Playwright and theatre director Ratnakar Matkari has been awarded the prestigious Vishnudas Bhave Gaurav Padak in Sangli.
The award has been instituted by Akhil Bharatiya Natyamandri Samiti of Sangli in memory of Vishnudas Bhave, the father of Marathi theatre.
The samiti's president Sharad Karale announced the award at a press conference on Thursday. The award includes Rs5,000, a memento and citation. The award will be given at a function in Sangli on November 5 — the Marathi Rangabhumi Divas.
Theatre stalwarts like Bal Gandharva, Acharya Atre and PL Deshpande are some of the former recipients of the award. In recent years, the award has been given to Ramdas Kamat, Dilip Prabhavalkar and SN Navare.
Born in Mumbai in 1938, Matkari earned fame in Marathi literature, theatre and film. So far, he has written 38 dramas, 11 one-act plays, 19 story collections and three novels.
Few of his plays include Dubhang, Aranyak, Sate-Lote, Ashwamedh and Prem Kahani. His plays for children include Albatya-Galbatya, Nima-Shima Rakshas, Achat Gavachi Afat Mavshi.
