The Girish Karnad Theatre Memorial Vedi has announced the 5th annual theatre award named in honor of the legendary playwright, filmmaker, and cultural icon Girish Karnad for the Pravasi category.
Shemej Kumar from Kuwait has been chosen as the recipient of its prestigious fifth annual award. The award celebrates exceptional contributions to theatre, with a special focus on the expatriate drama works.
Shemej Kumar, a prominent figure in expatriate theatre, has been living in Kuwait for nearly twenty years. He has played a vital role in promoting Indian theatre and drama within the diaspora community. His contributions have been recognized with several accolades, predominantly including the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi's Best Director Award, the Global Theatre Excellence Award, and the Rotary International Award
In addition to his work in theatre, Shemej is also actively involved in short films and cultural programming. Notably, he served as the chief organizer of the cultural program held during the visit of the Indian Prime Minister to Kuwait in 2024. He currently works as an engineer with the Kuwait Oil Company.
The selection jury for the award comprised Dr. Aromal T, Dr. Thulasidhara Kurup, and Sabeer Kalakudeeram.
The award ceremony will be held on May 19, 2025, at 2:00 PM at the Pathanamthitta Press Club, where the award will be formally presented by renowned film lyricist Vayalar Sarathchandra Varma.