One of India’s Greatest Theatre Luminaries, Ratan Thiyam Passes Away
New Delhi: Ratan Thiyam, one of India’s most acclaimed directors and playwrights has died. He was 77.
Thiyam was also a noted artist, painter, and musician. He was also known as Thiyam Nemai.
Thiyam's imprint went far beyond Manipur, his state of origin.
He received the Padma Vibhushan in 1989 and is seen as a co-founder of the “theatre of roots” movement, which saw its coming of age in the 1970s. This kind of theatre was contemporary as well as grounded itself in indigenous aesthetics and art forms.
He was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1987.
He is especially known for his direction in dramas like Chakrabvyuha, Uttar Priyadarshi, Hey Nungshibi Prithivi, Chinglon Mapan Tampak Ama. You can catch a glimpse of Nine Hills One Valley here.
The productions that Thiyam mounted transformed the Indian theatre scene. Indian theatre got global recognition in large part due to work done by Thiyam and his team. He never shied away from political themes and narratives, winning wide acclaim and admiration in India and internationally for his work.
Sad to know that a very distinguished playwright, director, writer, scholar, leading personality of "Theatre of Roots" and founder of Chorus Repertory Theatre, Sri Ratan Thiyam has passed away. He was one of the few directors who popularized ancient Indian traditions & touched… pic.twitter.com/3syQ7izowJ
— Sahitya Akademi (@sahityaakademi) July 23, 2025
Born on January 20, 1948, he passed away in the Regional Institute of Medical Science at 1.30 am today, July 23, 2025.
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