Multilingual actor Prakash Rai has completed one year of his theater school, Nirdiganta, near Srirangapatna. On Sunday, he celebrated this milestone with his well-wishers and the media.
The event, held at Nirdiganta, featured the release of the annual edition and a discussion. Prakash Rai shared the story of Nirdiganta’s inception and its various activities over the past year. The celebration was attended by notable figures, including Dr. Vijayamma, Kripakar-Senani, Krishnamurthy Hanur, B. Suresh, K.V. Narayana Swamy, Mamata Sagar, Jogi, Achyuth Kumar, and Kishore.
Prakash Rai described Nirdiganta as more than just a theater school, referring to it as a haven for theater artists. He said, “I come from a theater background and have always wanted to give back. But the question was, how? Should I form a theater group or act in plays again? These questions led to the creation of Nirdiganta, driven by the desire to engage creatively in the contemporary cultural world. It’s a space for literature, visual arts, dance, and sculpture, beyond just theater or drama school. The name Nirdiganta, inspired by the lines of poet Kuvempu, felt fitting.”
To further its mission, Nirdiganta has formed four teams: College Theater to reach the youth community, School Theater for children, School Theater Development to conduct theater activities with children, and Theater Development projects to support and understand the perspectives of today’s young directors.
In addition to teaching and performing plays, Nirdiganta aims to extend theater to rural areas. Rai mentioned that many talented individuals trained in various places are available. Utilizing their skills, Nirdiganta plans to expand theater across the state and provide suitable recommendations to the government to make theater a part of the curriculum. A report on the necessary curriculum materials will be submitted to the government by March.
Nirdiganta has selected five artists with experience in children’s camps and theater, providing them with 15 days of training before appointing them as theater teachers in state schools for six months. These teachers will instruct children in drama, music, and other subjects. Additionally, five young directors have been awarded fellowships by Nirdiganta, and their new plays have been performed in two locations within the state.
Nirdiganta has already organized two theater festivals, “Nehada Neyge.” These festivals have featured artists from across the nation and other countries, exploring new theater languages. Workshops in dance, music, and other arts have also been conducted.
Key contributors to the establishment of Nirdiganta, alongside Prakash Rai, include Dr. Shripad Bhatt, Shalom Sannut, Munna Mysore, Sushmita Chaitanya, Anush Shetty, and Kripakar Senani.
