Balwant Thakur Meets Director of National School of Drama, Explores New Pathways for Strengthening Theatre Education in J&K
New Delhi, 25th September, 2025: Eminent theatre director and former cultural diplomat of India to South Africa and Mauritius, Balwant Thakur, today met Chittaranjan Tripathi, Director of the National School of Drama (NSD), in New Delhi. The meeting revolved around a series of constructive discussions aimed at strengthening theatre education in Jammu & Kashmir and identifying new avenues for trained theatre professionals in the context of India’s evolving educational landscape.
With the introduction of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasizes arts-integrated learning and theatre-in-education as vital tools for holistic development, the demand for trained theatre educators is growing rapidly. Jammu & Kashmir, with its rich cultural heritage and an emerging interest in creative education, stands at a critical juncture where specialized theatre education can play a transformative role.
Balwant Thakur highlighted the urgent need to address this demand by creating platforms that can nurture and employ young theatre practitioners. He urged the NSD Director to consider this initiative as a priority, emphasizing that a structured system of training and engagement would not only strengthen the cultural fabric of Jammu & Kashmir but also provide sustainable employment opportunities to youth across the region.
“For decades, many talented and qualified young theatre enthusiasts, due to the lack of employment avenues, were compelled to migrate towards Bollywood and other entertainment industries. However, with the NEP 2020 now mandating arts-integrated education across schools and colleges in India, the scenario has changed dramatically. There is an urgent requirement for professional theatre educators, and Jammu & Kashmir can become a model region for implementing this policy,” Thakur noted.
Director NSD, Chittaranjan Tripathi, welcomed the suggestions and acknowledged the importance of bridging the gap between theatre training and educational implementation. Both leaders agreed that a roadmap is needed to create dedicated programs, workshops, and teacher-training modules in the region to empower educators and open new horizons for cultural and educational development.
The meeting marks a significant step towards integrating theatre as a pedagogical tool within mainstream education while simultaneously creating meaningful employment for serious theatre practitioners. If implemented effectively, such initiatives can contribute not only to the advancement of theatre as an art form but also to the holistic growth of students, equipping them with creativity, empathy, and critical thinking skills for the future.
Referring to the recently concluded International Theatre Festival by NSD in Singapore, Balwant Thakur complimented the Director for projecting Indian theatre internationally and also desired to expand and explore this novice mission to other countries and in Europe in particular.
