Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 8: World Theatre Day honour for the year 2013 is being conferred on Balwant Thakur- the eminent theatre personality of the country who is also being conferred Padamshree for the year 2013 by Government of India. The function to felicitate Balwant Thakur with World Theatre Day honor is being held at Virsa Vihar, Amritsar (Punjab) on March 27.
Thakur has over 5000 programmes and over 250 National and International participations to his credit, which is a record in the country. Born in 1960 in a hilly village of District Reasi , a Law Graduate of University of Jammu, he is also a Post Graduate in Mass Communication. He completed three years research on the performing arts heritage of Jammu under a National Senior Fellowship Award of Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, in 1990.
He made history by winning State Academy Awards for best productions for the years 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1986.
With his Dogri play ‘Bawa Jitto’, he is the first person from this Duggar land who brought Dogri Theatre to the National limelight.
He has eleven plays to his credit including ‘Ek Sangharsh Ka Ant’, ‘Yeh Laash Kiski Hai’ and many others.
In the year 1992, he was awarded with ‘Sanskriti Award’ and the prestigious ‘The Ford Foundation (USA) Grant Award for his project – “Search for New Theatre Language”.
In children’s Theatre, Balwant Thakur is one of the few names of the Country who have made a unique contribution in establishing a new Children’s Theatre.
He was also awarded with ‘All India Citizen Award’ in the year 1994, ‘Abhinayak Samman’ in 1996, best director awards for the year 1985, 1986, 1986 in All India Cultural Competitions, ‘Gurushree’ and ‘Sapatrishi Samman’ in 1999 and 2001, Dogra Rattan Award in 2005, Best Director Award Doordarshan 2005 and ‘Maharaja Gulab Singh Memorial Award’ for his outstanding contribution in the field of culture.
Presently working as Regional Director-cum- consultant in Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Thakur has also worked as Secretary, J & K Academy of Art, Culture & Languages from 1995 to 2003, besides serving on the Board of prestigious institutions like, National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama, New Delhi (1999-2003, 2009-2013), North Zone Cultural Centre, Patiala (1995-2003) and as an expert for Indian Council for Cultural Relations and National School of Drama.
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