Ifra Kak, a young theatre director and actor has bagged the prestigious Ustad Bismillah Khan Sangeet Natak Akademi Yuva Puraskar for the year 2022. Ifra, daughter of celebrated and internationally renowned theatre and films actor Lt Mushtak Kak while dedicating the award to her late father said that his continuous tutelage had shaped her latent talent to acquire such zeniths.
“This award will go a long way in acknowledging skill, creativity, dedication, and impact on the theatrical landscape. It will serve as token of significance for contribution to theatre, whether through performance, direction, writing, design, or other aspects of theatrical production,” said Ifra Kak .
To her credit, Ifra has along ending successful acclaims that include Bertolt Brechtt’s Three penny Opera,Mahesh Elkunchwar’s Pratibimbh,Asghar Wajahat’s Jis Lahore ni Dekheya O jameya E nei,Dr Shanker Shesh’s Ek Aur Dhronacharya,Girish Karnard’s Nagmandala,ND Jamwal’s Allad Goli veer sapayi,Manto’s Toba Tek Singh.
Moreover, Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar to Ifra would help her to elevate the status of theatre as an art form and highlight its importance in society.Ifra Kak has done here Masters in Theatre Arts from Central University of Hydrabad.First woman theatre director of J&K who had conducted a theatre workshop on the concept of “Theatre as therapy” with the inmates of Kot Bhalwal Central Jail in 2011.
The announcement of Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowships (Akademi Ratna) & Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards (Akademi Puraskar) for the Years 2022 & 2023 and Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for the years 2022 & 2023 was released through a general council of Sangeet Natak Akademi, the National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama, New Delhi, at its meeting held on 21 and 22 February 2024
The General Council of the Akademi selected 80 young artists for Sangeet Natak Akademi Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for the years 2022 and 2023. Ifra from Jammu and Kashmir clinched the prestigious one that carries a purse money of Rs. 25,000/- (Rupees Twenty Five Thousand Only) besides a Tamrapatra and Angavastram. These awards will be conferred by the Chairman, Sangeet Natak Akademi in a special ceremony.
