Wareppa Naba : Padmashri Award winner 2017 :: Profile

Daniel Chabungbam *

Wareppa Naba :: Profile of Theatre Actor

Profile of Wareppa Naba : Padmashri Award winner 2017

Wareppa Naba, son of a prominent sankirtana peforming artiste and a popular theatre actor of the yester-years, spent his early life in the field of traditional art and culture under the guidelines from his father and this could fead him into the path of culture with flying colour. Born on 16th October, 1941.

STUDENT LIFE

With his love for theatre, he took active participation for establishment of his group, theatre mirror with a band of enthusiast theatre workers under the leadership of Padmashree H. Kanhailal in the year 1965 and took his active participation for the promotion and protection of theatre culture in the region.

It was his college life he became the Genera! Secretary of the Manipur College, Imphal in the year 1967-68 and began his active service in the students movement in the region under the banner of Ail Manipur Students Union (AMSU) in the year 1965 - 1969.

SERVICE IN THEATRE

Since the establishment of Theatre Mirror took his utmost service and contribution for the promotion of Theatre Culture in the region with ail his energies with the high professional aptitude. Acted, directed and produced many a plays and won several awards:

o Won Best Actor Awards in the year 1979, 1980 and 1986

o Won Best Direction Awards in the year, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1999.

o Won the prestigious State Kala Akademi Award in the year 1990,

o Won the "Natyashree" Award honoured by Allahabad Natya Sangha, 2000

o Won the prestigious “Natya Bhushan” honoured by Theatre Movement, Cuttack, Orissa in the year 2009.

o Won the National Dr. Ambedkar Fellowship Award, 2009.

o Won the prestigious Natya Bhushan honoured by Maniput Sahitya Parishad in the year 2010.

o Won the "Lifetime Achievement Award" honoured by Theatre Centre, Manipur, 2011.

o Won “Natya Ratna Award” honoured by Utkal Yuva Sanskruit Sangh, 2013

o Won the National Kajakshetra Guru Samman, 2013

o Won the International Lifetime Achievement Award honoured by INFA, Katmandu, 2013,

o Won Indo - Nepa Friendship Association (INFA), Katmandu, 2014.

o Won India Excellence International Award , 2015, Pune.

o Won Indo-Shrilanka Friendship International Award 2015, Colombo

o Won Minglen Khonga honoured by Panthoibi Natya Mandir, 2015

o Won Nilamani Ningshing Mana honoured by Rupmahal, 2015.

SERVICE IN SHUMANG LEELA

o His love for Shumans Leela Tradition and his active participation since the year 1980 by utilising his whole energies creative potentialities being the artistic director in the field as well as being the Chairman of the Academic Sub Committee of the Manipur State Shumang Leela Council, an apex body in the region.

o Directed more than 60 Shumang Leela Plays and won several awards and acclamation such as —

o Best Direction Awards for the year 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

o For his eminence in the field won “Tamapatra” for the play “Maibadi Maibeedo Mapuroibado” by the Maharaja of Manipur in 2009.

o For his service and eminence in the field won the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Awards honoured by Shumang Leela Council, 2014.

PROMOTION OF NARRATIVE ART FORMS IN MANIPUR

o Wareppa Naba took his keen interest and active service for the promotion and protection of all those rare but languishing Narrative and Performing Art Forms in Manipur for the last 10 years. Being the President of the Theatre Centre, Manipur one of the premiere apex cultural organisation in the region, has been organising a Festival of Narrative Arts in which all those rare art forms such as Lairik Theeba Haiba, Waree Leeba, Pena Phamshak, Khongjom Parva, Khubak Eshei, Nata Sankirtana, Khunung Eshei, Maan Bhanjan, Goura Leela and Khullang Eshei.

o Promotion and Protection of Nata Sankirtana Tradition in Manipur. Being the executive member and spokesperson of the Manipuri Naat Kanba Lup (Protection of Manipuri ritual traditions). His service has been rendering with his full energies.

Wareppa Naba is now 75 years old. But with his all energies and artistic potentialities contributing a lot in his chosen field with no stoppage.