Lifetime Achievement Award for Manipuri Theatre Icon Ratan
November 17, 2025 12:05:44 IST MTG editorial
In a landmark event for Indian theatre lovers, the legendary Manipuri theatre icon Ratan Thiyam will be posthumously honoured with the Sumitra Charat Ram Award for Lifetime Achievement 2025. The ceremony, hosted by the Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra (SBKK), will take place at Delhi's Kamani Auditorium on November 17, coinciding with the birth anniversary of its founder, Sumitra Charat Ram. Known as a playwright, director, designer, actor and philosopher, Thiyam spent more than five decades redefining the vocabulary of contemporary Indian theatre. His son, Thawai Thiyam, will receive the award on his behalf in what is expected to be an emotional moment for the theatre community. This marks the first time the prestigious award-instituted in 2010-will honour a theatre personality, highlighting Thiyam's unparalleled influence on modern performance arts.
Thiyam, who passed away earlier this year, leaves behind a rich and transformative legacy. As the founder of Chorus Repertory Theatre in Imphal, he crafted a unique performance idiom that blended Manipuri dance, martial arts, ritual theatre, music and visual design, while maintaining universal spiritual and emotional resonance. His globally acclaimed productions such as Chakravyuha, Andha Yug, Uttar Priyadarshi and Chinglon Mapan Tampak Ama stand at the intersection of classical Indian philosophy and contemporary existential concerns. A recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and the Padma Shri, Thiyam emerged as one of India's strongest cultural ambassadors across Asia, Europe and the Americas, all while remaining deeply rooted in Manipur's socio-cultural landscape.
The award ceremony will also feature a special staging of Kanupriya, Thiyam's adaptation of Dharamvir Bharati's celebrated poem, performed by the Chorus Repertory Theatre. The evening will include an exhibition of rare photographs from Thiyam's productions by SBKK chairperson Shobha Deepak Singh, offering audiences a visual journey through his artistic evolution. Organisers say the honour symbolically connects two cultural stalwarts-Sumitra Charat Ram, who championed Indian arts as a civilisational force, and Ratan Thiyam, who preserved, expanded and reimagined the boundaries of Indian theatre for generations to come.
*Mumbai Theatre Guide takes no responsibility for change in schedule.
