Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 5: Renowned Theatre Director, Padamshree Balwant Thakur was conferred 1st BV Karanth Lifetime Achievement Award at Bal Bhawan, Hissar on the culmination of Haryana’s biggest National Puppet and Theatre Festival ‘Rang Aangan-2018.’
Instituted by Abhinaya Rang Manch, Haryana, an organization working under the aegis of Ministry of Culture Government of India, the Award carried Rs 51, 000 Cash, a Citation, a Shawl and a Memento.
The award was presented at the valedictory function by the President, Abhinaya Rang Manch in presence of a galaxy of artists, celebrities and who is who of Haryana state.
With this honour, Thakur has become the first Indian Theatre Director to hold this rarest recognition.
It may be recalled that recently the Government of Jammu and Kashmir on the occasion of Republic Day selected him for State’s highest honour ‘Lifetime 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 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 over two hundred fifty 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.
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