IMPHAL, April 10: After being felicitated for his National Fellow conferred by the National Sangeet Natak Akademi, India Dr Ratan Thiyam, Director Chorus Repertory Theatre was awarded Bhagyachandra Memorial Award in an award presentation ceremony organised by Theatre Centre, Manipur (TCM) today.
Pukhrambam Khogendro Singh, Director Deal Repertory Theatre, Chajing was also awarded Life Time Achievement Award at the said ceremony held at Auditorium of the Manipur Dramatic Union here.
Speaking at the occasion Dr Thiyam said our profession is most warned of by the parents and relatives, and so we have to have courage and patience to work in this field. It is very touching as well as satisfied that the award is given to me for working in theatre by people working in theatre.
It is worthless even if one read crores of books but does not have creativity in his mind. Without knowing world literature, architecture, anthropology, design and painting, one cannot do plays. The state has many art forms having many aesthetic values which are rare to see in other states. If the concerned authority knows the value of art forms then it would have been a much bigger entity, he added.
He then said we the artists also have our fault as we do not take the art forms as one. We only knows what we are doing and do not recognise other’s art forms. A collective force is needed sooner to do something better for the art forms otherwise many art forms will go extinct.
Dr K Sobita Devi, Director Art and Culture, Govt of Manipur as chief guest at the occasion said the department has been trying to promote performing arts and thinking to organise state level festival from next year. As promoting of arts cannot be done instantly it is working to do it slowly and steadily.
It will be surely achieved if the CM acknowledges it. To obtain the inner meaning of performing arts the department is planning to support traditional institutions from next year, she added.
The occasion was presided over by Wareppa Naba, President TCM and attended by Sh Vedeshwor Sharma, Secretary State Kala Akademi, Imphal as guest of honour.