Speakers

DR. RATAN THIYAM

Ratan Thiyam is a playwright and theatre director. He is one of the leading figures of the "theatre of roots" movement in Indian theatre, which started in the 1970s. Also known as Thiyam Nemai, Ratan Thiyam is known for writing and staging plays using ancient Indian theatre traditions in a contemporary context. Thiyam is often considered one of the leading contemporary theatre gurus. He was also Chairperson of National School of Drama from 2013-2017. He worked as Vice-Chairman of Sangeet Natak Akademi and received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1987. He is the founderdirector of Chorus Repertory Theatre, formed on the outskirts of Imphal, Manipur in 1976. He has also been awarded the Padma Shri in 1989.