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The silver jubilee edition of Bharat Rang Mahotsav (BRM) 2026 was inaugurated on 27 January 2026 at the National School of Drama (NSD) premises in New Delhi. The inaugural ceremony was attended by the Hon’ble Union Minister of Culture, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, as the Chief Guest, and Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Shri Vivek Aggarwal, as the Guest of Honour. Other dignitaries present included Vice Chairperson of the NSD Society and Padma Shri awardee Prof. Bharat Gupta, Director General of ICCR Ms K. Singla, and noted actress Ms Mita Vashisht. 

The programme commenced with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp, followed by a welcome address by Director, NSD, Shri Chittaranjan Tripathy. Organised by the National School of Drama under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2026 is being held from 27 January to 20 February and marks 25 years of the festival. 

This edition is the largest in the festival’s history, with performances scheduled across 40 locations in India and international participation from at least one country from each of the seven continents. On the occasion, the Hon’ble Minister of Culture inaugurated two new initiatives aimed at expanding access to theatre- an exclusive radio station titled Rang Aakash and an OTT platform named Naatyam. 

BRM 2026 features 277 Indian productions and 12 international productions, presented in 228 Indian and foreign languages and dialects, making it the world’s largest theatre festival in terms of linguistic diversity. The productions span classical, contemporary, folk, and experimental forms, including performances in Sanskrit, Urdu, Bhojpuri, and several tribal and endangered languages. 

New festival centres such as Ladakh, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Aizawl, Tura, Nagaon, Mandi, and Rohtak reflect the Ministry of Culture’s outreach-driven approach to expanding access to theatre in remote and underserved regions. The festival also places emphasis on inclusivity, featuring productions by transgender communities, sex workers, senior citizens, and 33 productions directed by women. Curated segments include Adirang Mahotsav, Jashne Bachpan, Bal Sangam, Poorvottar Natya Samaroh, Puppet Theatre Festival, Classical Sanskrit Drama Festival, and Micro Drama Festival. 

Special performances commemorating freedom fighters, social reformers, and eminent theatre personalities such as Birsa Munda, Ahilyabai Holkar, and Dr Syama Prasad Mukherjee form part of the programme. A dedicated seminar honouring the legacy of theatre doyen Ebrahim Alkazi will be organised at the NSD campus. 

A message from the Hon’ble Prime Minister was read during the inaugural session. Addressing the gathering, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat highlighted the civilisational significance of Indian theatre and referred to the Natya Shastra as the fifth Veda, reflecting the synthesis of knowledge traditions. He noted that NSD has played a pivotal role in nurturing and disseminating India’s theatrical heritage. Vice Chairperson of the NSD Society, Prof. Bharat Gupta, underlined that theatre serves as a medium for dialogue and the reinforcement of human values. Alongside performances, BRM 2026 includes workshops, seminars, street theatre, folk art presentations, the Theatre Bazaar, and the launch of 17 publications under the ‘Shruti’ imprint, aimed at strengthening India’s theatre ecosystem.

For more details and upcoming schedules, visit https://brm.nsd.gov.in/