Administration

As in all institutions, the administrative department of NSD works to ensure its smooth functioning. Not only is it responsible for its day to day functioning, it also works as the coordinating point for different areas like accounts and academics. In addition to this it organizes tour programs, theatre festivals and puts forward collaborative proposals, etc. The administrative department functions as the basic backbone of the institute and in the process ensures that other wings and departments of the institute can function without obstruction and achieve maximum potential.

Members

The present administration consists of the following Staff Heads:-

Shri Pradeep K. Mohanty (M.S.W, LL.B, NET-UGC)
Registrar, National School of Drama

Shri Mohanty has more than 20 years of experience in cultural and educational administration. He had served in many eminent organisations such as Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Miranda House (University of Delhi), National School of Drama. Latest, he served as the Secretary, National Institute of Open Schooling, an autonomous institution under Ministry of Education, Govt. of India, from 22.04.2021 to 31.03.2023. He was repatriated to NSD and joined back as Registrar NSD on 31.03.2023. He was instrumental in initiating many infrastructural projects and administrative and financial reforms in NIOS.

As Registrar, NSD he was also Chief Administrative Co-ordinator for organising Theatre Olympics which was one of the biggest theatre festivals in the world. He was one of the members of the delegation representing National School of Drama to finalise plans and programmes of 8th Theatre Olympics to Togamura, Japan. He has long experience of supervising the organising of Bharat Rang Mahotsav (BRM), international theatre festival of India as Chief Administrator Co-ordinator for the last 5 BRMs. He was also instrumental in successful organising of Classical Theatre Festival, National Tribal Festival of Theatre, Dance, Music and Handicraft and various Children Theatre Festivals in New Delhi and other cities. Also, he participated and successfully completed Theatre Appreciation Course 2019 conducted by NSD from 27th May to 4th June 2019.

He has also been invited as an Expert for various high-level committees in Sahitya Akademi, Sangeet Natak Akademi, Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan (Central University under MHRD), Inter-University Accelerator Centre (an autonomous centre under UGC), School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi University etc.

He has also been involved in recruitment process of various administrative and accounts staff members in Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, Inter-University Accelerator Centre and other public institutions. Also, he has been invited extensively by various theatre groups from all over India as a guest and resource person and assist them in promoting the theatre movements, in the country. He has been honoured with Sampark Samman in March 2021 by an eminent NGO namely Sampark, Rourkela on their silver jubilee function for significant contribution in promotion and dissemination of theatre activities in the country. He was also given Art Promoter Award by Abhinay Rangmanch, Hisar.

MANOJ RAMELA
Dy. Registrar

Mr. Manoj Ramela served as an Accounts Officer in the National School of Drama in 2019 and was promoted as Deputy Registrar on 12 March 2025. He has worked under different Directors of NSD and has a vast administrative experience in handling the accounts, administration and various national and international events organised by the School.

PARAG SARMAH
Production Manager

A graduate of National School of Drama with specialization in acting, Mr. Parag Sarmah has worked in its Repertory Company for nearly twelve years as an Artist and Stage Manager. He has acted in more than forty-five plays. His directorial debut, ‘Parshuram’ has been nationally acclaimed and was a part of both Nandikar National Theatre Festival and Bharat Rang Mahotsav. He has directed ‘Hello Out There’ for NSD Repertory Company and has designed lights for productions such as ‘Raste’, ‘Parinati’, ‘Bhand Duhai’, ‘Tajmahal Ka Tender’, ‘Bandi Pramath’, ‘Hazar Chaurasi Ki Ma’, ‘Vikhandit Chhaya’, ‘Baan Bhatt ki Aatmkatha’ and ‘CanSurvive: Subah ka Pata’ etc.

Parag Sarmah is associated with a number of NGOs and working towards introducing younger generations the rich cultural heritage of Assam as well as of India by organizing theatre workshops with youth and children. He has been Chief Technical Coordinator for Bharat Rang Mahotsav for a number of years and also instrumental in the successful coordination of NSD’s another festival, Poorvottar Natya Samaroh from its inception in the last decade. He has visited Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA), London under the Cultural Exchange Programme between NSD and RADA. As a NSD team member, he has also visited countries such as China, Bangladesh and Nepal to participate in several theatre festivals. Besides, he has been teaching ‘Stage Management’ to the students for last many years. At present, Mr. Sarmah is the Production Manager at National School of Drama, executing all the academic activities including public performances by the students.

CHETNA VASHISHT
Asst. Director, Official Language

Dr.E. Gajalakshmi
LIBRARIAN

She completed B.COM., M.LISc, DCA., Ph.D., (Library & Information Science).She qualified up to Praveshika from Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha.

She has more than 13 years of Professional experience and is currently serving as Librarian at National School of Drama, Ministry of Culture, Government of India. She worked as an Assistant Library and Information Officer at National Library of India, Govt.of India, Ministry of Culture, for 9.5 years after qualifying the Union Public Service Commission in 2013.Earlier, she had worked as Library & Information Assistant Gr-II at Anna Centenary Library (which was Asia’s Second Biggest Library) at Govt.of Tamilnadu, Dept.of Public Libraries, Chennai for more than 2 years. And worked as Library Assistant at PRIST University, Thanjavur for more than 2 years.

She visited British Library, London and Boston Spa under “Skill Exchange programme” during November 2017.

She is a life member in Society for the advancement of Library and Information Science (SALIS) and Central Government Library Association (CGLA).

She has published around 23 publications includes journal articles, conference papers. She attended various National and International conferences, seminars, workshops and she delivered more than 25 invited lectures at different Universities, Colleges and in other Central Govt Institutes/Organizations. She acted as a Resource person in Interview board and a Library Committee member at MAKAIS, Ministry of Culture, Kolkata. As an Organizing Secretary she organized the 3rd International Conference of CGLA (RRGL-TIC 2022) (through Virtual Mode) on the theme “Re-Invention and Re-Engineering of Government Libraries: Trends, Issues and Challenges” during 22nd & 23rd April,2022.

Awards and Achievements: She won Best Paper award for the paper title “Digital Preservation in Knowledge Resource Centre” organized by Central Library, Anna University in 2007.She awarded A.N.Marappan Memorial National Best Young Librarian Award 2017 by the Society for the Advancement of Library and Information Science (SALIS).

Accounts Officer
VACANT

Asstt. Registrar (Admin)

Mohinder

Asstt. Registrar (Accounts & Estate)

Ujin Tirkey

Asstt. Registrar (Academics )

Dharam Veer