Natrang marks 43 years of cultural renaissance in Jammu

Jammu, May 15: Natrang, one of India’s most prolific theatre organisations, celebrated its 43rd Foundation day on Thursday with grandeur at its Studio Theatre in Jammu. The event was marked by a compelling journey through four decades of cultural excellence, steered by founder and renowned theatre visionary, Padma Shri Balwant Thakur.
Using professionally curated audio-visuals, Thakur took the audience through the history of Natrang, revisiting milestones that have transformed the cultural narrative of Jammu and Kashmir. In his keynote address titled “Had There Not Been Natrang”, he underscored the organisation’s pivotal role in placing Dogri theatre and culture on the global map.
“Natrang was the first Indian theatre group to represent the country at the Frankfurt International Theatre Festival, with Dogri becoming the first Indian language to be showcased there,” Thakur said “We have brought a new cultural identity to the region, making it a sought-after cultural destination of India.” Since its inception on May 15, 1983 with two short plays—Neeli Jheel and Nanhen Kandhey Pair—Natrang has conducted over 7,500 performances and participated in more than 380 national and international theatre festivals. Its plays have travelled widely, garnering acclaim in countries including Germany, the UK, Russia, Singapore, Turkey, South Africa, Mauritius, and the UAE.
Natrang’s extensive body of work includes landmark productions such as Bawa Jitto, Ghumayee, Mahabhoj, Aap Hamare Hain Kaun, Poster, Raktbeej, Comedy of Terrors, Richard III, Gulab Gatha, and Rangla Jammu, among others. The organisation has been instrumental in pioneering theatre for children, theatre camps, weekly performances, repertory systems, documentation, and mega-productions involving hundreds of performers. Natrang’s legacy also includes nurturing over 2,000 actors, with many findings’ success in Indian cinema and television. Notable alumni include Bhanu Goswami, Anjali Abrol, Sunil Palwal, Harish Khanna, Neelu Dogra, Ekta Kaul, and Mansi Sharma. Several artists have gone on to receive national and international recognition, including scholarships and fellowships from the Ford Foundation, British Council, Inlaks Foundation, and Sangeet Natak Akademi. Balwant Thakur also acknowledged the unwavering support of his family—wife Deepika Thakur and daughters Aarushi and Gauri—for being pillars of strength in this journey. He credited thousands of Natrang associates, past and present, for their relentless dedication that kept the institution thriving—even during challenging times—with not a single day of inactivity in 42 years.
The celebration featured tributes from core team members including Anil Tickoo, Neeraj Kant, Sanjeev Gupta, Arvind Anand, Subash Jamwal, Meenakshi Bhagat, Vikrant Sharma, Kananpreet Kaur, and others, who reflected on the impact of Natrang in shaping their artistic careers. In 2016, Natrang brought further glory to J&K by showcasing the region’s cultural diversity before a crowd of over 50,000 at London’s iconic Trafalgar Square. Most recently, in 2023, it represented the country