Senior Artists Receive Special Recognition and Assistance on World Theatre Day

Jeypore, April 09:  On the occasion of World Theatre Day, a special programme was organized at the Cultural Bhavan in Nabarangpur at around 6:30 PM. The event was conducted under the initiative of the Tridhara Theatre Association, led by its secretary and playwright Jagannath Behera, who also presided over the meeting. Many theatre artists actively participated in the programme.
The meeting, held in the conference hall of the Cultural Bhavan, was attended by Devdas Mahakud, Executive Member of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, Bhubaneswar, as the Chief Guest. Distinguished guests included eminent playwright, director, and professor Dillip Hota, and senior playwright and director Prakash Samantaray.
In his speech, Mr. Mahakud stated that theatre is a mirror of society, and that real-life events are transformed into dramatic forms to present solutions and awareness to the public. He emphasized that, along with stage performances, street plays should also be promoted to spread social awareness.
Mr. Hota highlighted that theatre should not remain confined to the stage but should reach every household, riverside, and remote areas, moving from group-level engagement to individual connection.
Mr. Samantaray remarked that the stage is like a training ground for actors. He also noted that artists can now showcase their talents on social media platforms, expanding their reach and opportunities.
In his address, Mr. Behera compared the theatre association to an ocean and each artist to a drop of water, emphasizing that every individual contribution is vital in building a strong artistic community.
The programme was conducted by stage artist Devi Prasad Tripathy, while actor Shiva Shankar Tripathy delivered the vote of thanks.
After the meeting, all artists gathered and visited the residence of senior theatre and film director Suresh Maharshi. They spent time with him, shared moments of joy and concern, and honored him for his immense contribution to theatre and film. It is noteworthy that Mr. Maharshi has been unwell for some time.
The event was attended by several prominent theatre personalities, including television director Manoj Pattnaik, Bibananda Pattnaik, actors Raghunath Rath, Ashok Panda, Bibhuti Sethi, Santosh Kumar, Ritesh Pujari, and many others.