its audience notifying the activities being organized by the organization during the year 2019.
Natrang is the first full-time professional theatre group of the State of Jammu & Kashmir which was established in the year 1983 by Balwant Thakur. Registered as a non-profit making society, it has been recognized as first professional performing arts institution of J & K. With over 300 new plays and over 6300 shows, Natrang emerged as one of the important cultural centre of the country which made a record participation in more than 200 national theatre festivals in last 35 years.
Presently the group is having its own equipped Studio-Theatre, a library, resource centre and a small office where it runs its ‘Repertory Company’, ‘Children’s Weekend Club’, ‘Natrang Rural Theatre’, ‘Natrang Sunday Theatre’ and a ‘Theatre Laboratory’. Since last seven years Natrang has been organizing mega cultural events showcasing the performing arts heritage of J&K, in which over 500 artists perform in one event. Over the years the group has developed the skill to creatively organize and handle such international level events. Natrang has the credit of having performed in major international theatre festivals held in Moscow, Belgrade, Yaroslavl, St. Petersburg, Frankfurt, Berlin, Rome, London, Bangkok, and Dubai.