India To Host International Theater Olympics

India for the first time will host the 8th edition of the international theater olympics next year. The theater festival will be organised by NSD (National School of Drama), and will take place in 15 cities across the country. The final list of the cities is yet to be decided by the National advisory committee, soon to be set up for detailed planning of the event.

"NSD is all geared up to play the perfect host as India will be the cynosure of the theater world and we will leave no stone unturned to ensure that the theater olympics in India is a grand success," said Prof. Waman Kendre, Director, National School of Drama.

"NSD will soon invite the applications of theater practitioners to participate in the gala function across the World. The inaugural ceremony of the festival will take place in New Delhi, while the closing ceremony will be held in Mumbai," he added.

Established in Delphi, Greece in 1993, the theater olympics is the foremost international theater festival, presenting the finest productions of well- known theater practitioners from around the world.

Union Minister of State for Tourism and Culture, Dr Mahesh Sharma, announced the dates of the biggest theater celebration from February 17 - April 08, 2018.

"It’s the dream of our Prime Minister to take the culture and tourism of the country to new heights. He has always focused on 'communication' and Theater is a strong medium to communicate a message. I am happy India has been given the right to host the 2018 edition of Theater Olympics," he said.

Speaking at the event, Sharma also talked about cultural mapping of India, “We will have the data of each artist present In India's 6, 20,000 villages. And every artist irrespective of their field will get a chance to showcase their talent," he said.

The theater olympics 2018 will feature maximum number of Indian and International theater groups, eminent theater personalities and approx. 500 plays and 700 ambience performances.

"In the changing world and challenging journey, I sincerely feel that theater serves as a confluence of river of modernity, the past, the present and future where very important issues, complex, aesthetics and philosophical challenges are negotiated," said Ratan Thiyam, Chairperson, NSD Society.

Till now, Greece, Japan, Russia, Turkey, South Korea, China, Poland have hosted the theater olympics.