BIODATA : PUNIT ASTHANA – THEATRE DIRECTOR

1	-	Name	:	Punit Asthana
2	-	Father’s name	:	Late Dr Darbari Lal Asthana,  Freedom Fighter
3	-	Date of birth	:	19th April, 1951
4	-	Address	:	Lucknow.
5	-	Phone	:	9415462305
6	-	Academic Qualification	:	1- M.A. – Ancient Indian History & Archeology.  (Lucknow University) 2- Diploma in Public Administration                      (Lucknow University)
7	-	Theatrical Qualification	:	1-Received professional training in Dramatic Arts     from Bhartendu Natya  Kendra in1976.     (Bhartendu Natya Akademi  : U.P.Governement) 2-Received advance & specialized training  through theatrical     workshops, conducted by national &  international  theater     directors & experts. 3-Received  script writing training from Educational T.V.
OFFICIARY  & TEACHING EXPERIENCE
1	-	Bhartendu  Academy  Of Dramatic Arts (B.N.A. – U.P.Govt.)	:	1-Ex. Director – B.N.A. 2-Ex. Faculty Member – B.N.A. 3-Ex. Member Of  Executive Committee – B.N.A.    (Govt. nominee for two terms) 4-At present Visiting Professor in B.N.A.
2	-	U.P.Sangeet Natak Akadami (U.P.Govt)	:	1-Visiting Theatre Director 2- Visiting Expert for Drama Selection Committee
3	-	Dr B.R. Ambedakar University, Agra.	:	Visiting Examiner
4	-	Lucknow University Art College	:	Visiting Lecturer
5	-	Bhartiyam, Lucknow	:	President, Bhartiyam Bal Yuva Vikas Evam Shodha Sansthan, Lucknow. (NGO)
WORKING  EXPERIENCE
1	-	Teaching in theatre	:	Teaching theatre & drama since  1978.
2	-	Workshops	:	Conducted & directed about 90  drama workshops for Dept. Of Culture, U.P. Government,  U.P. Sangeet Natak Akademi & for other NGOs’. in U.P. & Uttaranchal.
3	-	Direction	:	Directed about 100 plays in Hindi & English.
4	-	Acting	:	1- Acted  in 60 plays on the stage
			:	2- Acted in 15 T.V. plays, serials & Telefilms.
			:	3- Acted in ‘Junoon’ a film by Shyam Benegal.
5	-	Script Writing	:	1- Contributed  scripts for two telefilms . 2- Contributed seven short plays .
6	-	Set Designing	:	1- Have designed more than hundred sets for plays , ballades.& other     cultural  programs.  2- Designed & executed  a  grand set in front of  U.P. Assembly to      commemorate the 50th anniversary  of independence by the State      Government in 1997.
7	-	Light Designing	:	1- Designed  stage lights for more than hundred plays, ballades     & other cultural  programs. 2- Designed  lighting  for a prestigious program of  Award      Function of  Central Sangeet Natak Akademi, visited  by      President of  India  in 1989. 3- Designed permanent stage lighting  system for three auditoriums      including Ravindralya .
8	-	Costume Designing	:	Designed costumes for more than hundred plays, ballads & cultural       programs.
9	-	Props. Designing	:	Designed props. for more than eighty-five plays & other  cultural       programs. It includes realistic, fantasy & stylized   productions.
10	-	A.I.R.	:	Contributed more than forty talks, stories & plays for All India Radio.
11	-	Doordarshan	:	1- Directed telefilm ‘Smriti’. It was telecasted on Doorsashan for      more than  half a dozen times. 2- Stage production of  ‘Sandhya Chhaya’ was lifted by Lucknow     Doordarshan  and  was telecasted  several times  through the     different  centers of India. 3- Contributed background music  for telifilm "Main Whoh  Nahin"
12	-	Electronic Media	:	1- Contributed script, background music & sound effects for a      telefilm  ‘Bol Jumboore  Bol’. 2- Directed telifilm ‘Ishqurabad’ .
13	-	Films	:	Received practical training through working under renowned       international film directors like Shyam Benegal & Govind Nihlani
14	-	Interviews	:	Interviewed  national & international theatre personalities for S.N.A.    Archives.
15	-	Journalism & writings	:	Contributed  articles, stories, play & film reviews &  column writing    for newspapers & magazines of great repute.
16	-	Awards (a) Academy Awards	:	1- Bhartendu Natya Akadami Rajat Jayanti Samman 2- U.P. Sangeet Natak Akadami Samman (Direction)	- -	2000 2002
		(b) Awards       (Some of the awards by        other institutions &        organizations)	:	1-  Sanskar Bharti, Agra 2-  Loreto Alumnae Association & SBI : Expression – 95 3-  Brijnatyam, Agra 4-  Kadambari, Lucknow 5-  Manchkriti, Lucknow 6-  Lucknow Mahotsav Natya Samaroh - 2004 7-   Abhinaya Bharti Shanti Metri Rang -2005       (National Theatre Festival, Dharwad, Karnatak) 8-   Lucknow Mahotsav Natya Samaroh – 2005 9-   Hardayal Vastav Hasya Natya Samaroh – 2007 10- Natya Samaroh Samman – 2008          (SNA & District Administration, Bijnor, Dhampur) 11- Lucknow Mahotsav Natya Samaroh – 2008 12- Akansha Rashtriya Natya Mahotsav – 2009 13- Rangyatra Samman -2010 14- Akansha Kala Ratna Samman - 2010 15- Adakar – e – Awadh Samman - 2011 16-  Uttar Pradesh Gaurav Samman–2012  (Maa Foundation, N.D.) 17-  Sanskar Bharti, Lucknow : Kala Guru Samman    18-  Lucknow Mahotsav Natya Samaroh – 2013         ( Best Director) 19-  Lucknow Mahotsav Natya Samaroh – 2014  20- 24th Babu Hardayal Hasya Natya  Samaroh    - 2014 21-  Rangyatra Natya Samaroh - 2015      22-  Rangbushan Samman – 2015           Awarded by  His-excellence Shree Ramnayak,         Governor of   Uttar Pradesh	- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -	1991 1995 2002 2003 2003 2004 2005 2005 2007 2008 2008 2009 2010 2010 2011 2012 2013 2013 2014 2014 2015 2015