Shivamogga: Acclaimed Kannada theatre director, scholar, and arts administrator Chidambara Rao Jambe passed away in Sagara on Saturday afternoon, leaving behind a rich legacy in modern Indian stagecraft and theatre education.Born on Jan 3, 1949, in Adderi village of Sagar taluk, Jambe completed his initial schooling in Keladi and Sagara town, trained in Yakshagana in Udupi, and later graduated from the prestigious National School of Drama (NSD) in New Delhi in the early 1980s. Over a career spanning four decades, he brought rigorous academic discipline and design sensibilities back to Karnataka’s theatrical landscape.He served as the principal of the Ninasam Theatre Institute in Heggodu for over two decades, held the post of director at Rangayana in Mysuru, and headed both the NSD Bengaluru Centre and the drama school in Sanehalli.As a prolific director, Jambe helmed more than 100 plays in Kannada, Hindi, and other languages, including landmark productions such as ‘Taledanda’, ‘Cherry Hannina Thota’ (The Cherry Orchard), ‘Loka Shakuntala’, ‘Chanakya Prapancha’, ‘Puntila’, and ‘Athensina Arthavantha’. Beyond mainstream theatre, he spearheaded Ninasam’s Janaspandana initiative, notably directing the play ‘Kappu Jana, Kempu Neralu’ featuring members of the marginalised Siddi community to democratise stage arts.In recognition of his immense contributions to Indian culture, Jambe was honoured with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award, and the Karnataka Nataka Academy Award.Jambe is survived by a son and wife.
