Mitra Nand Kukreti: A Great Garhwali Dramatist and Drama Director

Garhwali Dramatists/Playwrights -1 

Notes on Famous Directors, Theatre/Drama Activists and Dramatists; Asian Famous Directors, Theatre/ Drama Activists and Dramatists; South Asian Famous Directors, Theatre/ Drama Activists and Dramatists; SAARC Countries Famous Directors, Theatre/ Drama Activists and Dramatists; Indian Subcontinents Famous Directors, Theatre/ Drama Activists and Dramatists; Indian Famous Directors, Theatre/ Drama Activists and Dramatists; North Indian Famous Directors, Theatre/ Drama Activists and Dramatists; Himalayan Famous Directors, Theatre/ Drama Activists and Dramatists; Mid Himalayan Famous Directors, Theatre/ Drama Activists and Dramatists; Uttarakhandi Famous Directors, Theatre/ Drama Activists and Dramatists; Kumauni Famous Directors, Theatre/ Drama Activists and Dramatists; Garhwali Famous Directors, Theatre/ Drama Activists and Dramatists

                                  By: Bhishma Kukreti

                          Mitra Nand Kukreti is one of the Asian Greatest Drama /theatre/stage play Directors who promoted regional language dramas and theatres. In Asia, especially in India, due to various hurdles and problems, development of local language theatre/stage plays/ dramas is most difficult task. Garhwali language dramatization of stage plays have various inborn problems. The main problems in staging Garhwali dramas are scattered population, children education is either in Hindi or in English medium and not in Garhwali, continuous declining in Garhwali language speakers, individual financial losses in being Garhwali drama/theatre activist, due to scattered population less audience is available at one place and less recognition or least recognition to Garhwali drama/theatre activists. In such difficult situations, Mitra Nand Kukreti involved himself in promoting Garhwali theatre/dramas leaving English and Hindi languages theatres where more recognition was available and no financial losses was there. It was the love for language theatre/dramas attracted Mitra Nand to become Garhwali theatre/drama activist.  

                               Mitra Nand Kukreti belongs the  village Gheedi, Maniyarsyun, Pauri Garhwal. Kukretis of Gheedi were migrated from Dyusi, Maniyarsyun to Gheedi.  Kukretis of Dyusi came from Barsudi, Langur and Kukretis of Barsudi were migrated from Jaspur village, Malla Dhangu. Jaspur is the original village where first time, Kukretis settled in Garhwal migrating from Southern part or western south  India in thirteen/fourteen century.

   Mitra Nand Kukreti was born in November, 1944. He was educated in Lansdowne and Delhi. Mitra Nand Kukreti was in translation department in parliament.

          Mitra Nand Kukreti was involved in theatre/drama activities from his student life. Mitra Nand Kukreti started his theatre activities by acting in English and Hindi dramas.  For many years, Mitra Nand Kukreti used to write a column dedicated to theatres and dramas of Delhi for a daily newspaper.

  In 1944, Jagar a Garhwali theatre/drama promoting organization Delhi invited Mitra Nand Kukreti to direct ‘Ardhgrameshwar’ stage play.  Mitra Nand Kukreti‘s direction of ‘Ardhgrameshwar’ stage play written by playwright Rajendra Dhashmana was appreciated by Garhwali audience in various cities, theatre activists/dramatists and famous critics of Hindi and English theatres/dramas.

  The entry of Mitra Nand Kukreti in Garhwali theatre/drama world brought new waves in Garhwali theatre/dramas. Mitra Nand Kukreti is called father of new thinking in Garhwali theatre/dramas.

     Mitra Nand Kukreti trained Garhwali theatre/drama activists for new approaches in bringing contemporariness or modernism in Garhwali theatre/dramas in various workshops organized by Jagar.

              Mitra Nand Kukreti directed ‘Kanshnukram’ written by Kanhaiya Lal Dandriyal and modified by Rajendra Dhashmana staged in 1989 in Delhi, Mitra Nand Kukreti directed famous drama ‘’Bhakt Prahlad’ written by Bhavani Datt Thapliyal in 1989, in Delhi. Bhavani Datt Thapliyal wrote the first modern Garhwali drama ’Bhakt Prahlad’ in 1913.  

                   Mitra Nand Kukreti directed a Garhwali drama ‘Swayambar’ written by Kanhaiya Lal Dandriyal in 1984 in Dehradun.

  Mitra Nand Kukreti directed a Garhwali drama ‘Audal’ in 1989.

          Besides his directing Garhwali theatre/dramas/stage plays, Mitra Nand Kukreti contributed Garhwali theatre/dramas by culturing new generation theatre/drama activists.

  These days, Mitra Nand Kukreti is busy in translating classic Sanskrit Bhakti Shloka books into English.

           Asian theatre drama world will always remember the remarkable works of Mitra Nand Kukreti for promoting less spoken language theatres/dramas/stage plays ,training the theatre/drama activists, guiding young  generation of finer points of theatre/dramas, culturing new generation in Garhwali theatre/dramas and bringing contemporariness in Garhwali theatre/dramas.   

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti, 23/5/2012

Notes on Famous Directors, Theatre/Drama Activists and Dramatists; Asian Famous Directors, Theatre/ Drama Activists and Dramatists; South Asian Famous Directors, Theatre/ Drama Activists and Dramatists; SAARC Countries Famous Directors, Theatre/ Drama Activists and Dramatists; Indian Subcontinents Famous Directors, Theatre/ Drama Activists and Dramatists; Indian Famous Directors, Theatre/ Drama Activists and Dramatists; North Indian Famous Directors, Theatre/ Drama Activists and Dramatists; Himalayan Famous Directors, Theatre/ Drama Activists and Dramatists; Mid Himalayan Famous Directors, Theatre/ Drama Activists and Dramatists; Uttarakhandi Famous Directors, Theatre/ Drama Activists and Dramatists; Kumauni Famous Directors, Theatre/ Drama Activists and Dramatists; Garhwali Famous Directors, Theatre/ Drama Activists and Dramatists to be continued