National School of Drama

One of the leading and paramount theatre training school of the country, National School of Drama, was initially established in 1959 by Sangeet Natak Akademi as one of its integral components but later in 1975 became an independent organization. This organization is completely funded by the Ministry of Culture under Govt. Of India and is listed as a self-governing body for the study of theatre and for offering training in acting, dramatic arts, stagecraft, and similar subjects.

The school focuses on covering every facet of theatre and prepares the students for a detailed and well-organized curriculum.  The intensive training program helps the students develop their skills and access the resources they need to make progress on their plans.

National School of Drama released its first big publication from the Publication Unit in 1990 which was named “Rang Yatra”. Until 2010 there were around 82 published materials on drama and similar subjects.

Considered as the best drama school in the country, NSD offers Diploma courses in dramatic arts for newcomers who want to enter into the world of theatre and want to pursue it professionally. During the entire span of the course, students are prepared to develop a range of practical skills along with a plethora of knowledge.

The curriculum is shaped to include classical as well as modern theatre trends and the students are subjected to a very rigorous training from theory to practical on a detailed and carefully organized curriculum and then tested in front of a wide audience.

The school has not restricted itself to its 3-year training programme only, but has delved into the new field of vision in children’s theatre as well as conducting several workshops in various parts of the country under the Extension programme.  Launched in 1980, the “Traditional Theatre Project” bridges the gap between the traditional and contemporary artists and makes it easier for them to have an artistic interaction on a frequent basis. These workshops not only introduce a participant to the real world of theatre but also helps them to grow and enhance their personality and change their perspective.

The following eminent actors in the Indian acting scene attended National School of Drama in Delhi. Some of them have gone on to try their hands- some quite successfully, at other streams of the film-making process as well.