Theatre is generally considered as a medium of entertainment and political/ideological propaganda. But its real value is for its role in Education. In India, Natya Shastra is designated as the Fifth Veda, i.e., one of the books of 'supreme knowledge'. According to Bharata’s Natya Shastra, Theatre is ‘conglomeration of all kinds of arts and craft’, providing ‘knowledge to ignorant and enhancing the knowledge of knowledgeable’. In the first chapter of this treatise, importance of 'Natya' in education is described in detail.... Therefore, educational significance of theatre, and hence, the idea of 'Theatre in Education' is not new for India, as it is for the rest of the world. But the tradition of theatre lost its aura since 12^th century after Muslim invaders destroyed Indian Theatre along with other Hindu Traditions of Knowledge and Culturein Northern India. Theatre survived in form of folk tradition in the countrysides and in South India where Muslim hold was never strong. Under the British rule Islamic effect further weakened, and after a hiatus of almost 600 years, Indian Theatre started gaining its ground again in several hybrid forms like Parsi Theatre, Shakespearean Theatre and other mixed/modified forms which continued after the independence, but were degraded as a tool for spread of Marxist ideology and agenda.
With the onset of the 21^st century, the importance of theatre in education was again recognised in India, not because the stakeholders wanted the lost glory returned, but because it was recognised as such in Western and Latin American countries.For example, Theatre in Education is in practice since 1965 in Britain, hence in 1989 'Theatre in Education Company' was established in NSD, New Delhi, which is only an 'empty box' still today.
In NCF 2005 and NEP 2020 Theatre has been included in curricular activities, and now we are almost at the threshold of the rervival of our ancient tradition of Hindu Theatre which was considered as the Pancham Veda - a platform for all the arts, crafts and knowledge.
NCF 2005, in section 3.1.2, expressly states that, “Stories, poems, songs and drama link children to their cultural heritage, and also give them an opportunity to understand their own experiences and to develop sensitivity to others”. The same section commenting on ‘Theatre in Education’, declares that, “Theatre is one of the most powerful, yet least utilised art forms in education . . . . such experiences (as theatre) are important not only for teachers in their own development, but also for teachers to provide to children” (sic). NEP 2020 also encourages formation of Dram-Circle on different levels in the section 4.44.
These condiderations reflect the awareness towards the role of theatre in pedagogy, but well before the release of NEP 2020, Dr. Sunita Bharti had started 'Theatre in Education' campaign in 2016 independently. She began producing a series of research based educational plays in the subject of social sciences, called Infodrama, which is a new genre of dramatic presentation, and designed to impart 'knowledge with entertainment'. Since 2016, the organization FACES (of which Dr. Bharti is Secretary) is staging the shows of Infodramas in schools, colleges and other educational/cultural institutions under its programme ‘Theatre in Campus’.
Based on the paper "शिक्षा में नाटक और इन्फोड्रामा", Published in Bhairavi (The Journal of Visual and Performing Art) Vol. 24, 2022 by Dr. Sunita Bharti. Read more

Theatre In Campus programme of FACES is materialization of the vision of Dr. Sunita Bharti to propagate Indian culture and its knowledge-tradition among new generation through Infodramas. Under this programme Infodramas prepared and directed by Dr. Bharti is staged in the schools and colleges before students and teachers, followed by a quiz based on the information given through the content of the Infodrama. The winner students are awarded with 'Young Heritage Leadership Award' instituted by the FACES. At least four or five such programmes are organised every year....Some of the schools/colleges in which this programme has been organised recently are:
A. N. College, Patna
B. D. Public School, Patna
Kendriya Vidyalay No. 1, Patna
Bankipur Govt. Girls School, Patna
Balak Vidyalay Patna
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