The Department of Theatre Arts, S. N. School of Arts and Communication, University of Hyderabad, is pleased to share the significant participation of its current research scholars and alumni in two international research conferences organised by leading academic institutions in Sri Lanka during August and September 2026.

The participation reflects the Department’s continuing engagement with practice-based research, performance studies, traditional and contemporary theatre practices, pedagogy, sustainability, and interdisciplinary approaches to the performing arts.

1. 9th International Research Conference – 2026, Eastern University, Sri Lanka

Current research scholars and graduates of the Department presented their research papers online at the 9th International Research Conference – 2026, organised by the Swamy Vipulananda Institute of Aesthetic Studies, Eastern University, Sri Lanka, held from 20–22 August 2026.

The following scholars and alumni of the Department participated in the conference:

  • Maitreyee Kuhu, graduate of the Department, presented “Eco-Aesthetic Practice Under Constraint: Material Rescue, Labour, and Site-Specific Performance in Hiraeth”, co-authored with her supervisor. The paper was announced as the Best Research Paper in its panel.
  • Abhinav Kumar Verma, alumnus of the Department, and K. Atputhan presented “Influence of Zen on Noh Drama: In Respect of Contemporary Training and Performance.”

 

  • Maneesh Pachiaru, current Ph.D. Research Scholar, presented “Le Corps Poetique (The Poetic Body): Actor’s Training with Mask as a Practice-Based Inquiry into Presence and Embodied Expression.” The paper explores mask-based actor training through a practice-based research framework, examining presence, embodiment and expressive possibilities emerging through the actor’s engagement with the mask.
  • Amarjeet Kumar, current Ph.D. Research Scholar, presented “Connecting Nature with Performance: A Study on Chhath Puja Performances in Bihar, India.” The paper examines the relationship between nature, ritual and performance through the cultural and performative practices associated with Chhath Puja.

The participation of scholars working across diverse areas demonstrates the breadth of research emerging from the Department, encompassing performance pedagogy, ecological practice, intercultural performance, actor training, ritual performance and practice-based inquiry.

2. Third International Research Conference on Visual and Performing Arts – 2026, University of Jaffna

The Department also participated in the Third International Research Conference on Visual and Performing Arts – 2026 (IRCVPA 2026), organised by the Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan Faculty of Visual and Performing Arts, University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka, held from 2–4 September 2026.

Maneesh Pachiaru, Ph.D. Research Scholar of the Department, travelled to Sri Lanka and presented his research paper in person:

“Integrating Puppetry into Contemporary Actor’s Training: A Practice as Research towards Hybrid Pedagogies in Performing Arts.”

The paper emerges from his sustained research and pedagogical engagement with puppetry and actor training. It investigates the possibilities of integrating puppetry techniques into contemporary actor education and proposes a practice-as-research approach towards developing hybrid pedagogies in performing arts.

The paper presented at the University of Jaffna was recognised as the Best Paper presented at the conference.

Two other scholars/alumni associated with the Department also presented their research online at the conference:

  • Amarjeet Kumar, current Ph.D. Research Scholar, presented “Reimagining Theatre and Sustainable Pedagogy: An Analysis from Bhikhari Thakur’s Folk Theatre.”
  • Olympica Rajbongshi, alumna of the Department, presented “Archiving the Ephemeral: Oral Traditions and the Digital Decolonization of Folk Art Pedagogy.”

These presentations brought together diverse perspectives on folk theatre, sustainable pedagogy, digital archiving, oral traditions, puppetry, actor training and contemporary performance practices.

Maneesh Pachiaru: Practitioner-Researcher and Departmental Contribution

A notable contribution to these international academic engagements was made by Maneesh Pachiaru, a Puppeteer, Art Director and Theatre Practitioner from Chandigarh and a founding member of the Satvik Art Society, established in 2013. Maneesh qualified for the UGC-NET in 2016, 2018 and 2019 and completed his postgraduate degree in Theatre Arts from the University of Hyderabad during 2014–2017, graduating with distinction and a Gold Medal. He is also an alumnus of the UNIMA-India Foundation Course for Puppeteers (2018–19). Since 2017, he has been associated with the Katkatha Puppet Arts Trust, New Delhi, and has received training in wooden puppet building from Master Puppeteer Bernd Ogrodnik of Iceland. His professional practice encompasses acting, puppetry, puppet building, art direction, stagecraft, theatre pedagogy, sculpture, filmmaking and video editing. As a practitioner-researcher, he has worked across several institutions and projects and has served as visiting faculty in Theatre and Puppetry at institutions including the University of Hyderabad, Rabindranath Tagore University, Jamia Millia Islamia University and IIT Hyderabad, among others. His current doctoral research at the University of Hyderabad explores training and training methods in modern/contemporary puppet theatre practice in India, with particular interest in pedagogy and performer training. His two recent conference papers presented in Sri Lanka extend this research trajectory into two interconnected areas—mask-based actor training and the integration of puppetry into contemporary actor pedagogy—demonstrating the relationship between artistic practice, teaching and scholarly inquiry.

Recognition and Continuing Research Engagement

The Department’s participation in these two international conferences represents a significant academic engagement by its research scholars and alumni with international platforms for knowledge exchange.

The recognition received by Maitreyee Kuhu’s paper as the Best Research Paper in its panel at the 9th International Research Conference at Eastern University and Maneesh Pachiaru’s paper as the Best Paper presented at IRCVPA 2026 at the University of Jaffna further highlights the quality and diversity of research emerging from the Department of Theatre Arts.

The papers presented at both conferences are scheduled for publication in their respective conference publications and will be made available subsequently.

The Department congratulates all the participating scholars and alumni—Maitreyee Kuhu, Abhinav Kumar Verma, K. Atputhan, Maneesh Pachiaru, Amarjeet Kumar and Olympica Rajbongshi—for representing the Department on international academic platforms and for contributing to contemporary discourse in theatre, performance and performing arts research.

Their participation demonstrates the Department’s continuing commitment to nurturing research, practice-based inquiry, interdisciplinary scholarship and international academic exchange in Theatre and Performing Arts.