The Governor of Manipur today inaugurated a National Seminar at the Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy (JNMDA), paying tribute to the towering legacy of Ratan Thiyam, one of India’s most influential theatre visionaries. The event brought together artists, scholars, cultural practitioners, and admirers to reflect on a body of work that reshaped modern Indian theatre and carried Manipur’s cultural voice to the global stage.
In his inaugural address, the Governor described Ratan Thiyam as a cultural icon whose work transcended performance to become philosophy, resistance, and meditation. He noted that Thiyam’s theatre was never confined to entertainment—it confronted war, power, suffering, and human conscience with rare depth and visual discipline.
A Global Voice Rooted in Manipur
Highlighting Thiyam’s international stature, the Governor said the theatre maestro placed Manipur firmly on the world’s cultural map. Through productions that blended Manipuri martial traditions, ritual movement, minimalist dialogue, and striking visual design, Thiyam developed a language of theatre that resonated across continents while remaining deeply rooted in local ethos.
Works such as Chakravyuha, Uttar Priyadarshi, Andha Yug, and Chinglon Mapan Tampak Ama were cited as examples of how his art bridged ancient texts and contemporary anxieties, making Manipuri theatre a subject of global academic and artistic study.
Family Felicitation and Cultural Remembrance
As part of the seminar, the Governor felicitated members of Ratan Thiyam’s family, acknowledging their role in supporting a life devoted to art, discipline, and uncompromising creative integrity. The moment was marked by quiet dignity, reflecting the values Thiyam himself stood for.
A special commemorative journal published by the Manipur State Kala Akademi (MSKA) was also released during the programme. Dedicated entirely to Ratan Thiyam, the journal documents critical essays, reflections, archival material, and scholarly interpretations of his work and influence.
Documentary Screening: A Life in Theatre
The seminar also featured the screening of the documentary “Ratan Thiyam: The Man of Theatre”, offering audiences an intimate look at the maestro’s life, philosophy, and creative journey. The film traced his evolution from a young artist in Imphal to a globally respected theatre director, capturing both his artistic rigor and his deep engagement with questions of violence, ethics, and humanity.
For many attendees, the screening served as both remembrance and rediscovery—an invitation to revisit a theatre tradition that values silence as much as speech, and restraint as much as spectacle.
A Living Legacy
Speakers and participants emphasised that the seminar was not merely a memorial event, but a continuation of dialogue—one that Thiyam himself always encouraged. His legacy, they noted, lives on not only in performances and texts, but in the discipline he demanded, the moral questions he posed, and the generations of theatre practitioners he inspired.
The national seminar stands as a reminder that Ratan Thiyam’s contribution was not limited to Manipur or India alone—it belongs to world theatre.