Meet the distinguished teachers, theatre practitioners and scholars guiding learning and artistic practice at the National School of Drama.
Santanu Bose has created over 75 pieces of theatre over the past 33 years in various parts of the country and the world. These have been shown extensively in India and in different parts of Asia, Europe and Australia.
Amitesh Grover is an award-winning theatre director and artist. His body of work includes more than 20 stage productions, ranging from global performances connecting performers and spectators across continents to intimate pieces. His creations have been commissioned, co-produced and presented internationally by renowned festivals and theatres.
In 2008, Sangeet Natak Akademi awarded him the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for his contribution to theatre direction. He is also the recipient of the MASH FICA New Media Award, South Asian Artist Residency Award (Switzerland) and Charles Wallace Award (U.K.), and has been nominated for the Arte Laguna Prize, Prix Ars Electronica Award and Forecast Award.
He is currently Associate Professor at the National School of Drama. He teaches theoretical and practical classes in Theatre Direction and heads the Extension Department, NSD’s outreach programme for theatre training across the country.
Born and brought up in Orissa, Aruna Kumar Malik completed his B.F.A. in Fine Arts (Sculpture) from Utkal University and Graduate Diploma in Acting from the National School of Drama in 2007. Since then, he has worked as an actor, director, set and props designer and has contributed to more than 250 plays. He has also acted in films and television serials.
He received the Charles Wallace India Trust Fellowship to study advanced prosthetic make-up in the U.K. and the Bismillah Khan Youth Award from Sangeet Natak Akademi in 2014–15. He joined NSD as Assistant Professor in May 2017.
A postgraduate from Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata, with a specialisation in Dramatic Arts, and from the National School of Drama with a specialisation in Design, Direction and Theatre Technique, Dipankar Paul has practised theatre arts for more than 24 years as an actor, set designer, costume designer, lighting designer and director.
His productions have been performed nationally and internationally. He has also worked in children’s theatre as a facilitator, appeared in feature films and television serials, and maintains a keen interest in painting and sculpture.
An NSD alumnus (2004), Abdul Kadir Shah is extensively trained in Manipuri martial art Thang-Ta, Tai Chi, Shito-Ryu Karate, modern movement and dance. He worked with the NSD Repertory Company as an artist from 2004 to 2011 and performed major roles in productions including Ghasiram Kotwal, 1857 Ek Safar Nama, Ram Nam Satya Hain and Acharya Tartuf.
He has taught physical fitness, breath and body control, and body movement, and has worked as fight and movement choreographer for numerous NSD and Repertory Company productions. He has also participated in international theatre festivals in Bangladesh, China and Sri Lanka.
A martial artist, actor and director, Riken Ngomle pursued advanced training in acting at Studio Matejka, Grotowski Institute, Poland, after graduating in Acting from the National School of Drama. He later worked for four years as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Theatre Arts at the University of Hyderabad before joining NSD as Assistant Professor (Acting).
Vivek Emmaneni is an alumnus of the National School of Drama. His theatre journey began in childhood with his father’s group, Kalaaranjani, where he performed in one-act plays, Burrakatha, Palle Suddhulu and street plays. He later completed postgraduate studies in Organic Chemistry, Communication and Journalism, and Performing Arts before training at NSD.
He has worked as a professional artist with the NSD Repertory Company, undertaken a fellowship research project titled “Exploring Stillness,” and taught acting at Ramanaidu Film School, Hyderabad. His experience includes theatre, film, international workshops and the RADA–NSD student exchange programme.
Yashraj Jadhav is an actor, theatre director and performance maker. He graduated from the National School of Drama (1992–95) with a specialisation in Acting. He has taught acting since 1995 while directing, choreographing and designing plays and performances. He has also acted in plays, films, television shows and commercials.
Born and brought up in Faridabad, Haryana, Ramji Bali worked as an actor with the NSD Repertory Company in 1997–98 and received his Diploma in Acting from NSD in 2001. That year, he established Theatre Wala and went on to direct 65 plays under its banner. He has specialised in staging Sanskrit drama and has written nine full-length plays.
He received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Young Playwright Award in 2011. From 2018 to 2023, he served as Centre Director of the National School of Drama, Varanasi, contributing to the revival of classical theatre training in India.
A Sangeet Prabhakar from Prayag Sangeet Samiti, Allahabad, UGC-NET qualified, and an M.Phil. and Ph.D. from Banaras Hindu University, Dr. Jay Prakash has an exceptional record of research and academic work in music and theatre.
He has participated in workshops on Indian classical music, classical theatre, make-up and photography, and has presented research papers at seminars across the country. An actor, director and musician, he has worked with eminent Indian directors and received several awards for his contribution to theatre and music.
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