National School of Drama

2022-05-08T20:16:29Z

122.182.223.195:

{{short description|Theatre training institute}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox university
| name = National School of Drama
| image_name = NSD logo 2017.gif
| image_size =
| image_alt = Stylized image of a mask surrounded by flames
| caption =
| motto =
| mottoeng =
| established = {{start date|1959}}
| type = [[Public university|Public]]
| affiliation =
| president =
| principal =
| chairman = [[Paresh Rawal]] {{small|(2020–present)}}
| director = Suresh Sharma {{small|(September 2018 – present)}}
| head_label =
| head =
| faculty =
| staff =
| students =
| undergrad =
| postgrad =
| doctoral =
| address = [[Bahawalpur House]]
| city = [[New Delhi]]
| state =
| country = India
| coordinates =
| campus = [[Urban area|Urban]]
| affiliations = [[Sangeet Natak Akademi]]
| website = {{URL|https://www.nsd.gov.in}}
| footnotes =
}}
'''National School of Drama''' ('''NSD''') is a theatre training institute situated at [[New Delhi]], [[India]]. It is an autonomous organization under [[Ministry of Culture (India)|Ministry of Culture]], [[Government of India]]. It was set up in 1959 by the [[Sangeet Natak Akademi]] and became an independent school in 1975.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=qYfH1tOwsHcC&pg=PA676&dq=%22national+school+of+drama%22&lr=&as_brr=0 Training – National School of Drama]''The Columbia encyclopedia of modern drama'', by Gabrielle H. Cody, Evert Sprinchorn. Columbia University Press, 2007. {{ISBN|0-231-14422-9}}. ''Page 766''.</ref> In 2005, it was granted [[deemed university]] status, but in 2011 it was revoked.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/pmo-wants-deemed-varsity-tag-for-nsd-institute-disagrees-2960543/|title=PMO wants deemed varsity tag for NSD, institute disagrees|date=8 August 2016}}</ref> [[Paresh Rawal]] is the current Chairperson of
National School of Drama (NSD).

[[File:National School of Drama.jpg|thumb|National School of Drama in Mandi House]]

==History==
The origins of the school can be traced back to a seminar in 1954, where the idea of a Central institution for theatre was mooted, subsequently, a draft scheme was prepared in 1955, and the [[Sangeet Natak Akademi]], which had [[Jawaharlal Nehru]] as its president, started drawing plans for the institution. Meanwhile, elsewhere in Delhi, Bharatiya Natya Sangh (BNS) with assistance from [[UNESCO]], independently established the 'Asian Theatre Institute' (ATI) on 20 January 1958, and in July 1958, ATI was taken over by the [[Sangeet Natak Akademi]] (SNA), India's National Academy of Music, dance and drama of [[Government of India]].<ref>[http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090315/spectrum/main1.htm National School of Drama ..over the past 50 years] [[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]] 15 March 2009.</ref><ref name=ns/>

In the following year, the government merged it with the newly founded school, and thus NSD was established in April 1959 under the auspices of [[Sangeet Natak Akademi]]. Initially, the school was situated at [[Nizamuddin West]] and was called 'National School of Drama and Asian Theatre Institute, whose first batch passed out in 1961. During his tenure as the director of the institution, [[Ebrahim Alkazi]] (1962–1977), not just overhauled the syllabus, but also had the students dig and build platforms for a theatre in the backyard of a rented [[Kailash Colony]] house, where NSD had moved.<ref name=hin>{{cite news |title=Theatre is revelation (Interview) |url=http://www.hindu.com/mag/2008/02/24/stories/2008022450160500.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080302010357/http://www.hindu.com/mag/2008/02/24/stories/2008022450160500.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 March 2008 |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |date=24 February 2008 }}</ref> Later when it moved to its present location, he also designed two theatres for NSD, including a 200-seat studio theatre, and the open-air Meghdoot theatre, under a banyan tree.<ref name=ns/><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=COkXM9n7KUcC&pg=PA168&dq=%22National+School+of+Drama%22#PPA168,M1 National School of Drama] ''The World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre: Asia/Pacific'', by Don Rubin. Published by Taylor & Francis, 2001. {{ISBN|0-415-26087-6}}. Page 168.</ref>

In 1975 it became an [[Autonomous entity|autonomous]] organization, under the erstwhile [[Ministry of Education (India)|Ministry of Education]] and [[Ministry of Culture (India)|Ministry of Culture]], Department of Culture, with the name 'National School of Drama' and relocated in May 1975, to its present premises at [[Bahawalpur House]], the residence of [[Bahawalpur (princely state)|Bahawalpur]] a former [[princely state]]. However, the place is generally known by adjacent (now demolished) [[Mandi House]], the former residence of Raja of erstwhile [[Mandi State|Mandi princely state]].<ref name=ns/> In 1999, the School organized its first National Theatre Festival, 'Bharat Rang Mahotsav', generally held during the second week of January each year.

In 2008, the institution celebrated its golden jubilee at its annual theatre festival, ''[[Bharat Rang Mahotsav]]'', with a gathering of its alumni from all over the country,<ref>[http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Features/Culture_Cauldron/National_School_of_Drama_celebrates_golden_jubilee_in_style/rssarticleshow/2694072.cms National School of Drama celebrates golden jubilee in style] [[The Economic Times]], 12 January 2008.</ref> the festival's satellite edition in Mumbai showcased plays of NSD graduates, including [[Ratan Thiyam]]'s Prologue, [[Bansi Kaul]] (Aranyadhipati Tantiya), [[Neelam Mansingh Chowdhry|Neelam Mansingh Chowdhury]] (The Suit), Sanjay Upadhyay (Harsingar), [[Baharul Islam (actor)|Baharul Islam]] (Akash), [[Mohan Maharishi]] (Dear Bapu) and [[M K Raina]] (Stay Yet Awhile).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/the-graduates/255144/|title=The Graduates|date=28 December 2007|newspaper=The Indian Express|access-date=2 April 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004221012/http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/the-graduates/255144/|archive-date=4 October 2012}}</ref> [[Waman Kendre]] was appointed as Director the school in 2013. He will serve a five-year term.<ref>{{cite press release | title = Government Appoints Prof. Waman Kendre as Director of National School of Drama | publisher = Press Information Bureau, Government of India | date = 1 August 2013 | url = http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=97520 | access-date = 1 August 2013 }}</ref> He has done post-graduate with research in folk theatre of [[Kerala]] from NSD. He belongs to the nomadic Vanjara tribal community of [[Marathwada]] and was one of the leading lights of the Dalit theatre movement in [[Maharashtra]] in the late 1970s.<ref>{{cite news | title = Marathi theatre veteran to head NSD | newspaper = The Telegraph | date =26 July 2013 | url = http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130726/jsp/nation/story_17159090.jsp | access-date = 1 August 2013}}</ref> As of 10 September 2020 [[Paresh Rawal]], has been appointed as the Chairman of the National School of Drama.<ref>{{Cite web|date=10 September 2020|title=Paresh Rawal appointed as chief of National School of Drama|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/paresh-rawal-appointed-as-new-chief-of-national-school-of-drama/story-rcziCGmn09Zckrv42YsgQO.html|access-date=10 September 2020|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref>

===Deemed university status===
On 16 March 2005, the [[Government of India]] granted the NSD the status of [[deemed university]].<ref>[http://pib.nic.in/release/rel_print_page1.asp?relid=7814 National School of Drama gets Deemed University Status][[Ministry of Human Resource Development (India)|Ministry of Human Resource Development]] 16 March 2005."The Government has declared the National School of Drama, New Delhi as Deemed to be University with immediate effect."</ref><ref>[http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/mar162005/update11.asp ''NSD declared deemed university''] ''[[Deccan Herald]]'' 16 March 2005.</ref> However, in 2010 the NSD Society asked for the deemed university status to be revoked since "[it] could undermine the professional training, autonomy, and flexibility required in the creative fields such as theatre." Thus, in October 2011, the status was revoked on request of NSD.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2518525.ece |title=The Hindu : News / National : NSD loses deemed varsity status on own request |work=The Hindu |date=7 October 2011 |access-date=9 October 2011}}</ref>

==Performing Wings==

===Repertory Company===
[[File:NSD at Anugoonj 2011.png|right|250px|thumb|Play by the NSD at the Anugoonj, 2011 (cultural festival of the [[GGSIPU]], Delhi)]]

The professional performing wing of NSD, the 'National School of Drama' Repertory Company was set up in 1964, with an aim to promote professional theatre in India. Its first head was [[Om Shivpuri]], followed by [[Manohar Singh]], [[Ram Gopal Bajaj]] (Acting Chief), J.N. Kaushal (Acting Chief), [[Anuradha Kapur]] (Acting Chief), and [[Suresh Sharma]], Sagar Kamble, Atul Singhai (Animation chief).

Today, the Repertory Company has staged over 120 plays based on the works of about 70 playwrights and featuring around 50 directors in several countries, and various cities across the nation, and has its own festival every year called 'Annual Repertory Company Summer Festival', in which it performs new and past plays. In 2004, the repertory celebrated its 40th anniversary with a theatre festival in New Delhi.

===Sanskaar Rang Toli===
In 1989 NSD established the 'Theatre-in-Education Company' (T.I.E), called 'Sanskaar Rang Toli', which coaches children aged 8 to 16 years. The company regularly performs plays for school and adults audiences alike, and has its own yearly theatre festivals, 'Jashn-e-Bachpan' and Bal Sangam.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nsd.gov.in/nsd_tietours.htm|title=T.I.E.}}</ref>

==Performing spaces==
The school has three auditoria within the campus:

* Abhimanch Auditorium
* Sammukh Auditorium
* Bahumukh Auditorium

Apart from that, it has a studio theatre and minor performances spaces used on special occasions, like the Bharat Rangmahotsav.

==Regional centres==

In a bid to decentralize its activities, NSD opened Regional Resource Centres (RRC) across India, the first of which was opened at [[Bengaluru]] in 1994.<ref name=ns>[http://www.nsd.gov.in/Annual_Report_2005-06.pdf NSD Genesis] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718213711/http://www.nsd.gov.in/Annual_Report_2005-06.pdf |date=18 July 2011 }} NSD website</ref> A new centre was established in [[Varanasi]].

[[File:20 Rang Mahotsav.jpg|thumb|Rang Mahotsav festival at NSD]]

==Bharat Rang Mahotsav==
{{Main|Bharat Rang Mahotsav}}
[[Bharat Rang Mahotsav]], or the 'National Theatre Festival', established in 1999, is the annual [[theatre festival]] of National School of Drama (NSD), held in [[New Delhi]], today it is acknowledged as the largest theatre festival of [[Asia]], dedicated solely to theatre.<ref name=bh>{{cite news |title=11th Bharat Rang Mahotsav to begin from Jan 7 |url= http://www.financialexpress.com/news/11th-bharat-rang-mahotsav-to-begin-from-jan-7/406807/|work=[[The Financial Express (India)|The Financial Express]] |date=5 January 2009 }}</ref> The School also organizes a festival showcasing tribal traditions, the [[Adirang Mahotsav]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/galleries/nation/2017/mar/04/celebrating-tribal-art-and-culture-with-adi-rang-mahotsav-100287--4.html|title=Celebrating tribal art and culture with 'Adi Rang Mahotsav'|work=The New Indian Express|access-date=2019-10-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/spotlight/rural-india-comes-together-at-adi-rang-mahotsav/articleshow/64465598.cms|title=Rural India comes together at Adi Rang Mahotsav - Times of India|website=The Times of India|language=en|access-date=2019-10-03}}</ref>

==Notable alumni==
{{more citations needed section|date=May 2021}}
{{Div col|colwidth=15em|rules=yes}}
* [[Ashutosh Rana]]
* [[Adil Hussain]]
* [[Ashish Vidyarthi]]
* [[Ashok Lokhande]]
* [[Amal Allana]]
* [[Abhishek Sharma (director)|Abhishek Sharma]]
* [[Alok Nath]]
* [[Amruta Subhash]]
* [[Anupam Kher]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/anupam-kher-my-ups-and-downs-have-taught-me-about-life/articleshow/64320596.cms|title=Anupam Kher: My ups and downs have taught me about life |work=The Times of India|access-date=2 June 2018}}</ref>
* [[Anuradha Kapur]]
* [[Annu Kapoor]]
* [[Ashraful Haque (actor)]]
* [[Atul Kulkarni]]
* [[Baharul Islam (actor)]]
* [[Balraj Pandit]]
* [[B. Jayashree]]
* [[Bijay Mohanty]]
* [[B.M. Shah]]
* [[B.V. Karanth]]
* [[Bansi Kaul]]
* [[Bhanu Bharti]]
* [[Bharti Sharma]]
* [[Chinmay Mandlekar]]
* [[Dolly Ahluwalia]]
* [[Dinesh Khanna (director)]]
* [[Govind Namdev]]
*[[Himani Shivpuri]]
* [[Irrfan Khan]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/magazine/2017/nov/04/i-would-never-leave-bollywood-as-my-base-irrfan-khan-1690528.html|title=I would never leave Bollywood as my Base: Irrfan Khan|work=The New Indian Express|access-date=2 June 2018}}</ref>
* [[Indira Tiwari]]
* [[Jaya Seal]]
* [[Kumud Mishra]]
*[[Madhu (actor)]]
* [[M.K. Raina]]
* [[Manohar Singh]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.asianage.com/life/art/120917/himachal-keeps-theatre-alive-with-amateur-dramatic-club.html|title=Himachal keeps theatre alive with amateur dramatic club|date=12 September 2017|work=asianage.com|access-date=2 June 2018}}</ref>
* [[Mohan Maharishi]]
* [[Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub]]
* [[Mukesh Tiwari]]
* [[Nadira Babbar]]
* [[Naseeruddin Shah]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/acting-is-learnt-not-taught-naseeruddin-shah/story-hgeNXfx1mImjj4OhM3a3ZN.html|title=Acting is learnt, not taught: Naseeruddin Shah|date=16 March 2018|work=Hindustan Times|access-date=2 June 2018|language=en}}</ref>
* [[Nawazuddin Siddiqui]]
* [[Neena Gupta]]<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/education/nsd-convocation-national-school-of-drama-awards-diplomas-to-alumni-of-past-10-years/story-mRllP4YHPFarPx5XTtYQiK.html|title=NSD Convocation: National School of Drama awards diplomas to alumni of past 10 years|date=6 August 2019|website=Hindustan Times}}</ref>
* [[Om Puri]]
*[[Om Shivpuri]]
* [[Pankaj Kapur]]
* [[Pankaj Tripathi]]
* [[Piyush Mishra]]
* [[Prasanna (theatre director)|Prasanna]]
* [[Raj Babbar]]
* [[Rajesh Sharma (actor)|Rajesh Sharma]]
* [[Rajpal Yadav]]
* [[Raghubir Yadav]]
* [[Ram Gopal Bajaj]]
* [[Ratan Thiyam]]
* [[Ratna Pathak Shah]]
* [[Rita Ganguly]]
* [[Rohini Hattangadi]]
* [[Rohitash Gaud]]<ref name=Rohit>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/as-a-student-of-nsd-my-life-was-based-around-mandi-house-says-rohitash-gaud/articleshow/56296766.cms|title=As a student of NSD, my life was based around Mandi House, says Rohitash Gaud|website=The Times of India}}</ref>
* [[Rupal Patel]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Saath Nibhana Saathiya 2: Rupal Patel aka Kokilaben CONFESSES her journey is ending; says, 'Everything was pre-decided' |url=https://www.bollywoodlife.com/tv/saath-nibhana-saathiya-2-rupal-patel-aka-kokilaben-confesses-her-journey-is-ending-says-everything-was-pre-decided-1713617/amp/ |access-date=4 April 2021 |work=Bollywood Life |date=2 November 2020 |language=en}}</ref>
* [[R T Rama]]
* [[Sai Paranjpye]]
* [[Santanu Bose]]
* [[Sanjay Mishra (actor)|Sanjay Mishra]]
* [[Satish Kaushik]]
* [[Seema Biswas]]
* [[Shah Rukh Khan]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2002/jul/10srk.htm |title=For an entire year I was sad |work=Rediff.com |author=Panicker, Prem |date=10 July 2002 |access-date=14 March 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120817042452/http://www.rediff.com/movies/2002/jul/10srk.htm |archive-date=17 August 2012 }}</ref>
* [[Shanta Gandhi]]
* [[Sharad Ponkshe]]
* [[Shyam Pathak]]
* [[Subrat Dutta]]
* [[Sunil Pokhrel]]
* [[Surekha Sikri]]<ref name="auto"/>
* [[Suresh Bhardwaj]]
* [[Swanand Kirkire]]
* [[Tannishtha Chatterjee]]
* [[Tigmanshu Dhulia]]<ref name=Rohit/>
* [[Tushar Pandey]]
* [[Uttara Baokar]]
* [[Virendra Saxena]]
* [[V K Sharma]]
* [[Yashpal Sharma (actor)|Yashpal Sharma]]
{{Div col end}}

==Directors of NSD==
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; font-size: 85%; background:#ffffcc; color:black; width:20em; max-width: 85%;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
! style="background-color:#cccccc;" | Chairpersons of NSD<ref>{{cite web |title=Chairperson of the NSD|url=https://nsd.gov.in/delhi/index.php/chairperson/ |access-date=4 April 2021}}</ref>
|-
| style="text-align: left;" |
* Dr. K.V Rajamannar – 1959-61
* Maharaja Shri Chamaraja Wadiyar Bahadur – 1961-65
* [[Indira Gandhi]] – 1965-72
* [[K.P.S. Menon]] – 1976-Feb.1978
* [[Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay]] – March–Nov.1978
* [[L. M. Singhvi]] – Nov. 1978–82
* [[Shanta Gandhi]] – 1982–84
* Suresh Awasthi – 1984–86
* [[Vijaya Mehta|Vijaya F. Mehta]] – 1988–92
* P.C. Joshi – 1992–96
* [[Chandrashekhara Kambara]] – 1996-Nov.2000
* [[Anupam Kher]] – 2001-04
* [[Amal Allana]] – May 2005-13
* [[Ratan Thiyam]] – 2013-17
* [[Paresh Rawal]] – Sept.2020-present
|}

NSD has had eleven directors since its establishment in 1959:<ref>[http://www.nsd.gov.in/nsd_pdirectors.htm Previous Directors] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071227081550/http://nsd.gov.in/nsd_pdirectors.htm |date=27 December 2007 }} National School of Drama, Official website.</ref>
{|class=wikitable
! Director !! Took Office !! Left Office
|-
| Satu Sen || 1959 || 1961
|-
| [[Ebrahim Alkazi]] || 1962 ||1977
|-
| [[B. V. Karanth]] || 1977 || 1982
|-
| [[B. M. Shah]] || 1982 || 1984
|-
| [[Mohan Maharishi]] || 1984 || 1986
|-
| [[Ratan Thiyam]] || 1987 || 1988
|-
| Kirti Jain || 1988 || 1995
|-
| [[Ram Gopal Bajaj]] || 1995 || Sept 2001
|-
| [[Devendra Raj Ankur]] || 2001 || 3 July 2007
|-
| [[Anuradha Kapur]] || July 2007 || July 2013
|-
| [[Waman Kendre]] || August 2013 || 26 September 2018
|-
| Suresh Sharma || September 2018 || March 2022
|-
|Dr. Ramesh Chandra Gaur
|15 March 2022
|
|}

== Molestation allegation ==
In August 2018, a woman student alleged molestation<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/national-school-of-drama-student-alleges-molestation-by-guest-teacher-1834097.html|title=National School of Drama Student Alleges Molestation by Guest Teacher|work=News18|access-date=5 August 2018}}</ref> – that she was inappropriately touched by National School of Drama's guest professor Suresh Shetty during the entrance workshop.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/delhi/girl-alleges-molestation-by-national-school-of-drama-professor-during-test-5292115/|title=Girl alleges molestation by National School of Drama professor during test|date=5 August 2018|work=The Indian Express|access-date=5 August 2018|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/applicant-says-65-year-old-nsd-teacher-molested-her-during-test/articleshow/65274777.cms|title=Applicant says 65-year-old NSD teacher molested her during test |work=The Times of India|access-date=5 August 2018}}</ref> The accused professor was a retired Academics Dean of NSD.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ndtv.com/delhi-news/woman-who-alleged-molestation-not-our-student-national-school-of-drama-1895606|title=Woman Who Alleged Molestation Not Our Student: National School of Drama|work=NDTV.com|access-date=5 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/national-school-of-drama-student-alleges-molestation-by-guest-teacher/story-a17UXBCu0y5o8DXbXyxNSJ.html|title=National School of Drama student alleges molestation by guest teacher|date=4 August 2018|work=Hindustan Times|access-date=5 August 2018|language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Theatre of India]]
* [[Ebrahim Alkazi]]
* [[Ninasam]]
* [[Bhartendu Academy of Dramatic Arts|Bhartendu Natya Academy]]
* [[Biju Pattnaik Film and Television Institute of Odisha]]
* [[Government Film and Television Institute]]
* [[Film and Television Institute of India]]
* [[Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute]]
* [[State Institute of Film and Television]]
* [[Madhya Pradesh School of Drama]]
*[[Kalabhavan]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* ''Rang yatra: twenty-five years of the National School of Drama Repertory Company'', by National School of Drama. Published by National School of Drama, 1992.

==External links==
* [http://www.nsd.gov.in Official '''NSD''' (National School of Drama) website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100102071553/http://www.nsdtheatrefest.com/indexenglish.html Official Bharat Rang Mahotsav website]

* [http://nationalschoolofdrama.blogspot.com/ NSD Alumni – Activities and Associations]
{{commons category|position=right}}

{{Film schools in India}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:National School of Drama}}
[[Category:National School of Drama| ]]
[[Category:Drama schools in India]]
[[Category:Film schools in India]]
[[Category:Universities and colleges in Delhi]]
[[Category:Arts organisations based in Delhi]]
[[Category:Arts organizations established in 1959]]
[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1959]]
[[Category:1959 establishments in Delhi]]
[[Category:Performing arts education in India]]
[[Category:Theatre in India]]

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National School of Drama