Theater icon Ratan Thiyam honored posthumously with Lifetime Achievement Award
Legendary Manipur theater director Ratan Thiyam was posthumously awarded the Sumitra Charat Ram Award for Lifetime Achievement at a ceremony in New Delhi's Kamani auditorium on Monday.
The event included a performance of his stage adaptation of Kanupriya, and his son Thawai accepted the award on his behalf.
Thiyam, who passed away in July at 77, is the first theater artist to receive this honor.
Why does Ratan Thiyam matter?
Thiyam spent over five decades shaping Indian theater by blending Manipuri traditions with modern storytelling.
He founded Imphal's Chorus Repertory Theatre in 1976, turning it into a hub for experimental drama.
His acclaimed play Chakravyuha won international awards and he created other classics like Uttar Priyadarshi and Chinglon Mapan Tampak Ama.
Recognized with the Padma Shri and Sangeet Natak Akademi honors, he also led major arts institutions—leaving an inspiring legacy for young artists everywhere.