"AI' for us means "Artistic Intelligence" blending old-school values with modern technology," assures NSD Director Chittaranjan Tripathy at grand inauguration of (NSD) National School of Drama's new Mumbai Centre !! By Sr. Journalist Chaitanya Padukone

Prestigious National School of Drama’s Mumbai Centre (NSD), which has completed 66 long years, one of the world’s most prestigious premier theatre-acting training institution (since 1959),  celebrated the grand launch of its newest branch in Mumbai (at Andheri West. The inauguration marked a significant milestone in NSD’s journey of nurturing generations of super-talented award-winning alumni-students which includes  'late' Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah, Anupam Kher, Raj Babbar, Neena Gupta, 'late' Irrfan Khan, Ashutosh Rana, Mita Vashisht Tigmanshu Dhulia, Zakir Hussain, Rajpal Yadav, Rohini Hattangadi, Annu Kapoor, Pankaj Kapur, Raghubir Yadav, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Pankaj Tripathi, Swanand Kirkire, Chittaranjan Tripathy and many more.

The NSD Mumbai Centre event witnessed an inspiring gathering of theatre veterans, eminent alumni, academicians, eminent senior film-journalists, and students, all celebrating the arrival of NSD’s world-class training ethos in the heart of the Mumbai dream-city. The new campus has been thoughtfully designed to reflect NSD’s core philosophy, where learning is immersive, collaborative, and deeply rooted in both theory and practice. 

NSD Director Chittaranjan Tripathy, Manoj Joshi, Raghubir Yadav, Zakir Hussain, celebrity top casting director Mukesh Chhabra,, Waman Kendre, Mita Vashisht,  Ram Gopal Bajaj,, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Vivek Aggarwal, Amita Prasad Sarbhai, Bharat Gupt, Mita Vashisht, Ashok Banthia, singer-actress Garima ( who also performed live),  Atul Tiwari, Swanand Kirkire, Nivedita Bhargava, Ashok Mishra, Sameer Upadhyay were among those who attended the launch to share their blessings and good wishes in the new NSD Mumbai Centre spacious premises on the entire sixth floor.. Also present were students of the first Mumbai batch comprising talented aspiring-actors, girls, and boys..

Speaking at the launch, multi-talented, dynamic NSD Director Chittaranjan Tripathy shared that "the Mumbai branch will uphold the School’s intensive training tradition, guided by a meticulously structured syllabus that covers every facet of theatre. As with the main campus, students will be encouraged to apply their learning through practical stage productions, which will be performed for the public as part of their curriculum _The launch of NSD Mumbai marks not just an expansion of our institution, but an expansion of opportunities for every young artist who dreams in the language of theatre. Mumbai’s creative pulse makes it the perfect home for our next chapter. "AI' for us means 'Artistic Intelligence' with a classic blend of old-school values with modern technology, also incorporating relevant elements of Artificial Intelligence," assured NSD Director Chittaranjan Tripathy at the grand late afternoon inauguration of (NSD) National School of Drama's new Mumbai Centre!

In addition to the regular intensive training and grooming of students to be fit and competent enough for plays-dramas, movies, TV Shows, and OTT, there would be specials Lectures and MasterClass Workshops by eminent acting stalwarts like Paresh Rawal, who is the current Chairperson of NSD.. Apparently, as he was genuinely held up elsewhere,   acclaimed super-actor Paresh-bhai could not attend the NSD_Mumbai inaugural event. NSD Director Tripathy informed me that Paresh-Sir has sent his sincere regrets and blessings and has assured his proactive support and co-operation to the NSD Mumbai Centre.

The steady expansion reaffirms NSD’s dedication to strengthening India’s performing arts ecosystem by making professional theatre training more accessible to young talent across the country in various cities and regions..

Originally set up in 1959 by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, NSD became an autonomous organization in 1975 and continues to be fully financed by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. With the launch of the Mumbai branch, the institution aims to extend its legacy of rigorous yet innovative artistic training to Mumbai, India’s cultural and creative epi-centre.