Prof. Kirti Jain
Modern Indian Drama

M.A. in English literature and Diploma in Dramatics with specialization in Direction from NSD. Has acted in anddirected several plays. Conducted theatre workshops in many places. Produced plays and documentaries for Doordarshan. Contributes articles in Hindi and English to theatre related books and journals. Has traveled to many countries under the Cultural Exchange Program. Joined the NSD faculty as a teacher of Modern Indian Drama in 1977. Has been Director of NSD from 1988 to 1995. Started the TIE Company, the Documentation and Publication Programme and the Regional Research Centre of the School. Also manages ‘Natarang Pratishthan’, a Theatre Resource Centre.

Prof. Devendra Ankur
Indian Theater

An M.A. in Hindi Literature from the University of Delhi, Prof. Devendra Raj Ankur graduated from NSD in 1972 with a specialization in Direction.During the course of his career he has directed numerous plays with different amateur and professional groups across India. He has also directed plays, taught and conducted workshops in Hong Kong, Denmark, China, Japan, France, Maldives, Russia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bangladesh and Australia. Prof. Ankur is a regular contributor of articles and reviews on theatre to leading magazines in Hindi. To add to this he has published four books on Theatre Direction. Prof. Devendra Raj Ankur was conferred the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in the year 2003 for his contribution to Theatre.

Shri S.B. Kulkarni
Associate Professor Make-up

A graduate from Punjab University, Shri Sudhir Kulkarni holds a Diploma in Dramatic Arts with a specialization in Stagecraft from NSD. While at NSD, he was awarded the prize for the Best All Rounder and the Best Student in Stagecraft in 1975. Shri Sudir Kulkarni was part of the NSD Repertory Company as an actor for two years where he performed several memorable roles. Shri Kulkarni was Warden for the NSD Boys and Girls Hostels between 1978 & 1982. He was the Dean of Academic Affairs from 1978 to 1989. He has led workshops on several aspects of theatre including make-up and acting across India and abroad. He has been associated with the professional theatre in Mumbai and Baroada as an actor, director and designer. He has also several translations of plays to his credit. He has also been regularly acting with several groups and companies in Delhi.

Shri Robin Das
Associate Professor Secnic Design

Gradaute from Utkal University, also graduated from NSD in 1976 and joined its teaching faculty in 1977-78. Worked as a designer with important directors of the country from 1976 to 86. Has produced exiting designs for about fifty plays of diverse genres and as a director brought forward many important aspects of the contemporary Indian theatre scenario. Apart from having directed many plays, has sporadically worked as an art director and actor for few films and media work. A self-taught painter/caricaturist, he continuously strives to renew teaching methodologies apart from aspiring to assimilate the modern and the classical in play presentation. Was honoured with the Akademi Award 2000 by the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi for his contribution to design in theatre.

Ms. Tripurari Sharma
Associate Professor Acting

A graduate in English from Delhi University and Diploma in Direction from National School of Drama. Directed many plays and has been associated with many theatre groups in India and abroad. A playwright of repute and has translated many Indian and Western plays. Has written scripts for films.Was the Indian representative at the first International Women Playwrights' Conference’ held in USA in 1986. Received the Sanskriti Puraskar award in 1986, and was honoured by Delhi Natya Sangh in 1990.

Shri K.S. Rajendran
Associate Professor (Classical Indian Drama)

K.S. Rajendran teaches at NSD and directs plays - mainly in Tamil, as he prefers to do theatre in his mother tongue – and occasionally, as and when the situation demands,in Hindi/English.

A graduate of NSD, Rajendran worked with Koothu-p-Pattarai, a Chennai based theatre repertory. He was a Fellow of the Tamil Nadu Council of Historical Research while working on his research project : ‘Theatre of the Dravidian Movement (1985-1987)’.

His major productions include Na. Muthuswamiy’s Kattiyakkaran (for SNA), Suvarottikal, Brecht’s Caucasian Chalk Circle and Mother Courage (for Max Mueller Bhawan, Chennai), G. Shankara Pillai’s Moornru Panditharkal, Vijay Tendulkar’s Silence! The Court is in Session, Ionesco’s The Lesson, Genet’s Deathwatch, Seigfried Lenz’ Guna Beguna (for NSD), Indira Parthasarathy’s Ramanujar, C.S. Lakshmi’s (Ambai) Nadi Paar, Tamil Ponnu, Ochery’s Kallan Kayariya Veedu, Nokku Kuthi Thiyam, Chandra Shekhar Kambar’s Mahamayi, H.S. Shiva Prakash’s Madhavi, Satish Alekar’s Mahanirvan and Kalidasa’s Malavikagnimitram. He has been conducting theatre workshops in various parts of the country on a regular basis.

Rajendran is the Editor of ‘Theatre India’, the National School of Drama’s prestigious theatre journal in English.

Shri Ashok Sagar Bhagat
Associate Professor Theatre Architecture

An ace Light & Set Designer of North India, Ashok S. Bhagat has been on the top mark ever since graduated from National School of Drama, New Delhi in 1979, and is presently on the faculty National School of Drama as Associate Professor of Theatre Architecture. Helping out in the development and promotion of amateur theatre in the country on one hand, he can be equally credited with the pride and prestige of presenting India abroad during the Festivals of India in Japan, Germany, China, Thailand, Russia, Kyrgystan, Kazakhstan and Brazil in the Capacity of stage manager and technical director. He has been on the panel of many other institutes teaching drama around India as resource person. In search of newer frontiers and experimenting with new languages and technologies made him work also in the field of Cinema and TV. His contributions as Art Director in films ‘Bandit Queen’, ‘Jaya-Ganga’ and ‘Hazaron Khwahishen’ have been highly commended. Shri Bhagar was conferred with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 2002 for his contribution in the field of Stage Lighting.

Smt. Hema Singh
Associate Professor Acting

B.A. (Hons) in Political Science from Delhi University and a graduate of National school of Drama (integrated course, 1982). Worked with N.S.D. Repertory Company for 10 years and has acted in more than 70 plays. Has done extensive work in the field of direction, especially on the Parsi style and poetry presentation on Stage. Has taught theatre in various institutes such as S.R.C., B.N.A.,Delhi University, etc. Has been working as Associate Professor of Acting in National School of Drama since 2003.

Shri Suresh Bhardwaj
Associate Professor, Lighting

Diploma in the Integrated course in Theatre Arts from NSD. Technical Director of Bharat Bhawan, Bhopal since its inception. Has directed many plays, and is a well known name in the area of lighting. Conducted theatre workshops in India and abroad under the extension programme of the School. Has been involved in feature and tele films as a director and art director. Has been a part of the visiting faculty of NSD since 1984 and was appointed on a regular basis as a Lecturer of Lighting in 1989. Held the position of Dean (Academics) from May 2000 to May 2002. Appointed Professor in the Extension Programme from February 2002 to February 2004. Presently holding the position of Lecturer of lighting.

Dr. B. Ratna
Lecturer Music

B.A. (Hons) and M.A. in Karnatak Music from Delhi University. Doctorate in Indian Music from Madras University on , ‘A comparative Study of Hindustani and Karnatak Raga System’. A JRF and holder of the post of UGC Research Associate for Post-Doctoral research in the area of Music Education. Joined NSD as lecturer (music) in 1991. Conducted theatre music workshops in many places within the country and abroad. A performer of Karnatak Music, has given music direction in a number of plays. Has acted in plays of the Nirakar group. Held the position of Dean, Academics of NSD from June 2002 to May 2003.

Shri Amarjit Sharma
Lecturer Stage Technologist

A graduate from Delhi University. Joined National School of Drama in 1979 in its Carpentry Workshop section and was appointed Stage Technologist in 1994. Is responsible for preparing the set design, plans and models for staging plays and other connected events. Notable assignments have been the installation and execution of sets for Bharat Rang Mahotsavas held in 1999-2001, Jashn-e-Bachpan held in 1998-2001 and the German Festival in India, 2000-2001. Has designed sets for television serials. Visited Germany and Sri Lanka on official assignments for set execution. Attended a program for advance theatre technology in Tokyo in 1998 under the auspices of Indo-Japan Cultural Exchange Programme.

Shri Suresh Shetty
Lecturer Movement

Diploma in Acting from NSD in 1982. Joined the NSD Repertory Company as an Actor. Has performed many major roles in the repertory and also with other theatre groups. Has developed a detailed method of expression through body language. Visited France on an assignment to study modern techniques of movement and mime. Has done substantial experimental work with the human body, puppets and other elements of visual theatre. Besides being a lecturer of movement, he also holds the position of Dean (Academics).

Shri Abhilash Pillai
Lecturer, Acting & Dean, Academics

Diploma in Theatre Production and Stage Management from RADA, London; Post Graduate Diploma in Design and Direction from NSD; graduation in Theatre Arts from Calicut University, Kerala. Been a Trainee Director at Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond, U.K. Directed plays in various Indian languages and English, and is a major directorial force in India. His works draw on a wide array of materials ranging from the classical to the modern, but all of them are presented in contemporary aesthetic style.  His major productions include Survivors (England UK, 1999), Saketam, which incorporated the formal beauty of classical Sanskrit drama in innovative ways (Japan, 2001); the Greek tragedy Prometheus Bound; Island of Blood, which made bold use of images of various conflicts in South Asia (Germany, 2003, and Japan, 2004); and Midnight’s Children, based on the novel by Salman Rushdie (Bonn, Germany, May 2006).  Pillai has also been involved in many international collaborations, including a rendition of section of the Mahabharata titled Karna with Korean actor and with Chinese actors in Bejing 2004, a work based on the classical Sanskrit play Shakuntala with Russian actors (Moscow, 2004), and the former South Asia project of the Japan Foundation. Participated as an Indian representative in international theatre seminars and conducted theatre workshops in India and abroad. Written a biographical book C.N. Sreekantan Nair—A vision and mission of a theatre activists (in English) published by Central Sahitya Akademi. Contributed articles on theatre in leading publications in India and the U.K. Member of visiting faculties of universities in India and abroad. Honored with Sanskriti Award 2002-2003 for his achievements in theatre.